Hump Day Booty Move: Elevated Hip Hinge + Deep Lunge

Blast your booty and thighs with this killer exercise!

This movement is all about lengthening out the hamstring and improving balance. Perform 10-15 reps on one side before switching to the other leg for 2-4 sets per side, or include it in a circuit you're doing 2-4 rounds of.

Notes on form:
- Keep your weight evenly distributed through your standing foot during the hip hinge.
- Keep standing leg knee soft during hip hinge.
- Squeeze the glute of the leg that's lifting during the hip hinge to keep the lower back supported.
- Pull belly tight during knee lift to engage the core for better balance and lengthen that hamstring.
- Back leg bends to 90 degree angle for reverse lunge so that shin is parallel to the floor.
- Only the ball of the foot touches when stepping back to reverse lunge. Keep heel elevated.
- Drive through heel of front foot to stand back up out of lunge in one quick, powerful movement.

Tell me how your hamstrings, (the back of your thighs), feel 2 days later... ;) IG/TW: @cassiebstrong #BStrong.

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Resisted Leg Lifts & Squat Jack

This is a series we've been doing with the band in Body Fix lately! 3 leg lifts: directly side, diagonally back, and straight back, followed by 1 squat jack, then repeating with the other leg. Alternating back and forth between sides, you can do 10-20 reps per set (5-10 per side).

If you want to make this series a little more challenging - don't alternate between sides! Perform all 5-10 reps on one side before completely just as many on the other side.

Notes on form:
- Slightly bend your knees.
- Pull your lower belly in tight and squeeze your glutes so that your pelvis does not tilt anteriorly or posteriorly (no arched or rounded lower back!).
- When you lift your leg, aim to completely straighten it in the direction you lift before lowering it back to the floor.
- Isolate your leg and avoid using the momentum of kicking it, focus on lifting with control.
- For squat jack, keep your chest up tall and your spine neutral as you jump.
- Drive through your heels as you jump your feet back together.

What song motivated you to get all your reps and sets of this burner?! Share with me on IG/TW at @cassiebstrong #BStrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Hip Thrusts

Here's the ultimate booty-building exercise!

I love incorporating these into programming because there's a lot of conflicting arguments out there about deadlifts. I love deadlifts, and I love them in some, but not all, client's programs. What do I turn to when I'm not yet comfortable having my client tackle a deadlift? Hip Thrusts! They'll help clients develop the necessary range of motion for, as well as master, the hip hinge motion. But even once they've master deadlifts, hip thrusts are often a staple in my programming for both myself and clients.

Set up:
- Edge of bench runs just beneath shoulder blades.
- Heels of feet directly under knees
- Feet flat on floor.
- Place (or ask someone to place) sandbag on upper thighs, just below pelvis.

Notes on form:
- Keep entire spine straight. Neck to tailbone.
- When hips lower, head lifts. To avoid arching back.
- When hips thrust, head lies back. To avoid straining neck.
- Press with entire bottom of foot and squeeze glutes tight at top of hip thrust.
- Keep core engaged through the entire movement.

You can use a heavier weight for 6-8 reps, and try to complete 4-6 sets. Or you can opt for a lighter weight to complete 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets. I generally like to go heavier, using a barbell, for hip thrusts and complete more sets. In this video, I'm using a 45lb. sandbag, so I'd complete 12 reps/set and incorporate it into a circuit, which I'd do 4 rounds of.

Is this exercise growing to be one of your favorites too?! Let me know what your favorite booty exercise is on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong!

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Plyo Step Up + Lunge Combo

This is a fantastic finisher on Leg Day, as well as the perfect movement for a station in a HIIT circuit. Perform for time, or alternate between sides each rep, for a total of 20-40 reps (10-20 per side), for 3-4 sets. Be ready to feel a burn through your entire lower half!

Here's the order of the movement:
1. Step R foot onto box and jump upward in skipping motion
2. Step L foot back to floor
3. Step R foot back to lunge position with L foot in front (90 degree angle in ea. knee)
4. Switch jump to lunge with R foot in front and L foot back.
5. Repeat on other side.

Notes on form:
- Safety first: If you're using a chair or something not anchored into the ground, place it against a wall so it doesn't shift while you move.
- When you skip up onto the step, drive through the heel of the foot on the step as you lift your back foot off the floor, then push off your toe as your foot leaves the step for a small hop ("skip up")
- When you step foot off the box and move it back to lunge position, only your toes touch the floor, your heel is elevated so that you can engage your quads and core to help you balance.
- On the subject of balance: when you step your foot off the box and move it back to a lunge, be sure you step back in line with that same hip. Don't put it directly behind the other foot as if you were standing on a tight rope - that will throw you off balance.
- For the switch jump, land light on your feet. Again, front foot: weight in heel; back foot: heel elevated; and both knees in 90 degree angles.

Did you do this outside on a bench? At home with a chair? Or at a gym with a plyo box? Let me know on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong! And let me know how it felt of course ;)

B Strong,

Cassie B.

Hump Day Booty Move: Glider Leg Sweep & Leg Lift Combo

Try this movement to warm-up on Leg Day. You'll work your hips, thighs and abs, develop your flexibility in your hips and improve your balance. It definitely does challenge your coordination - so it may test your patience too ;)

Notes on form:
- Standing leg knee is slightly bent with hips hinged back (knee should not reach past toe of standing foot).
- Sweeping leg remains straight through entire movement, including lifts in front and back.
- Single leg hip hinge (leg lift back); maintain straight spine. A straight line should run from the top of your head all the way to your foot.
- Hip flexion (leg lift front); maintain straight spine, squeeze lower belly tight and lock out knee by squeezing quad.

Perform this movement for 45-90sec on each side for 3-4 sets.

Did you master this on your first try?! Let me know on IG/TW: @cassiebstrong #BStrong.

B Strong,

Cassie B.