Target your glutes, legs and abs with this lower-body and core strength session from personal trainer Ellie Adomaite.
If you want to build strength in your lower half, it might be tempting to do basic squats all day, every day, but when it comes to building strength in the core, glutes, and legs, it’s important to work your muscles from all angles.
“This low-impact core and lower-body workout requires minimal equipment and is designed to improve your strength and stability, with specific exercises to highlight and improve any imbalances,” explains Ellie Adomaite, personal trainer and PT support manager at YOUR Personal Training (yourpersonaltraininguk.co.uk). “It’s perfect for strengthening the glutes and hips, along with the quads, hamstrings, abdominals, obliques, and lower back.”
How to do it
Exercises should be performed slowly, focusing on control and muscle engagement. Try to squeeze the targeted muscles throughout each repetition and every exercise, and also focus on holding each contracted position for slightly longer. As you progress, you can increase the number of repetitions and sets you perform.
Single Leg Box Squats
Targets: quadriceps, glutes, calves, hamstrings, and core stability
Reps: 12-15 each side
Begin by sitting on the edge of a bench or chair with your back straight, chest proud, and hands clasped in front of you. Place your feet flat on the ground with your lower legs completely vertical. Lift your left leg slightly off the ground and press into the ground with your right leg – this is your start position (A). Leaning slightly forward, stand up on your right leg (B), squeezing your glutes at the top and keeping the left leg lifted off the ground (C). Reverse the movement, slowly lowering down to sit, then repeat on the other leg.
Top tip: Be sure to keep your standing knee tracking in line with your foot – don’t allow it to cave inwards.
Reverse Lunges
Targets: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core stability
Reps: 12-15 each side
Start by standing up tall, feet close together, core engaged, and hands clasped in front of your chest (A). With one leg, take a large step directly backward, placing your toes on the ground and keeping the heel elevated. Lower down into your reverse lunge, keeping your knees in line with your feet, and your hips and upper body central. Keep lowering until your back knee is just off the floor (B). Stand up and lift the rear foot back to the start position, before repeating on the other leg.
Single Leg Glute Bridges
Targets: glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core stability
Reps: 10-15 each side, with a hold at the top of each repetition
Begin by lying on your back with hands by your side and legs extended. Then, draw one foot back and place it flat on the ground so the ankle is in line with the opposing knee – this is your start position (A). With your core tight and glutes squeezed, push into your bent leg and lift your hips up to the sky, keeping your opposing leg straight. Hold this top position by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings while pressing your foot and upper back into the ground (B). Reverse the movement, lowering to the ground slowly. Perform all your reps on one side, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Deadbugs
Targets: core (rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis), hip flexors, glutes, and quadriceps
Reps: 8-10 each side
Lay on your back with your tailbone tucked so your lower back is flat on the ground. Lift your arms and legs directly upwards, keeping your arms straight and knees bent at 90-degree angles – this is your start position (A). Extend and lower one leg while simultaneously lowering the opposite arm towards the ground above your head, until both are parallel with the ground (B). Make sure you don’t twist your body or let your hand or foot touch the ground, and keep your back flat to the floor. Slowly reverse the movement back to the start position, then repeat on the other side, alternating as you go.
Plank
Targets: core (rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis), shoulders, and lower back
Reps: Hold for 30 seconds
Come into a plank position, with your hands around shoulder-width apart, fingers facing forward, and feet extended out behind you (the feet can be together or placed slightly apart). Keep your arms locked and aim to protract your shoulder blades, pushing them forward while pushing the ground away from you (A). Engage the core and draw your lower back up towards the sky, rotating your pelvis and tucking your tailbone in – this is essential as it will stop the hips from sagging and minimize pressure on the lower spine. Keeping your whole body tight and engaged, aim to hold this position for 30 seconds to start with, gradually increasing your holds as you progress.
Top tip: For a slightly easier variation, simply bend your elbows and rest on your forearms (B). This easier variation is still tough, so don’t be hard on yourself if you struggle to hold it for 30 seconds!
Unilateral Banded Glute Kickdown
Targets: core (rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis), hip flexors, glutes, and quadriceps
Reps: 10 on each leg with a heavy resistance band (15-20 with a lighter band)
Begin by lying flat on your back with your legs raised and knees at a 90-degree angle. Loop a resistance band around the soles of your feet and hold the other end close to your body with both hands (A). Slowly extend and lower one leg, squeezing the quads and glutes as you do so, until your leg is parallel with the ground, ensuring the other leg remains held in the start position (B). Slowly reverse the movement to the start position. Repeat on the other leg then continue alternating. Make sure you don’t twist your hips or upper body as you work through the move.
Banded Side Leg Lifts
Targets: gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and hip abductors
Reps: 8-10 on each leg with a heavy resistance band (15-20 with a lighter band)
Anchor your band around a low anchor point, stand inside the band facing sideways to the anchor, and step away to bring some tension onto the band on your outside leg. Stand tall with core engaged, then place your weight on your inside leg – this is your start position (A). Slowly lift the outside leg up and out to increase the tension on the band, slightly externally rotating your leg as you do so – this will place more tension on the glutes. Lift as high as you can with the band, squeezing at the top for a second (B). Then slowly reverse back to the start point. Complete all repetitions on one leg before turning around and repeating on the other side.
Lying Banded Clamshells
Targets: gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and hip abductors
Reps: 10 with a heavy resistance band (15-20 with a lighter band)
Lie sideways on the ground, placing your forearm on the ground under your shoulder to support your upper body. With feet stacked on top of each other and legs bent, place a resistance band around your knees – this is your start position (A). Lift the upper knee as high as possible, ensuring you keep the feet together, squeezing the hips and glutes at the top (B), and keeping your hips facing forward. Slowly lower down and continue your repetitions, then swap sides and repeat on the other leg.
Ellie Adomaite is a PT, online fitness coach, and bikini competitor at International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation. She is also a personal trainer support manager at YOUR Personal Training (yourpersonaltraininguk.co.uk), a launchpad offering innovative courses, resources, and support for those seeking a career in personal training. Find Ellie at instagram.com/ellie_adams_fitness.
Words: Lily Smith & Ellie Adomaite. Images: Marcel Grabowski for Action Group.
