Today’s session features a Pilates routine meticulously crafted to fortify and sculpt your glutes. This workout is designed to be gentle on the knees, with no squats involved. When you’re ready, unroll your mat, and let’s dive into it.
Warm-Up: Tabletop Position
Commence in a tabletop stance, aligning your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Engage your core by drawing your navel inward, and elongate your spine. To activate the left hip, begin with hip circles. Propel your left knee backward, open it outward, and lower it back down.
Repeat this motion, lifting, opening, and lowering for three more circles. Then, reverse the direction: open the knee outward, guide it back, and lower. Perform three more repetitions.
Glute Activation: Left Leg
Flex your left foot and, with an exhale, press your heel skyward, contracting your glute. Inhale as you lower your leg back down.
Repeat this motion eight times. Adjust your position by either staying on your hands or transitioning to your forearms if that feels more comfortable. Maintain a long spine, an engaged core, and ensure you feel the contraction at the base of your left glute with every lift.
To intensify, incorporate pulses: at the apex of the movement, pulse upwards three times before lowering the knee. Repeat this sequence eight times. As you pulse, slightly tilt your pelvis under to enhance the gluteal squeeze. Keep your gaze forward, ensuring alignment from your head to your tailbone.
Conclude with a set of 10 quick pulses, pressing your heel upward with control.
Dynamic Movements
Point your toes and extend your leg back. On your inhale, tap your left knee behind your right knee. Exhale, and extend the leg straight back. Complete eight repetitions, ensuring your hips remain squared to the floor and your movements deliberate.
Transition to a subtle squeezing motion, drawing your left leg towards the midline on your exhale and releasing on your inhale. Perform this for eight repetitions, focusing on engaging the glutes.
Conclude this series with another set of upward pulses, driving your heel towards the ceiling while maintaining a slight pelvic tilt. Perform this for 10 counts before lowering your leg to rest.
Side-Lying Series: Left Glute
Shift onto your right side. Rest your head in your hand and position your legs at a 90-degree angle, with your knees aligned with your hips. Use your top hand to gently push your left hip away, creating space in your waist. Exhale to lift your left knee upward and inhale to lower. Perform this movement eight times.
Add a kicking motion: inhale to lift the knee, exhale to kick the leg forward, inhale to bend the knee, and exhale to lower. Repeat this sequence eight times, keeping the movement controlled and ensuring the leg kicks in alignment with your hip.
Progress to sweeping motions: exhale as you sweep your leg backward with a pointed toe, then inhale as you flex the foot and kick forward.
Complete eight repetitions, maintaining the same leg height throughout. Ensure your waist stays lifted by pressing your top hip gently away from you.
Finish with semicircles: lift your leg upward and forward, then upward and backward. Perform 10 controlled repetitions, keeping your hips stable and stacked.
For the final move, flex your foot, pull your knee forward on an inhale, and extend your leg back on an exhale. Complete eight repetitions, then conclude with a set of pulses, lifting your leg higher with each pulse for 10 counts.
Repeat on the Right Side
Transition back to a tabletop position and mirror the entire sequence on your right side. Maintain the same focus on alignment, core engagement, and intentional movements.
Cool Down and Stretch
Seated on the mat, extend your right leg straight and flex your foot. Bend your left knee outward. Inhale, reaching your arms skyward, and exhale as you hinge forward,
feeling a stretch along the back of your right leg, left hip, and spine. Slowly rise, cross your left foot over your right thigh, bend your right knee, and slide your hips forward to stretch your left glute. Hold this position, then release.
Repeat on the opposite side, extending your left leg and bending your right knee outward. Follow the same sequence to stretch and release tension.
Conclude by bringing the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to open outward. Lengthen your spine on an inhale, and fold forward on an exhale, feeling a gentle stretch through your hips and glutes. Rise up, crossing your legs comfortably.
Take a final deep breath, sweeping your arms upward, and exhale to lower your hands to your heart. Thank you for joining today’s session. If you enjoyed this glute-focused class, share it with friends and family. Have a beautiful day!
