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20-Minute Abs and Glutes Workout (Strong 20, Day 3)

By: Lindsey Bomgren, CPT | January 9, 2023

Build muscle and core stability this strength-focused Abs and Glutes Workout. Sculpt your core and build strong abs at home using minimal equipment. 20 minutes of functional core training designed to strengthen the obliques, lower abs, rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, glutes, hips and lower back.

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This is DAY THREE of our Strong 20 Program.

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Strengthen your core and build strong glutes with this all-strength workout.

The third day of our Functional Strength Training Program focuses on two muscle groups that work to stabilize the body: the abs and glutes.

This is a “total core” workout – meaning it hits every muscle between your collarbones and pelvis.

Most people think of the rectus abdominis, or “six-pack” muscles when they think of the core, but it’s so much more than that. The core also includes the obliques (sides of your body), erector spinae, pelvic floor, transverse abdominis (or deep, corset-like ab muscles), diaphragm AND your glutes.

The most effective core exercises train your core to do what it is actually intended to do — stabilize your torso as your limbs move away from your body.

Grab your weights – this functional core and glute workout adds a weighted load to build strength and stability throughout your core.

two women performing a clamshell exercise to strengthen outer glutes and obliques

Abs and Glutes Workout FAQs

Can I Train Abs and Glutes Together?

These complimentary muscle groups benefit from being trained together. In fact, the glutes are considered part of the core, which extends from the sternum to the pubic bone.

What Exercises Work The Glutes And The Abs?

Single leg exercises work both the glutes and the core. Popular examples of exercises that target the core and glutes include single leg deadlifts and a single leg glute bridge.

two women kneeling on a black mat as part of glutes and core workout

20-Minute Abs and Glutes Workout (Strong 20, Day 3)

Build strength in the glutes and abs with these weighted core exercises.

This functional strength workout combines the best ab exercises and glute exercises to target the muscles that support and stabilize your body through all your daily movements.

I suggest doing this glutes and core workout once a week as part of a well-rounded workout routine.

Workout Equipment:

A medium-to-heavy set of dumbbells and optional mini loop resistance band.

I recommend 8-30 lbs depending on your fitness level. We’re using 10-20 lb dumbbells in this workout. The last 2-3 reps of each exercise should be challenging to complete with good form.

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woman performing a squat and leg lift with mini loop resistance band around her thighs

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Abs and Glutes Workout At Home on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 15 Abs and Glute Exercises
  • Timed Intervals (50 seconds work, 10 seconds rest. Complete as many reps as you can in the timed interval).
  • Perform Each Exercise x1 (no repeats)
Build A Strong Butt and Abs At Home with 5 Exercises!

Workout Outline

BLOCK ONE: 

  1. Back Squat or Goblet Squat
  2. Squat and Alternating Side Leg Lift
  3. Advanced Clamshell and Side Plank Hold (25 seconds each) – Right
  4. Squat and Alternating Two-Count Side Step
  5. Lateral Walking Squat Thruster
  6. Advanced Clamshell and Side Plank Hold (25 seconds each) – Left

BLOCK TWO: 

  1. Deadlift
  2. Prisoner Get-Ups + Goblet Squat
  3. Alternating Leg Lowers
  4. Staggered Deadlift – Right
  5. Single Leg Donkey Kick- Right
  6. Staggered Deadlift – Left
  7. Single Leg Donkey Kick  – Left

BLOCK THREE: 

  1. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
  2. Reverse Crunch Kick Out, Bridge and Single Arm Reach Back

two women performing donkey kicks to target the glutes

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

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5 Best Abs and Glutes Exercises

Advanced Clamshell

Targets: Gluteus medius (which lays on the outer edge of the buttocks and is responsible for stabilizing your pelvis), gluteus minimus (hip extension), obliques and core.

Clamshell exercises can help balance the muscular effort between your inner and outer thighs and your pelvic floor.

Two women lying on a black mat performing a clamshell exercise as part of abs and glutes workout

How To Do An Advanced Clamshell

  1. Lie on one side, with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle, soles of the feet to touch. Option to add a mini loop resistance band, placing it three inches above your knees.
  2. Rest on the forearm of the lower arm, shoulder stacked over elbow.
  3. Exhale to engage the core and stabilize your spine and pelvic floor.
  4. Keeping your feet touching, use your outer glutes and hips to lift your resting hip off the floor.
  5. As you lift your hips off the ground, open your legs. Raise your upper knee as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis (mimicking a clamshell opening).
  6. Pause, and hold at the top of the movement for a moment. Then return to the starting position.

