20-Minute Mat Pilates Workout for Glute Strength & Stability (No Equipment)

[calm music]

This is your position glute activation.

Think about it like the small little muscles in your glutes.

The muscles we usually don't work out we'll get into here.

All these movements we're gonna do

target the outside pocket of your seats.

Also really important here, heads up,

if you ever need to take little breaks,

you're totally allowed to.

Right?

Take a sip of water, towel off,

and then get back into your exercise.

Let's get started with your warmup.

We're gonna start with my favorite exercise.

The perfect exercise to always start any glute work

and separate your feet nice hip width apart.

We're gonna take it into a squat.

I want you to take it super slow.

Squat down for two.

Sit your hips back for three.

Sit your hips back for four.

Now press into your heel, midfoot,

and the big toe rise back up.

Squeeze your glutes at the top,

and then slowly take it back up.

We're just gonna warm up right here.

Your glutes, your quads,

and don't forget your center core's

always activated as we squat.

Beautiful.

Now I'm gonna

show you real quick here from the side.

I really want you to sit back,

keep those arms nice and long.

Press through the entire foot, right?

Those three connection points on the feet and come back up.

What you want to avoid here is a pelvic tilt.

Don't do one of these.

Okay?

Again, really bad in the low back,

it's just a small little squeeze in the glutes, squeeze.

Yes.

Get everything nice and tight and then lower back down.

All right, we're gonna add onto this.

We are adding a leg lift in three, two, and one.

Meet me all the way at the bottom.

Now lift up, shift your body weight to the right side.

Lift your left leg up, squat back down.

Lift your right leg up.

So now you're already gonna feel

that doctor's work right here.

Squeeze that glue.

Beautiful.

Open up.

Inhale, exhale, lift.

As always, all of these single leg exercises,

if you feel unstable, you can always hold onto something.

We're gonna hold this low in three, two, and one.

Meet me down low.

Gimme a tiny pulse in the glutes,

up an inch, down inch.

Almost like you're trying to sit down on a chair

and then you decide, oh no, I get right back up.

So a small little pulse.

You got five.

We go to a knee opener in 4, 3, 2.

Meet me down low.

Start to open your knees out for one out for two,

and then draw your knees back in.

Think about opening from the hips as you open your knees out

and then draw 'em back in.

Really working the outside pocket off your

seat, your outer thighs.

Everything is activated here.

We got 10 more seconds right here,

and we are gonna stand up.

You get a quick breather.

We take it into a curtsy lunge in three, two,

draw it back in.

Rise up, shake it out.

Take a quick little breather.

We're gonna take this now into our leg series.

On the left side,

we're gonna start in a static curtsy lunge.

So your left foot is forward.

Your right foot steps back, so you got a big X in the legs.

Meet me all the way down low.

Find your curtsy lunge.

Now, you should already start to feel the

outside of your seat.

The glute, the outer thigh.

Keep your chin of the chest, hold it low.

Bend both knees deeply down.

Press into your left heel.

Start to slowly rise up.

Straighten both legs at the top.

It's a static curtsy lunge all the way down.

Slowly rise up.

You're squeezing those inner thighs together at the top.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Rise up.

Now, if this feels a little bit too much,

just step your foot a little closer

and take it slowly back down.

Beautiful, nice and slow with control here,

we're gonna meet at the bottom in 5, 4, 3, 2.

Meet me all the way down at the bottom.

Chins off the chest.

Gimme a tiny pulse down an inch.

Your right knee is trying to tap the mat,

but you're not actually tapping it, right?

You're just lowering down towards that mat.

Relax your shoulders again.

Unclench your jaw.

You have five holding.

4, 3, 2.

Hold it all the way low.

Now, extend your right leg out.

Bring your hands to prayer.

Step your right foot behind your left calf.

Step it back out.

Step it in.

Step it out.

If you wanna spice it up a little

bit, add a little speed here.

Quick in and out.

Otherwise, stay nice and slow.

We got 10 more seconds right here.

We're gonna take it one more time.

Back to full range.

Tack your knee underneath your hip in three, two,

step it back, bend your knee back to full range.

Ooh, we're feeling the burn right now.

You got 8, 7, 6, 5.

Push through 4, 3, 2, and stand up.

Wow.

Shake it out, the booty should be on fire right now.

Let's take it down onto your mat.

You probably all know this exercise.

It's your donkey kick, hands underneath your shoulders,

knees underneath your hips.

You are in that quatre position.

I want you to pick up that left heel towards the ceiling,

flex your foot.

We're lowering that left knee down towards your mat,

and then lift it back up.

