Booty & Core Workout: Combine strength & stability
Want to build stronger glutes, improve core stability and train your whole body more effectively at the same time? Then a booty & abs workout is a great setup. Your glutes and core work together in many movements, both at the gym and in everyday life.
Here you’ll find a complete Booty & Core Workout with six exercise pairs that combine strength, stability and control.
Why train booty and core together?
Combining glute and core training in the same workout is both effective and functional. The muscles around your hips, pelvis and core work together in many of the body’s movements.
Some of the benefits include:
Better stability. A strong core helps keep your body stable when training your glutes and legs.
More control during exercises. Good core stability makes it easier to maintain a strong position in exercises such as RDLs and hip thrusts.
Stronger hips. The glutes play an important role in movements such as running, jumping, climbing stairs and lifting.
Efficient training. You can combine heavier strength exercises with core exercises in the same workout.
A strong foundation for other training. Strong glutes and core are useful for everything from running and tennis to strength training.
Booty & Core Workout
Here’s a workout that focuses on both booty and core, with simple technique tips to help you get more out of every exercise.
Perform each exercise pair for 3 sets. Complete both exercises before resting for around 60 to 90 seconds.
Want a shorter workout? Do 2 sets per pair. Always adjust the weights and number of reps to suit your level.
Hip thrust
Focus: Glutes
Reps: 8 to 12
Place your upper back against a bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Drive your hips upward and squeeze your glutes at the top. Lower back down with control.
Technique tips:
- Push through your whole foot.
- Keep your core engaged.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Avoid arching your lower back as you drive your hips up.
Pallof press
Focus: Core and stability
Reps: 8 to 12 per side
Stand sideways to a cable machine or resistance band. Hold the handle in front of your chest and press your arms straight out. Bring your hands back in without allowing your upper body to rotate.
Technique tips:
- Keep hips and shoulders facing forward.
- Engage your core.
- Move slowly and with control.
- Try to stay still even as the band pulls you to the side.
Why is this a good combination?
The hip thrust lets you focus on strength and power in the glutes.
The Pallof press challenges your core stability and your ability to resist rotation.
Your glutes get a chance to recover while your core works.
Bulgarian split squat
Focus: Glutes and legs
Reps: 8 to 10 per leg
Place one foot behind you on a bench and keep the other firmly on the floor. Lower your body with control, then push back up through the front leg.
Technique tips:
- Keep your front foot firmly planted.
- Let your knee track in the same direction as your foot.
- Keep your core engaged and upper body stable.
- Push through the front leg as you stand back up.
Toe taps
Focus: Core
Reps: 10 to 16 total
Lie on your back with your legs lifted and your knees bent to around 90 degrees. Lower one foot at a time toward the floor, then return to the starting position.
Technique tips:
- Engage your core before you start.
- Keep your lower back stable.
- Only lower your foot as far as you can without losing your position.
- Alternate sides at a slow and controlled pace.
Why is this a good combination?
Bulgarian split squats require strength, balance and stability.
Toe taps allow your legs to recover while you continue working on core control.
They also train your ability to keep your core stable while your legs are moving.
RDL
Focus: Glutes and hamstrings
Reps: 8 to 12
Stand with the weights in front of your body and keep a slight bend in your knees. Push your hips back and lower the weights along your legs. Then drive your hips forward to return to standing.
Technique tips:
- Think about pushing your hips back rather than lowering your body down.
- Keep the weights close to your legs.
- Keep your back neutral.
- Stop when you feel a clear stretch in your hamstrings.
- Squeeze your glutes as you return to standing.
Bear crawl hold
Focus: Core and stability
Time: 20 to 40 seconds
Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Lift your knees a few centimetres off the floor and hold the position.
Technique tips:
- Press your hands actively into the floor.
- Keep your back stable.
- Engage both your core and glutes.
- Try to keep your hips still.
- Keep breathing while holding the position.
Why is this a good combination?
The RDL builds strength in the glutes and hamstrings while your core works to stabilise your body.
