Even with expensive equipment designed to target glutes, access to heavy weights, and a booty building expert as a trainer… developing a better backside is NOT easy.
The glutes are innately lazy, a very large muscle group, and need targeted isolation to achieve the activation required to change their shape and size.
Knowing this may lead you to wonder if you can REALLY build a butt at home with .. no machines, no weights, not even resistance bands. Literally nothing except a small space, your body, and your favorite gym shoes.
Yes. You. Can. (In fact, shoes are totally optional for the workout below)
If your goal is to build lean muscle and re-shape your booty, it is IDEAL to use some form of resistance. But if you stay consistent, do the right exercises, and focus on FEELING your glutes activate with every movement… you don’t NEED anything except your own bodyweight!
Of course, if you have dumbbells, a resistance band, kettlebells, or any sort of DIY home weights, adjust the reps or rest periods, and use them!
GET A BUTT (from home)
With this booty blasting NO EQUIPMENT workout
BOOTY WARM UP
Even though you won’t be using weights for this booty blaster, we still advise you to warm up and stretch your muscles. Glutes are the biggest muscles in your body. You never want to train “cold” muscles.
Do some DYNAMIC lower body stretching followed by 5 total minutes of things like running in place, jumping jacks, body weight kick-backs, leg swings, and air squats.
8 EXERCISE BOOTY BUILDING CIRCUIT
You will notice that rest time is very minimal. Because we aren’t using any weight, keeping constant stress on the glutes is even more important.
Equally important is being very intentional with every movement. Pay attention to TEMPO and PAUSES! A no-equipment workout is not the time to RUSH.
Focus on slowing things down and pausing at times when your glutes are placed under the most tension. Weight or not .. this is where the booty building magic happens!!
Focus on making the most of every rep. If you are using mind-muscle connection, you will feel your glutes activating with each rep.
- Perform each exercise for 20-30 reps (or as many reps as it takes for you to be totally taxed.)
- No Rest or VERY MINIMAL REST between exercises (20 seconds MAX.)
- Once you complete the entire 8 exercise circuit, rest for 60 seconds, and then repeat for a total of 2-5 rounds.
For tips on how to make this workout easier or more difficult, scroll down!
Exercise 1: Basic Squat
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be straight forward and SLIGHTLY pointed out.
Keep your chest tall, pull your shoulder blades together, and keep your head up.
Slowly squat down by bending your knees. Keep your feet firmly planted into the floor and knees forward (don’t let them cave in.)
Go as low as you can go, but make sure your knees stay aligned over your feet. Never allow them to go beyond your toes!
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement … take at least 3 seconds during the lowering portion of the squat, pause or pulse for 2 seconds at the bottom, then rise up to the starting position and SQUEEZE your glutes HARD at the top!
Exercise 2: Reverse Lunge
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be straight forward.
Step your right foot back into a deep lunge. Make sure your left knee stays directly over your ankle, and bend your right knee, so it almost touches the floor.
Focus on your left glute as you step your right foot forward back to the starting position.
Repeat the same thing with the other leg. This counts as one rep. You can also do all reps on ONE side before going to the other side.
Your tempo for this movement should be slow and controlled during both the lowering and raising phases. If you want to pause while IN the lunged position, that will make this move more advanced. Do not rest/pause at the top of the movement.
Exercise 3: Bulgarian Split Squats
You will need a slightly raised surface for this one. Anything that is about knee height.
If you find yourself struggling to stay balanced, hold on to a nearby wall, another piece of furniture, someone’s shoulder, etc.
Stand facing away from your raised surface. Don’t stand too close… that is not good for your knees. On the flip side, standing too far away could put strain on your hip flexors and groin. Generally, the further away you stand, the more hamstring and glute focused it will be. Find your sweet spot!
Keep your core tight, your torso upright, and your hips square to your body.
Hold on to whatever you are using for balance and place your back foot on the elevated surface.
Lower into a lunge, keeping your front knee in line with your front foot. Don’t let your front knee travel beyond your toes. Your back leg will be resting on the elevated surface and will naturally bend as you lunge.
Drive up through your front heel back to the starting position. Not your back leg. All the work should be on the leg that is out front.
Do all reps on one side – then switch and do the other leg!
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement will be the same as the reverse lunges.
Exercise 4: Single Leg Foot Elevated Glute Bridge
Head to the floor. You will use the same raised surface you used for the split squats, for these feet elevated glute bridges.
Lay down on your back. With your knees bent, place your feet on the elevated surface. Scoot your body closer or further away to your raised surface. Distance is individual. Just make sure you are in a position to perform the movement with proper form and a good range of motion.
Plant your left foot onto the elevated surface and extend only your right leg into the air. You will be pushing through your left foot .. your right leg will stay extended.
