Butts and Guts is posted once a week, on Sundays. These workouts are for anyone who wants more work on the posterior and midline and can be added in whatever day makes most sense for you!

We typically suggest that when you add this workout in to the regular program - or even to one of the other accessory workouts - to treat it as a finisher as opposed to doing it before. You can find suggestions for which workouts the Butts and Guts workouts will fit in with best in the write ups for Program A, B, and C each week!

WARM UP
LOWER BODY DUMBBELL WARM UP

WORKOUT

Every 4 Minutes for 20 Minutes

10-15 Freestanding Candlesticks
20 Alternating Goblet Curtsy Squats
3x10 HEAVY Eye Level KB/DB Swings

Suggested Weights
Men: 40-55# Goblet // 55-70# Swing
Women: 25-35# Goblet // 35-55# Swing

Score: Weight Used for the Curtsy Squats

COACHES NOTES
So you'll complete the candlesticks, curtsy squats, and swings then rest until the next 4-minute window starts. You'll do that 5 times (when 20 minutes are up).

Feel free to start with more than 10 reps of the candlesticks in the first few rounds but if you feel you need more rest as the workout goes, shave a few reps off. You can customize those by bending the knees into the belly before reaching your feet up. For the curtsy squats, take your time since these are relatively uncommon in B&G. If holding a weight is too much, do these unweighted! For the swings, you're doing 30 reps but you're resting for 10 seconds after every 10. Doing this will help to ensure your form stays solid and your grip doesn't become a factor.

FREESTANDING CANDLESTICK
Start lying on your back with your arms at your sides and your legs straight and together. Squeeze your belly to lift your heels and upper back off the floor. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, raise them up over your hips. Press into your arms and reach your toes up to the ceiling so that your lower back lifts up from the floor. Then lower your legs back down with some control until you're back at the start.

If you need to make these more accessible, you can tuck your knees into your belly before reaching your toes up - then bend them again to lower back down. Or, if you have a pole or something to hold onto, you can position your head near the pole and raise your arms above your head to hold onto it to assist you in getting your legs up (a traditional candlestick).

GOBLET CURTSY SQUAT
Stand tall with a weight in both hands at your chest. With one foot, take a small step back and across your body. Plant your toes and lower into a lunge until your stepping knee touches the ground gently then drive through both feet to come back to standing. Repeat that same backwards side-step on the opposite leg. Each squat is 1 rep toward the 20 so it's 10 per leg.

EYE LEVEL KB/DB SWING
Hold the weight with both hands at the waist. Feet shoulder width apart, heels are down. Hinge forward at the hips and bend the knees slightly. Keep the chest lifted, heels down, belly tight and arms straight. Pull the weight back through the legs. Stand up HARD and FAST to make the dumbbell weightless and (keeping the belly tight) guide the weight up to shoulder to eye level. Keep your shoulders nice and active by squeezing your shoulder blades together without overarching the back. Allow gravity to bring it back down and back between the legs. Don't allow it to pull you forward. Keep those heels down!

Candle Stick Roll Downs

If you notice coning or doming in the candlestick position you can try using assistance, shortening the range of motion, or bending the knees to manage the pressure in the belly. If this still doesn't help you can sub Functional Progression 1 or Dead Bugs, Functional Progression 3 or Bird Dogs, Overhead plate hold, 90 degree plate hold, Farmer Carry, Waiter Walks, or Windmills (See Mama Modifications Movement Library for Demos)

KB Swing

If you notice any coning or pulling in the overhead position of the swing, sub shoulder height or eye level swings and focus on posture and breathing mechanics. If the shape of your body (preggo bellies!) is making the bottom position a little too tight for comfort, you can sub an Outside KB Swing or a Single Arm Swing.