There are three muscles that make up the booty. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. And we know it’s all the craze to make dem booty gains and get a round, peachy, perky bootylicious butt. But FYI, your butt is amazing right NOW!
And cool, you want to build your booty… go you!
And yeah, when you strengthen your booty it will get a little rounder…
BUT there are so many other more important benefits to working your butt. Like…
Creating a strong butt will promote better posture.
Strong glutes will ease your back pain.
You’ll be less prone to injury.
You’ll feel stronger.
Yep, all of these things are waaaaaaay more important than what your booty looks like.
If you hang out on Instagram you might think you need to live at the gym to build a butt.
You might think you need to lift weights to create a strong, firm butt.
And yes doing these things will create your strong butt… but there is another way!
We love Pilates and Yoga.
Not only do these practises make our butts strong and toned, but they’re also fun and good for your mind and soul health!
Keep reading and you’ll find 4 of our most favourite Pilates-inspired movements to work the butt.
Before we go any further, let’s also remember that genetics do play a part in round perky butts.
Take us for example.
We both have great strong butts.
However, Carla’s butt is just oh so round and perky. Even when she does no exercise she just has a booty.
It sticks out. It’s so round. It’s just the way her butt is!
Whereas mine (Emma’s) is less round and less firm.
And what bum is better?… neither bum, they are both great bootaaaays.
Because they help us move and function, they take us on life’s journey! Thanks booty butt butt!
The point is, we have very similar workout routines and our butts look very different.
We even have very similar genetics (real life sisters ;)) and our butts are different.
We don’t see a point in fighting genetics, just go with what is real.
Go with what is natural. For me to create a butt like my sister, I’d probably need to lift weights every second day. I’d probably need to change my diet completely. And I just have no interest in doing that.
So I don’t have that goal. My goal is to simply feel good in the body I have.
And can we please also remember… in the 1990s and early 2000’s, it was all about the no butt, the flat butt look.
So really, the problem is not your butt, it’s beauty trends. When we stop worrying about them… problem solved ?
Ok, let’s get into the good stuff.
The movement and exercises you can do at home, to work and strengthen your booty. No gym required and no equipment required.
How to work your booty without a gym and with no equipment
Both Yoga and Pilates movements and sequences will help you build and strengthen your booty.
Inside the MerryBody Online Studio, there’s a whole booty section, with a bunch of classes designed specifically to work your amazing butt. If you’re keen to try a class right now, sign up o the 7 Day trial and do the Basic Booty Pilates Class.
Ok, let’s get into the Pilates exercises that will help you build a booty.
Here are just 4 of our most favourite booty building exercises below!
There are so many more different exercises and fun sequences inside MerryBody Online Studio.
BOOTY LIFTS
Let’s set it up.
- Lay on your back, face up towards the ceiling/sky, bend your knees, plant your feet on the ground about hip-width apart.
- Engage your core, draw belly button to the backbone and create rib to hip connection. This creates a super stable foundation (this is important!).
- Inhale to prepare and as you exhale, squeeze your butt and lift your hips towards the sky. Maintain your rib to hip connection, don’t flare the ribs.
- Lower the booty towards the earth as in inhale, then exhale lift again.
- Do this for 20 reps.
- Then hold it nice and high and pulse it for 20 reps. Get ready to feel the fire!
NARROW SQUATS
This has got to be one of our most favourite ways to work the booty. And the legs.
- Start standing with your feet about hip-width.
- Engage the core, draw belly button in towards backbone. Draw ribs towards hips.
- Inhale bend your knees and send your booty back like you’re sitting in a chair. Focus on the movement coming from your hips, glutes, and hamstrings.
- Exhale, stand tall. Press your feet into the ground, squeeze your booty and return to your standing position with a slight micro bend in both knees (don’t lock out the joint).
- Do this for 20 reps.
- Then, get down low and stay low. Dip and lift, tiny pulses at the bottom for 20 reps. Here comes the booty burn (again!).
OYSTERS
Oh, they look easy but trust us… oysters will build your booty muscles and create the heat!
- Lay on your side with your knees bent, knees are directly out in front of your hips, hips stacked, feet are together. Head is resting in hand closest to the earth.
- Engage the core. Belly button to the backbone. Create rib to hip connection. You’ll notice a slight gap underneath your bottom waist.
- Inhale to prepare, then lift your top knee up and open, while keeping your hips still and feet together.
- Lower your knee back down and repeat.
- Do this for 20 reps, then hold it high and pulse 20 reps at the top. Swap sides and do it again!
ALL 4s LEG LIFTS
Maybe one of our most favourite Pilates exercises for the booty (and abs and total body really!). There are many leg variations within this exercise too.
- Start in a 4-point kneeling position with your shoulders stacked above wrists and your hips above your knees.
- Engage the core, draw belly button in, create rib to hip connection, do not flare the ribs. The neck is long, an extension from the spine.
- Extend one leg behind you to hip height, be sure that your ribs haven’t flared here, point the toes. Really hold and squeeze your leg strong.
- Inhale tap the toes down to the earth and then exhale lift back to hip height.
- Repeat for 20 reps.
- Hold your foot at the top, in alignment to your hips. Dip and lift at the top. Pulse it out for 20 reps! Ohhh you will feel this!
- Swap to the other leg.
Ok, go and try some of these booty burning Pilates exercises.
Or even better, let us guide you! Sign up to your FREE 7 Day MerryBody trial and try the Basic Booty Class right now!
It might be called Basic Booty… but there is nothing basic about your booty. In fact… it’s gloriously amazing!
What’s basic about this class is the slow burn, 20 minutes of technique focussed Pilates. This is one of the best classes to see what the MerryBody Magic is all about!
If you try the class, let us know what you think!
Always merrymaking,
Emma + Carla
Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash