Superstar online coach and Signature-sponsored athlete Tanner Hobbs knows how to knock out a great leg workout anytime, anywhere. Here, Hobbs shares her signature glute-sculpting exercises to build and tone the muscles in the back of her legs.
These unique exercises target the right muscles to help you tone up, lift heavier, and train harder. The glutes are particularly important muscles to develop if you want to increase your athletic performance. So, if you're after "show and go," this is the glute-and-ham workout for you.
This workout should take 45 minutes to complete. All you'll need is a bench, a box, and a few dumbbells. Ready? Let's do this!
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Technique Tips
Prone Glute Curl
This is a great exercise to warm up and work your glutes. Lie face-down (prone) on a mat. Keep your hips pressed into the ground and squeeze your glutes as you bend your knees and curl your feet up to form a 90-degree angle.
Hold this position as you squeeze your glutes to lift your knees off the ground. What makes this a glute curl, Hobbs explains, is that you're using your glutes to raise your legs.
"Keep pushing your pelvis into the ground," she says. "Focus on using your glutes to drive your knees off the ground. That's what makes this move so effective."
Keeping your knees off the ground, extend your legs, then curl them back in. Keeping your abs tight protects your lower back.
Foam Roller Leg Curl
Lie on your back and place your calves on top of a foam roller. Keep your arms by your side as you squeeze your glutes to lift your hips off the ground. Keep your hips elevated as you bend your knees and curl your heels toward your hips, rolling onto the bottom of your feet as you do so. Your shoulders, hips, and knees should align at the top of the exercise. Squeeze your glutes the entire time as you slowly roll back down to the start position.
"This exercise is a challenge, which is why I love it so much," explains Hobbs. "Stay slow and controlled, and keep your hips up the whole time."
Hip Lift Between Benches
Place your head and shoulders on one bench and keep your knees bent as you place your feet on a box or second bench. Your hips should be suspended over the space between the two. Keep your chin tucked on your chest to protect your back as you lower your hips down.
Pause at the bottom, then squeeze your glutes to raise your hips back to parallel.
"Use full range of motion here," Hobbs urges. "Come all the way down, dropping your hips and stretching your glutes, then drive up your hips."
Supported Pistol Squat
The pistol squat differs from a single-leg squat in that you drop your hips all the way down to your heel, rather than the standard 90-degree knee bend.
"Pistol squats are evil, but in a good way," laughs Hobbs. "Try holding on with both hands to start, then work your way to just using one hand. If you're fancy, try no hands."
Stand next to a bench or squat rack for support, hold on and lift one leg up. Bend the knee of your standing leg to lower your body. Don't let your heel come off the ground. Use the support to keep your weight in your heel and your knee over your ankle. Pause at the bottom, then press through your heel and squeeze your glutes to rise back up.
Rear-Foot-Elevated Dumbbell Deadlift
Elevating your rear foot on a bench or box removes the need to balance and makes it easier to perform a single-leg deadlift. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, or one heavy dumbbell in both hands, and hinge at the hip of your standing leg as you lower your body to parallel.
"Finish strong," says Hobbs. "Keep your knee over your ankle, weight on the heel, and chest high. Make sure you go full range as you lower yourself down."