Welcome to my first Challenge – 30 Day Bubble Butt Challenge!

Hi, ladies. We as moms seem to never have enough time to workout and tend to let ourselves go. But no more. We’re going to own our body and get it back in shape with this intense but easy 30 Day Bubble Butt Challenge!

One of my favorite quotes is this:

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” —Jim Rohn.

So no more excuses. Remember before we had our babies we told ourselves that we won’t lose our shape and remain sexy and toned. Most of us didn’t keep that promise.

Everything changes now. It’s time to get that sexy back, and even better – get sexier than before.

Why are we staring with the butt and not abs, or arms?

Don’t worry, we will work all the areas of our body!

We starting with the butt challenge exercises first because even though your core muscles are your powerhouse and having a strong core helps you protect your spine and keep it strong and healthy (constantly carrying our little ones around can put a lot of strain on your spine thus leading to lower back pains), to actually pick our kids up your body needs some power. That power comes from your glutes.

To get that perky butt without getting our legs too big takes a little different approach that just squatting non-stop. That is why this butt challenge is going to be different.

 

It’s been said over and over again that squats and lunges make the perfect butt. No one can disagree with that, but regular squats and lunges also build our quads and hamstrings, so if you already have prominent quads like I do, you want to focus on some other exercises too.

Let’s get to the Anatomy of the Butt first.

Our butts aren’t just one muscle. They consist of 3 different muscles called Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius and Gluteus Minimus.

 

Gluteus Maximus

• Builds the most superficial layer
• The Largest Muscle out of 3
• One of the strongest muscles in the human body
• Assists in standing up from a sitting position, climbing stairs…

Gluteus Medius

• Forms the middle layer
• Joint Stabilizer
• Hip Abductor (when you lift your leg sideways)

Gluteus Minimus

• Forms the deeper layer
• The primary internal rotator of the hip joint
• Helps with Hip Abduction

As you see, there are 3 glute muscles that need different exercises to train them to achieve the desired bubble butt shape.

Always consult with your doctor before performing any new exercises.

Every time you are about to start a workout, you must warm-up your body.

WARM UP

– Run in place for 1 minute.

SET 1

REMEMBER TO ENGAGE YOUR GLUTES IN EACH EXERCISE!

Wide Squat

Squats work the glutes in a stretched position which is when you stand up from the squat position.

1. Stand with your feet wider that shoulder-width.
2. Point your toes a bit out.
3. Inhale as you sit with your butt back by pushing your hips and butt backwards.
4. Go down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor or lower if you can.
5. Hold in the bottom position for a second.
6. Exhale as you drive up through your heels and push your knees out. SQUEEZE YOUR GLUTES
7. Return to the starting position.
8. Repeat.

A little squat tip:

– The lower you squat the more your glutes are involved so go for deep squats.

NOTES:

–  Initiate the squat by moving your hips, not ankles.

If you start the squat by moving your ankles first, you risk going into a wrong squat thus putting a lot of pressure on your knees. It is said that your knees shouldn’t go past your toes but it’s deeper than that. Check this article to learn about the whole “Don’t move your knees past your toes myth”.

Strength Coach Michael Boyle said:

“The question is not where does the knee go, as much as where is the weight distributed and what joint moves first”

– Focus on your weight distribution, not your knee position. 
– Keep your weight on your heels when squatting.

 

Glute Bridge

Glute bridges are among the top exercises for your butt as they more glutes way better than a squat!

1. Go into a supine position (when you lie on your back).
2. Bend your knees so that you are almost touching your heels.
3. Your feet are about hip-width apart.
4. Inhale.
5. Exhale pulling the navel to your spine as you drive up with your heels lifting your hips as high as you can and squeezing your butt.
6. Hold there for a few seconds.
7. Slowly go back to the starting position as you inhale.
8. Repeat.

A little glute bridge tip:

– Try holding at the top position (No5.) squeezing your glutes for up to a minute.

NOTES:

–  Do not hyperextend your back at the top. 

– Keep your belly button pulled in toward your spine.

 

Bulgarian Split Squat

1. Stand facing away from the bench or your baby chair.
2. Extend leg back and rest the top of your foot on it. (place a little towel or a cushion if it hurts your foot).
3. Squat down on an inhale initiating from your hip till your back knee is almost touching the floor.
4. Keep your torso straight.
5. Drive up on an exhale with the heel of your front foot to the starting position.

NOTES:

–  Do not stand too close to the bench as it can cause knee pain. 

– Do not stand too far away from the bench as it can cause pain in the groin and the hip flexor of the rear leg. It can also lead to excessive arching of the lower back.