The bear crawl hold continues to challenge your stability without adding another heavy strength exercise for the legs.
Glute bridge
Focus: Glutes
Reps: 12 to 15
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Drive your hips upward, squeeze your glutes and then lower back down with control.
Technique tips:
- Keep your feet firmly on the floor.
- Push through your heels and feet.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Avoid overextending your lower back.
Heel taps
Focus: Core and obliques
Reps: 16 to 24 total
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Lift your upper body slightly and reach one hand toward the heel on the same side. Then alternate sides.
Technique tips:
- Keep your core engaged.
- Use small, controlled movements.
- Let your core drive the movement.
- Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
Why is this a good combination?
The glute bridge puts clear focus on the glutes without requiring heavy weights.
Heel taps then shift the focus to the core and obliques. It’s a great pairing for controlled training where you can focus on muscle engagement and technique.
Step ups
Focus: Glutes and legs
Reps: 8 to 12 per leg
Place one foot on a stable box or bench. Push through that foot and step up. Then slowly lower yourself back to the floor.
Technique tips:
- Keep your whole foot on the box.
- Push mainly through the leg on the box.
- Keep your knee stable and in line with your foot.
- Avoid pushing off too much with the foot on the floor.
- Control the movement on the way back down too.
Standing oblique crunch
Focus: Obliques and core
Reps: 10 to 15 per side
Stand tall and bring your elbow and knee toward each other on the same side by bending through your torso. Return with control and repeat.
Technique tips:
- Keep the movement controlled.
- Engage your core.
- Avoid pulling on your neck.
- Focus on creating the movement from the side of your core.
Why is this a good combination?
Step ups require strength and control on one leg at a time. The standing oblique crunch keeps you on your feet but shifts the focus from your legs and glutes to your core.
This makes the block dynamic without placing two demanding leg exercises back to back.
Lateral band walks
Focus: Glutes and hip stability
Reps: 10 to 15 steps in each direction
Place a mini band around your legs. Bend slightly at the knees and hips, then take controlled steps to the side while keeping tension in the band.
Technique tips:
- Keep constant tension in the band.
- Choose small, controlled steps rather than large ones.
- Keep your knees in line with your feet.
- Keep your upper body as stable as possible.
Seated knee tucks
Focus: Core
Reps: 10 to 15
Sit with a slight backward lean, using your hands for support or holding them in front of you. Pull your knees toward your chest, then extend your legs back out.
Technique tips:
- Keep your chest lifted.
- Engage your core throughout the movement.
- Move slowly and with control.
- Only extend your legs as far as you can while maintaining a stable position.
Why is this a good combination?
Lateral band walks place more focus on the side of the glutes and the muscles that help stabilise the hips.
Seated knee tucks then shift the focus to the core and add a more dynamic finish to the workout.
Why do we perform the exercises in pairs?
In this workout, we pair one booty exercise with one core exercise. The idea is to choose exercises that complement each other without making the same muscles work hard twice in a row.
Do the booty exercise first, move on to the core exercise, then rest before starting your next set.
A good rule of thumb is: a bigger booty exercise + a controlled core exercise. The core exercise should not leave you so fatigued that your technique suffers in the next strength set.
If you want more inspiration on doing exercises in pairs, check out our article on supersets.
Tips for glute training
Good glute training is not just about lifting heavy. Focus on quality in every rep. Technique, control and progression all matter.
Control before speed. Move with control and let your muscles do the work, especially during RDLs and Bulgarian split squats.
Keep your core engaged. A stable core helps you maintain a strong position during exercises such as hip thrusts and step ups.
Progress gradually. Once your technique feels solid, you can increase the weight, number of reps or resistance.
Tips for effective core training
Core training is about creating stability and control, not just doing as many reps as possible. Technique and form are key to getting the most out of each exercise.
Engage before you move. Activate your core before each rep, for example during toe taps and seated knee tucks.
Keep your body stable. Pallof presses and bear crawl holds are great examples of exercises where control matters more than big movements.
Adjust your range of motion. Only move as far as you can while maintaining a strong and stable position.