So really make sure here you're not surpassing that knee.

You're just lowering it down right to the mat

and lift it back up.

Right now, we are gonna work your gluteus maximus,

the big butt muscle.

Yes.

Inhale.

Exhale, squeeze.

10 more seconds right here.

Meet me at the top for a tiny little pulse in 5, 4, 3, 2.

Hold right here.

A tiny little pulse.

Squeeze your glute as hard as you can.

You should feel, I always call this the

smile of your butt cheek.

You should feel that smile of the butt cheek.

Squeeze up.

Beautiful.

You have eight, seven.

Now we take it into your seat work in three, two,

hold it nice and high.

I want you to drop that onto your right forearm.

We externally rotate that left knee out to the side

for an attitude,

and then slowly drive that left knee back into your midline.

So think about opening the hips towards the left hand side.

Add it to that knee open, and then drive it slowly back in.

Now we're gonna feel the gluteus medias right.

It's a small little muscle on the

outside pocket of your seat.

That's the easiest to refer to.

It is the outside pocket of your seat.

Beautiful.

Inhale.

Excellent, squeeze.

Beautiful.

Now we are holding this up at the top.

You're doing little attitude pulse,

in 5, 4, 3, 2, hold it right there.

Gimme that little attitude pulse, tiny pulse,

standing pulse, beautiful.

You got 10.

Find that burn.

You have 8, 7, 6, 5.

Almost there.

4, 3, 2.

Woo!

Release.

If you need to make a little fist, tap out that glute,

give it a little shake.

And now we're gonna take this into our sideline work.

So let's lay all the way down onto your right side.

Get nice and comfortable.

I want you to align your right knee with your right hip.

Extend that left leg in a nice long line from the toe all

the way to the crown of your head.

Now if you want,

you can also lay all the way down onto your bicep.

The choice is yours.

Point your foot.

We are starting to sweep that left leg forward for two.

Sweep it forward for three.

Sweep it forward for four.

Hold it right here in the front.

Tap your toe down to the floor.

Lift that left leg slowly back up.

Flex your foot, sweep your leg all the way back in

alignment with your hip.

Now, few counterpoints here.

You do not wanna kick your leg too far back.

Why?

Because you're gonna feel it in your lower back.

You want to align your foot with your hip.

Yes.

Point your foot.

Sweep it forward.

Get your foot working, point.

Tap the foot down to the floor.

Lift.

Flex your foot, sweep it back.

Beautiful.

Now again, you're gonna feel the outside parts

of your side here working, right?

This is, again, it's seat work right here

outside of your thigh.

Your left glute is activated the entire time we're

holding this forward in four,

in three, two, hold it right here.

Now gimme a mini circle.

Woo!

Feel that burn.

That's it.

That gluteus minimus is on fire, y'all.

There you go.

Tiny little circle.

Reverse in three, two, reverse.

Other way.

Beautiful.

Keep that foot pointed in four.

We are gonna kick your leg back in.

Three, two, kick your legs slowly back.

Flex your foot.

Now externally, rotate your left hip open.

Pull that left knee slowly in alignment with the right.

Flex your foot.

Press it all the way out.

Perfect.

That's it.

Really pull that knee in.

Engage that core as well, and press back out.

This is your sideline leg press right here.

All right.

Now we got two more moves right here laying down.

We are taking this into our clamshell, one

of my all time favorites.

Eight and three.

Two and one.

Bring your heels together, toes apart.

Zip your inner thighs together first.

Now I want you to lift your bottom leg a little higher.

Open that top left knee and then bring it back together.

So you're just opening your left knee up to the ceiling.

Feel that squeeze in the glute.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Open up again.

Remember we did a hip mobility class.

This is opening again, your hip's right here, right?

It's that external rotation from your hip.

Everything is working in sync.

Squeeze that glute to the top.

You got 10 seconds.

We finish this out with an internal

to external rotation in three, in two, and one.

Hold it open.

Now tap your knees together.

Tap your toes.

Tap your knees.

Internal rotation.

External rotation.

Tap your toes, knees and toes.

Knees and toes.

Last eight, seven, fight for it.

Come on.

You got 4, 3, 2, and one.

Bring it down.

Give it a little tap.

Tap it out.

Tap, tap, tap.

Beautiful.

Now it's bilateral.

We're gonna take this into a bilateral butterfly hip bridge.

So I want you to lay down onto your mat.

Get comfortable.

Bring the soles of your feet together.

Hands come right by your sides.

I want you to press into your palms,

articulate your spine slowly up for two.

