If you're tight on time, squeeze in this glute-tightening routine from a South Beach Tier 3 trainer.
When facing the end-of-year time crunch, it's crucial to remember that not every workout needs to be a marathon session. Sometimes, a quick, hyper-focused bout of training can do the trick—provided you choose your moves wisely. We asked some of our top trainers to advise on brief-yet-beneficial combos that provide serious payoff at a lower time cost. Here, a 12-minute glute workout to get you started.
The Pro: Amelia Sofis, EFTI master instructor, Tier 3 personal trainer
The Club:South Beach, Florida
The Workout: “This is a 3-exercise sequence designed to shape and strengthen the glutes,” says Sofis. “In my opinion, these are 3 of the most beneficial movements for the backside. Perform 12 repetitions of each exercise per set. Complete 3 sets. Each sequence should take 4 minutes, so you’ll repeat 3 times for a total of 12 minutes.”
Back Squat:Place a barbell on upper back with both hands securing bar in place, and squat down until thighs are parallel with the floor. Return to standing position. Complete 12 squats with a challenging weight that does not compromise proper form.
Weighted Hip Bridge: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a barbell on hips (use a towel or airex pad between your hips and barbell to avoid discomfort). Keeping shoulders in contact with the floor and barbell in place, tighten glutes and drive heels through the floor, lifting hips into full extension. Hold for a count of 3, then slowly return to start position; complete 12 repetitions.
Kettlebell Swings: In a wide stance with both feet pointed forward, swing a kettlebell from between thighs to shoulder height, using only the momentum from hip extension. Repeat 20 times.