Your Best 5 Minute Butt Workout From Fitness Instructor Caroline Deisler

To build a body by plants, first, you need to power up with plant-based foods and proteins, and then get moving. Try this Five-Minute Butt Workout led by Caroline Deisler, a plant-based fitness instructor who specializes in vegan health and wellness. The simple yet effective movements in this routine require very little space, zero equipment, and are guaranteed to help you build toned legs and strong glutes.

In just under five minutes Caroline takes us through 5 moves with step-by-step instructions, performing each move slowly and with excellent form so you can follow along at home. These exercises can be done anywhere: In your living room, on your lawn, or even at the beach. Caroline practices these moves on her back porch with a yoga mat, but you can pick any spot at home and press play. Do these moves every other day or at least twice a week for best results.

Strong glutes are important for overall health. The biggest muscles in the body, your glutes (gluteus maximus or butt muscles) are the engine room of motion. They help propel you forward and strengthen and support everything directly above them (hips and core) and below (hamstrings, quads) to create power as you move through a range of daily movements like walking, running, sitting, jumping, and changing direction. Strong glutes can take the pressure off your hips, lower back, and even shoulders, so your smaller muscles work less hard in your everyday activities.

During these work from home weeks, many of us are sitting in a chair or couch starring at screens for hours, which tightens up the hips and lower back. If your glutes are strong, they will release the tenderness of those areas and prevent muscle imbalances that can lead to mobility issues and backaches.

These moves target specific areas of the lower body: Quads, hamstring, glutes, lower back, and also hip flexors (stabilizing muscles that run from your upper thighs into your sides of your torso) which help you with mobility and stay injury-free. At the end of this five-minute workout, you will feel accomplished and sore, and if you do these three days a week, you will get stronger and feel more toned in just a few weeks.

The 1st move: Straight Leg Kick-Ups. Place your hands and feet on the floor or mat. Lift your hips up so you are in a downward dog pose. Raise one leg straight back up into the air and lift it towards the sky, then bring it down and curl it in towards your chest in one continuous movement. After thirty seconds switch legs and perform the same movement on that side, for a total of one minute.

The 2nd move: Donkey Kicks and Extended Legs. Place your hands and knees on the mat or floor. Lift your hips up so you are in a tabletop position. Raise one leg into a 90-degree angle and point your toes upwards so your leg extends in a straight line. Pulse upwards to point toes to the sky. Switch legs after thirty seconds and go for 30 seconds with that leg for a total of one minute.

The 3d move:  Straight Leg Kicks. In the same tabletop position, lift one leg into the air so your body is straight in alignment. Then, kick upwards pulsing the leg into small movements and switch legs after thirty seconds. Perform this movement for one minute.

The 4th move: Kick Out Side Ways. In the same tabletop position, lift your knee off the group and kick your leg out sideways. These kicks are also known as fire hydrant moves, which target the inner thigh and hip flexors. Switch legs after thirty seconds and perform this exercise for a total of one minute.

The fifth move is a Straight Leg with Big Circle Movements. In tabletop position, lift one leg into the air so your body is straight like a board and swing your leg in an arc to make a circle. Leave the other leg on the mat or floor and switch legs are thirty seconds. It's important to be in control during this move and do not swing your hips. This move is great for strengthening the hips and lower back. Perform this motion for one minute.

After the leg workout, stretch out and stay hydrated. Stretch the muscles you just worked: Perform a pigeon pose to stretch your hips and quads. Then, lying on your back, pull your legs into your chest and stretch your lower back. You can also touch your toes by standing or sitting with your legs out straight and angled out to the side about shoulder width or more apart, in a triangle. Use a tennis ball or foam roller to press on your muscles and give yourself a massage. Stay tuned for another five-minute workout from Caroline Delsier targeting different muscles next week.