 

Single Leg Glute Bridge

1. Lay on your mat (or a blankie) with your knees flexed and feet hip-width apart.
2. Lift one leg up. 
3. Exhale and drive through your heel lifting your butt up.
4. Go up as high as you can.
5. Pause for a moment at the top position.
6. Go back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the number of reps.
8. Alternate and to the other leg.

NOTES:

–  Do not drop your hips.

Marching Glute Bridge

1. Start in the same position as a regular glute bridge – lying on your back with your feet hip-width apart next to your bum.
2. Lift your hips up till it forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
3. Lift your left leg up in a 90 degree angle keeping that straight line with your spine.
4. Put the left leg down and lift the right leg up.
5. Keep marching for the desired number of reps.

NOTES:

–  Do not drop your hips.

COOL DOWN

Please, finish this first day of your Bubble Butt Challenge with a nice stretch!

Whoohoo! Congratulations, ladies!

You just finished your First Day of the 30 Day Bubble Butt Challenge! You can take tomorrow off and we will be back the day after tomorrow for a new set of exercises.

SET 2

REMEMBER TO ENGAGE YOUR GLUTES IN EACH EXERCISE!

 

I hope your buns are on fire, because mine are! If not, you should consider adding some weight;)

We took a day off and let our glutes rest, repair the damage and grow.

Let’s do lunges

Lunges are used by a variety of fitness enthusiasts – from yogis to weightlifters. They work great for sculpting, toning and developing our glute muscles together with quads and hamstrings.

Longer lunges emphasize the use of glutes, while shorter lunges work your quads more. Since our main goal is bigger butt, we are going to perform longer ones.

Forward Lunges

1. Stand with your feet together, hands in the prayer position or on your hips.
2. Inhale.
3. Hinge at your hips and lean slightly forward to activate your glutes more.
4. Keep the back straight.
5. Exhale as you step forward in a deep lunge so your knee is bent at a 90 degree angle.
6. Pause for a second.
7. Push through your heels as you step back up.
8. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
9. Do the other leg.

A little forward lunge tip:

– The lower you go the more your glutes activate.

– Slightly leaning your torso forward activates your glutes and hamstrings more than your quads.

NOTES:

– Slow down;

– Keep your neck in neutral position.

 

Side Lunges

1. Stand tall hands in the prayer position or on your hips.
2. Inhale.
3. Hinge at your hips and lean slightly forward.
4. Keep the back straight.
5. Exhale as you take a big step to the left bending you knee.
6. Inhale.
7. Drive through the heels of your foot as you stand back up to the starting position.
8. Repeat.
9. Do the other leg.

NOTES:

– Slow down;

– Keep your neck in neutral position.

 

Reverse Lunges

The reverse lunge creates a great activation of the gluteal group as it changes the torso angle. Glutes and hamstrings fire when you go into the lunge helping you lower yourself down.

1. Stand tall hands in the prayer position or on your hips.
2. Inhale.
3. Hinge at your hips and lean slightly forward.
4. Keep the back straight.
5. Exhale as you take a big step backwards into a deep lunge so your knee is bent at a 90 degree angle.
6. Lower yourself until your knee touches the ground
7. Drive off your front leg by pushing into the foot of the front leg.
8. Return into the starting position.
9. Repeat.
10. Alternate the legs.

NOTES:

–  Slow down;

– Keep your neck in neutral position.

 

Standing Lateral Hip Abduction

1. Start in a standing position with both feet together.
2. Suck the belly in.
3. Hands in the prayer position or on your hips.
4. Put all your weight on the left leg.
5. Inhale.
6. Exhale and swing your right leg sideways hinging at the hip.
7. Lift as high as you can.
8. Slowly lower the leg back to the starting position.
9. Complete the desired number of reps.
10. Do the other leg.

NOTES:

– Keep your glutes squeezed;

– Keep your core engaged.

 

Standing Rear Leg Raises

1. Start in a standing position with both feet together.
2. Hands in the prayer position or on your hips (you can grab onto the back of the chair or rest your hands on the wall).
3. Suck the belly in.
4. Raise one leg straight back behind you.
5. Pause for a second.
6. Lower the leg back to the starting position.

NOTES:

– Keep your glutes squeezed;

– Keep your core engaged to minimize risk of injury;

– Don’t go too far up hyperextending your back;

– Don’t bend your torso, keep it straight up.

 

Great you, ladies. Another day off and I’ll introduce you to the following set;)

 

Thank you all for stopping by,

Till next time,

Olia xoxo