Lift your hips up for three.

Lift your hips up for four.

Squeeze your glutes at the top

and it'll slowly lower your hip down

for two, down for three.

Lay all the way down for four.

So this is really opening up those hips.

You're really nice.

You're gonna feel that stretch in those hip flexors,

but you are working your glutes.

Again, the small little muscles in your butt are activated,

especially as you pike it up.

You squeeze your glutes at the top

and then slowly lower down.

You want to go super, super slow here, guys,

don't go too fast.

Press into those palms.

Lift up, collar bone is open, right?

Open that chest a little bit more.

Inhale.

Exhale, squeeze.

We got 15 more seconds right here, that butterfly,

and then we take it back up to standing into your right leg.

Gimme a one more, last one.

Last one.

All the way up.

Squeeze hold.

Slowly lower down.

Super slow.

Hug the knees to the chest.

Roll out your back for a split little second here.

Beautiful.

Release your feet.

Bring your right hand down.

Left hand as well.

Pull yourself slowly back up.

We come into your standing position

for your curtsy lunge on the other side.

All right.

The left side should be nice and warm.

I'm already feeling it.

I'm sure you do too.

Right foot steps forward, left leg steps back.

We go into that static curtsy lunge.

So meet me down low, right foot in front, left foot back.

Remember the X in the legs.

Press into your right, your hands on the hips.

Relax your shoulders.

Yep, you got this.

Let's get into the second side.

Press into your right heel.

Start to rise up straight

and both like squeeze those inner thighs at the top.

And then slowly bring it all the way back down.

Beautiful.

Open up.

Squeeze, right?

Really again, back in that right side.

Now you're back in your right glute, gluteus maximus.

Big muscles.

Yes, all the way down.

Whenever we go onto the pulse, right,

you're gonna target again the small little muscle.

Eight seconds.

Here we meet down low in 4, 3, 2.

Hold it all the way low.

Tiny pulse.

Woo.

Find that fire, right?

The booty should be on fire right now.

Tiny little pulse.

You got eight, seven.

We go into your step in 3, 2, 1.

Meet me down low.

Extend that left leg.

You step your left foot behind that, right?

Step it back long, straight leg.

Step it in, step it back.

Your right leg, again, it's super static, right?

There's no movement in the right leg.

The movement is coming from your left leg.

You are isolating, right?

It's almost like an isometric hold, last 5, 4, 3, 2.

Drop it back, bend your knee, take it back to full range.

I know.

Back to full range.

Now the burn should really be kicking in right now

and take it back down.

Last 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and one.

Stand up, shake it out,

and we take it back down into your quatre position.

Donkey kicks.

Let's take it all the way down.

Bring your hands underneath your shoulders, knees

underneath your hips, belly bent to spine.

Hold that right heel up to the ceiling, flex that foot

and slowly lower your right knee down towards the mat.

Nice and slow.

Flex your foot.

Kick it back up to the ceiling.

So not just the glute right here is working.

You are also gonna feel your

hamstring a little bit right there.

Working in sync.

Beautiful.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Pull it up.

Now listen up.

We take this into that little pulse.

You're gonna feel again,

that little squeeze in your glute in three, two, and one.

Meet me all the way at the top.

Flex your foot.

Gimme a tiny pose again,

avoid arching your back here, right?

Draw navel into the spine.

Yes, there you go.

You got 8, 7, 6, 5.

Attitude is coming up in three, two, and one.

Hold it high.

Drop slowly down onto your left forearm.

You externally rotate your right hip.

Open to the side for your attitude,

and then draw it back into your midline.

So we're opening that hip.

Follow with your eyes, that hip,

and then slowly bring it back in.

Look down towards your mat.

Fantastic.

That's it.

That's your attitude.

You're gonna feel the squeeze in the

outside packet of your seat.

Again, feel that gluteus medius squeeze

and bring it slowly back down.

We're gonna hold it at the top in 5, 4, 3, 2.

Hold that external rotational, pulse your knee

up towards the ceiling.

Tiny pulse.

It's so small, don't make it bigger.

Tiny little pulse, right?

So small little pulses and Pilates that will always get you.

They'll get you.

You have 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Release.

Again, if you need that little tap,

make a little fist, tap out the glute,

and then you come slowly back down onto your mat again.

You can either cradle your head with your hand

or you lay all the way down,

whatever is comfortable for you.

Now, let's bring your knees in front of you first.

I want your bottom knee,

left knee in alignment with the left hip.

Extend that right leg nice and long.

Your toe should be in alignment with your spine.

So make sure your hips are not too far forward.

