Nothing gets your glutes burning quite like the abductor machine. But you don't need a gym to strengthen these muscles and feel the burn. There are exercises that will get the job done at home.
These glute supersets are the key to an ultimate butt workout, according to Carolina Araujo, CPT, a New York-based certified personal trainer. Supersets — two exercises performed back to back with no rest in between — create more time under tension for you muscles, meaning they have to work longer and are forced to get stronger.
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Ready to make your next glute workout super? Just grab a dumbbell (or a DIY alternative) and a few feet of space and give these supersets a try. You can add one to your existing workout or do them all as outlined below for a complete booty-building session.
Superset 1
Move 1: Air Squat
- Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
- Extend your arms out in front of you for balance as you bend your knees and push your hips back to squat down. Focus on lowering your body as if you were going to sit on a chair.
- Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor (or as low as you can go comfortably while maintaining good form). Your knees should be over your toes and your gaze should be straight ahead.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of your squat.
- On an exhale, reverse the motion by pressing through your heels to return to standing. As you stand, lower your arms back to your sides.
Move 2: Side Step
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart and a soft bend in your knees.
- Take one big step to the right with your right foot.
- Then step your left foot over until your feet are hip-width apart again.
- Continue this patter, taking 10 steps to the right.
- Then, side step back to the starting position, leading with the left leg.
Tip
Try and stay in the squat position as you do your side steps and don't let your feet come together in the middle, Araujo says. If you really want to kick it up a notch, loop a mini resistance band around both legs right above your knees (Amazon.com, $8.95).
Superset 2
Move 1: Alternating Reverse Lunge
- Start standing with your feet together.
- Take a large step backward with your left leg.
- Lower down into a lunge until both knees are bent at 90 degrees. Your left knee should be close to the floor but not touching it.
- Press through your right heel as you step your left foot forward to return to standing.
- Repeat, this time stepping backward with your right leg.
- Continue alternating legs with each rep.
Move 2: Sumo Squat
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed out.
- Hold a dumbbell by one end in front of your body.
- Bend your knees as you push your hips back to squat down. Focus on lowering your body as if you were going to sit on a chair.
- Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor (or as low as you can go comfortably while maintaining good form). Your knees should be over your toes and your gaze should be straight ahead.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of your squat.
- On an exhale, reverse the motion by pressing through your heels to return to standing.
Tip
To give your glutes a little extra burn, hold your last sumo squat rep at the bottom for 30 seconds, Araujo says.
Superset 3
Move 1: Kneeling Squat
- Begin kneeling on the ground with your knees hip-width apart, arms at your sides.
- Shoot your hips back and lower your glutes to your heels.
- Pause here for a moment.
- Squeeze the glutes and press your hips forward to return to the starting position.
Move 2: Sumo Deadlift
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed out. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of your thighs.
- Hinge from the hips and softening your knees as you lower the weight to shin height.
- Engage all the muscles of your core as you push your feet into the floor, as if you were trying to push the floor away from you, and lift the weight back up.
- Finish the motion by lifting your chest and engaging your lats to stabilize the weight in front of your hips.
Tip
If you don't have weights available, there are plenty alternatives to try. Hold two gallon jugs or a backpack filled with books, Araujo recommends.