Lift your hips and squeeze your left glute as you push up into a bridge position until your hips are fully extended. When extending into the glute bridge, do not arch your back! Go up just high enough that you are making a long diagonal line from your shoulders to your knee.
Slowly lower back down. Do all reps on one side, then switch legs and do the other side.
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement will be slow and controlled on both the way up and down .. with a big squeeze at the top of the movement .. and no rest at the bottom.
Exercise 5: Side Lying Clam Raise
Roll over to one side. Bend your knees 90 degrees. Your knees and feet should be stacked on top of each other.
Come up on to your forearm so that your hips are hovering over the ground. You can place the other hand on your hip/glutes. Push through your heel as you raise up and rotate your hips open. You will raise your top knee until it points up toward the ceiling (like a clamshell opening.)
Reverse the movement as you return to the starting position. Repeat all reps on one side before rolling over and doing the same on the other side.
Try to never let your hips touch the floor until you have completed all reps. If this is too difficult for you, you can allow your hips to touch the floor between each rep, or as needed.
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement will be slow and controlled on both the way up and down .. with a big squeeze at the top of the movement .. and no rest at the bottom.
Exercise 6: Fire Hydrants
Get on all fours in a tabletop position. Make sure your shoulders are above your hands and your hips above your knees.
Lift your left leg away from your body at a 45-degree angle, keeping your knee at 90 degrees and don’t shift your hips. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and then lower back to the starting position.
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement will be slow and controlled as you raise and lower .. with a big squeeze at the top of the movement .. and no rest at the bottom.
Exercise 7: Kneeling Donkey Kick Ups
Stay in your tabletop position. Lift one leg up behind you while keeping your knee bent.
You should do this in a slow and controlled manner, not using ANY momentum to “kick” your leg up. Focus and let your glute muscle do the lifting!
Keep your foot flexed and raise/pulse your leg until it is in line with your body, and your foot is parallel to the ceiling. This should be a short range of motion. Keep your back still with a neutral spine (don’t arch.)
Your tempo/pause technique for this movement will be slow and controlled as you raise and lower .. with a big squeeze at the top of the movement .. and no rest at the bottom.
Exercise 8: Shock Pulses
This one is going to sound strange… but it works!
Stand up with your feet about shoulder-width apart (or slightly more narrow.)
All you are going to do is aggressively squeeze your glutes together in a quick “shock” type movement. You will move quickly and do at least 20-30 “shocks” (squeezing as hard as you can every “shock”.)
On every 5th shock pulse .. stop and HOLD THE SQUEEZE AS HARD AS YOU CAN for 5 seconds. No rest .. just keep on shocking and holding .. until you can’t do another rep!
Your glutes will be ON FIRE when you are done!
BOOTY COOL DOWN
When you are done, it’s time to lower your heart rate and give your glutes the recovery they need to repair and grow.
The best way to do this is to spend at least 10 minutes doing self myofascial release and static stretching.
While you are cooling down, you may also want to sip on some Sculpt Nation BCAAS or our POST WORKOUT blend! Both have their own unique blend of post workout recovery support agents that will get you into recovery mode faster and promote a decrease in soreness so you can be ready to crush your next workout!
**TIPS TO MAKE THIS BOOTY BURNER EASIER**
- Use a more shallow range of motion.
- Take longer rest periods.
- Decrease reps/rounds.
- Shorter pauses/faster tempo (not recommended)
**TIPS TO MAKE THIS BOOTY BURNER MORE DIFFICULT**
- Add weight. If you don’t have any, look around your house! There are plenty of objects you can use to add resistance (water bottles, detergent, canned foods, a stuffed backpack, etc.)
- Minimize rest periods or make them “active rest” by doing jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers, jump rope, jump squats, etc.
- Add pulses,¼ reps, squeeze harder, make tempo even slower, etc.
GUYS .. WE HOPE YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION
Glute training at home is not just for the ladies!
Just like women should train body parts that guys tend to focus on (biceps and chest, for example) — every person reading this can benefit from isolated glute training!
Glutes are the powerhouse of your body! Focusing on glutes goes beyond aesthetic benefits!
Strong glutes…
- Help improve posture.
- Support functional movements (walking, etc.)
- Can improve your squat and deadlift.
- Lowers the chance of injury to your back and knees.
- Help keep lower body joints healthy (hips, knees, and ankles.)
Don’t let lack of equipment be your excuse! You don’t have to have a fancy gym or even home gym equipment to get a good glute workout. Use this workout when you are limited!
If you want to take out the guesswork.. let us do the heavy lifting for you!
We have dozens of at home and gym workouts, a brand new at-home program called MOVE, FREE content on YouTube, as well as dozens of top-notch fitness experts that can help you create a one-on-one program and diet JUST FOR YOU!
Want a tailored program SPECIFICALLY to grow your booty? Try out our Booty Builder Program!