All right, point your foot first for me.

Internally rotate your hip.

Don't open it up too much.

Yep, there you go.

Now let's start to sweep that leg forward.

Point your foot, sweep your leg forward for two.

Sweep it forward for three.

Sweep it forward for four.

Hold it.

Tap that leg down to the floor.

Super slow, lift it back up from the outer thigh,

and now flex your foot.

Sweep it all the way back.

And remember, smile of the butt cheek,

squeeze right there, point back forward.

So you never want to surpass the smile

of the butt cheek again.

It's not good on your low back,

'cause if you kick it too far back like this,

you see my hips are opening up,

they're rotating to the back.

I'm arching into my low back.

Pilates is all about the small muscles right here, right?

We're focusing on the slow count.

We're not trying to go fast here right now.

Focus on flexing our foot back and then squeeze.

There you go.

We're holding this in front in five, in four,

in three, two, and one.

Hold your right foot in alignment with the left.

Gimme a little circle.

Tiny little circles here,

like you're drawing something beautiful.

Reverse in three, two, and one.

Reverse.

Ooh!

We're feeling that burn.

There you go.

You got 5, 4, 3, 2.

Keep that leg up.

I know you can push it all the way back, externally

rotate your right hip open, bend your right knee in

for two, bend it in for three, bend it in alignment

with the left hip for four, and then flex your foot.

Press it all the way up.

This is your external leg press.

Beautiful.

So our hips are slightly open on the right side

here to get again to the

outside pocket of your seat here, right?

Whenever we externally rotate our knees slightly,

you're gonna get a little bit more the pocket

of your seat squeeze.

Fantastic guys, we're almost there.

We are gonna take this into that clam shelling.

Five in 4, 3, 2.

Bring your feet together.

Whew!

All right, take that quick rest if you need to,

feet together, lift the bottom leg a little higher

and now open your knees for that clamshell, heels together,

toes apart and close again.

Inhale, exhale, open as far back as you can, right

where you, again, open that hip, squeeze.

Open, open, open.

Now, if this is too much, you can always lower

that bottom leg down if you need to, in 10 seconds,

we finish this out with that internal

and external rotation,

in 5, 4, 3, 2, internal rotation.

Tap the knees together, tap the toes, tap the knees.

Internal rotation from your hip.

Beautiful.

The outside pocket of your seat should be on

so much fire right now.

This is it right here.

This is it.

Push through.

Last 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and release.

We're not gonna do that butterfly hip bridge again.

We're gonna take this right into your stretch.

So let's lay it on onto your back, shake it out,

and I'll be gonna take this

into a little figure four stretch.

You're gonna love this one.

I want you to pull

that right knee towards the chest first.

Pull that left foot on top of the right, now wrap your hands

behind your thigh

and push with your left elbow into that left knee.

Draw that right knee a little closer towards you.

You're gonna feel that nice stretch going all the way down

your left hamstring into

that glute all the way down into that hip.

Hold it right here.

Maybe roll out your right ankle

if this feels good for you, reverse it

and then slowly switch other side.

Stretch it out first, and then pull that left knee in first.

Right foot comes on top.

Wrap your hands behind your thigh,

and then push your right elbow into your right knee.

Ooh, that might feel a little more sticky on one side.

And that's okay.

Push into it and then take an inhale.

On the exhale, I want you to draw

that left knee a little closer towards you.

Beautiful.

Pull it in, pull it in, and then slowly release.

Extend both legs.

Pull yourself up over your side.

Right hand comes down.

Pull yourself all the way up, nice and slow.

We're gonna take one more stretch right

here, which you're gonna love.

It's one of my favorites.

We're gonna take this into a little pigeon pose.

So we're gonna start with your left leg.

Pull that left leg in front.

Right leg is nice and long,

and you're gonna take it down into your pigeon pose.

Now you don't have to go to the low.

You can either be right here on your hands

or you take it down onto your forearms

for a deeper stretch, right?

Getting into the outside pockets of your seat right here.

If you can, try to keep that left foot in alignment

with your left knee, sink low.

Exhale, and then slowly, slowly walk your hands back up.

Pull that left leg back, pull your right leg in front,

extend your back leg all the way.

Walk your hands all the way down onto your forearms

if you can.

And again, if this doesn't feel good, stay right here.

Really find that inhale, exhale, sink a little lower.

Last 5, 4, 3, 2, and release.

I want you to slowly come back up.

Come into a standing position, shake out those legs,

let those fingertips spread wide.

Amazing job.

Thank you guys so much for joining me

for this precision glute activation today.