Staggered Deadlift

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, lower back and core.

Focusing on one leg at a time allows you to increase the load on each individual leg. And it requires your core to engage to stabilize your body.

two women performing a staggered single leg deadlift as part of glute and core workout

How To Do A Staggered Deadlift

  1. Start standing, feet hip width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in towards your body. Option to add a mini loop resistance band, placing it three inches above your knees.
  2. Stagger your feet, so your right leg is slightly in front of your left foot. Kickstand your back right foot, right heel floating off the ground. Keep 80% of your weight in your front foot, 20% in your back toe.
  3. Maintain a staggered stance as you hinge at the hips. Push your hips back towards the wall behind you as you glide the dumbbells down the front of your legs. Lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch along the back of your left leg.
  4. Then, press through your front heel to push your hips forward, pulling the dumbbells back up towards your hips as you stand tall.

Kneeling Get-Up (“Prisoner Get-Up”) Into Goblet Squat

Targets: Legs, hamstrings, glutes, hips, lower back, mid-back, arms, biceps, shoulders, abs and core.

Uneven weight transfer (or stepping up with one leg at a time) engages your core. It also mimics an essential movement most of us do daily: getting up off the floor.

two women performing prisoner get ups as part of abs and glutes workout

How To Do A Kneeling Get-Up (“Prisoner Get-Up”) Into Goblet Squat

  1. Start kneeling, shoulders stacked over hips, core engaged. Hold a dumbbell vertically at your chest (goblet hold).
  2. Step your left foot out in front you, so your left knee forms a 90-degree angle.
  3. Drive through your left foot to stand tall. Then bring your right foot up to meet your left as you stand, feet hip distance apart.
  4. Then, sit your hips back to lower into a goblet squat, lowering until thighs are parallel to the mat. Drive knees out towards your outer three toes.
  5. Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to standing.
  6. Step back first with your right foot, then with your left foot, returning to a kneeling position.
  7. Repeat, this time switching which foot you start the movement with.
  8. Continue this pattern, alternating stepping forward with your right leg or left leg with a goblet squat.

Donkey Kicks

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings and core.

Donkey kicks isolate the largest glute muscle: the gluteus maximus.

two women performing forearm donkey kicks as part of abs and glutes workout

How To Do Donkey Kicks

  1. Start in a table top position on all fours, knees bent at 90-degree angles and hips stacked over knees. Place your forearms on the mat, shoulders stacked over elbows. Option to add a mini loop resistance band three inches above your knees.
  2. Maintain the 90 degree bend in your right knee as you lift the right leg off the ground, pressing your right heel towards the ceiling. Left knee remains planted on the ground. Focus on moving your leg by squeezing your glutes rather than arching through the back.
  3. Then, with control, slowly lower your right knee, returning to starting position.

Lateral Walking Squat Thruster

Targets: Legs, outer glutes (gluteus medius and abductors), quads, inner thighs, chest, shoulders, abs and core.

A low impact strength exercise that will raise your heart rate and make you sweat too. Training in a frontal plane of motion (side-to-side) compared to many exercises which focus on the sagittal plane (or front-back) movements.

two women performing side step squat thrusters as part of core and glute workout

How To Do A Lateral Walking Squat Thruster

  1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips, feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell at your chest, horizontally. Option to place a mini loop resistance band around your thighs.
  2. Take a lateral step to the right and bend your knees to lower down into a loaded squat position. Weight in heels, chest up.
  3. Then drive through the heels to stand tall, stepping laterally with your left foot to bring it to center with your right foot.
  4. As you stand tall, drive the dumbbell overhead.
  5. Repeat this movement, stepping laterally to the right a second time and driving the dumbbell overhead as you stand tall.
  6. Alternate your lateral movement every two squats.

Modification: Follow Rachel on the left, omitting the “thruster” or overhead press.

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Strong 20: FREE Functional Strength Training Workout Plan

A 2-week, functional training program designed to help you feel stronger and move better – in just 20 minutes a day.

If you liked this abs and butt workout at home, download the FREE, 2-Week Full Body Workout Plan.

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4 comments

  1. I did this workout with my cloth resistance bands and then immediately went and bought the mini loop bands you use because holy bananas haha – loved this workout so much!!

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