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

Part 1

Every Minute on the Minute for 16 Minutes

Min 1: 12-15 Weighted Step Ups, Right
Min 2: 12-15 Weighted Step Ups, Left
Min 3: 20 Eye Level KB/DB Swings
Min 4: Rest

Suggested Weights
Men: 40-55# DB/KB(s)
Women: 25-35# DB/KB(s)

Log Weight Used for Step Ups

COACHES NOTES
Choose a weight for the step ups that will allow you to lower with some control. You should use the same weight for both legs - even if one is stronger than the other - so your weaker side will determine that. Make sure you're also doing the same number of reps on both sides and getting 10 seconds or so of rest. The swings should be pretty heavy! It's OK if you need to break once if you feel your chest starting to fall or your grip slipping.

DUMBBELL WEIGHTED STEP UP
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Choose a height that allows you to really drive through the stepping foot and keep your chest up as you stand. Place your WHOLE foot on your step (box, bench whatever). Don't allow your knee to cave in. Drive out of your heel and stand all of the way up. Because you are staying on the same leg, you can keep that foot planted on the box/step until the set is done.

EYE LEVEL 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!

Part 2

8 Alternating Rounds of 20 Sec ON / 10 Sec OFF

A: Alternating Supermans
B: Alternating V-Ups

No score for this one! Just dig deep to move for the entire 20 seconds each round!

COACHES NOTES
So Round 1 is 20 seconds of as many alternating supermans as you can get. Then rest 10 seconds. Round 2 is 20 seconds of as many alternating V-Ups as you can get. Then rest 10 seconds. Continue alternating until you've completed 8 rounds (4 of each movement).

ALTERNATING SUPERMANS
Lie face down with your arms extended overhead and legs together and extended. Keep some engagement through your belly as you lift your right arm and left leg from the floor. Reach your fingertips and toes as far as you can in opposite directions while you elevate them as high as you can from the floor. Lower down slow. Then lift your left arm and right leg from the floor. Continue alternating sides each rep.

ALTERNATING V-UPS
Lie on your back with arms stretched overhead, shoulders away from ears. Squeeze your legs together. Come into a hollow body position by raising your legs and shoulders a few inches from the floor. Pull your bellybutton down toward the floor until you feel your lower back pressing into it. Raise one leg up to point toward the ceiling as you lift the chest, twist, and reach the opposite side hand toward your foot. Lower back to hollow and repeat on the other side.

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.

DB Step Ups

If you have any pubic symphysis pain or SPD focus on keeping your pelvis neutral and your hips level. You could always do lighter weight, smaller or shorter step/less range of motion. You can also try stepping laterally onto a stack of plates or something instead of stepping forward and up, sometimes this helps create some control in managing the position of the pelvis. Option to sub: Single Leg Glute Bridge, Hip Thrusts, Air Squat, Goblet/DB Squat

Superman

If you're pregnant, newly postpartum, or uncomfortable laying on your belly for any reason, try modifying to Functional Progression 3 or 4 or a variation of bird dog extensions or a bear pose hold/crawl.

Alt V-Up

This movement is a big demand for the core and pelvic floor and for the most part, is not recommended during pregnancy and the rehab/rebuilding stages of postpartum. If you are ready to start incorporating them you can try less reps, less range of motion, with knees bent, just arms, or just legs. However you can also always sub one of the following movements: Any of the Functional Progressions, Ball Slams, Heel Taps, KB Swings, DB Windmill, Palloff Press, Banded/Wallball Woodchop, Standing Cross Body Wallball Throws, Goblet Hold/Squat, Waiter Walk, or any other movement from the Core Section of the Mama Mods Movement Library.