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
6 Rounds (Rest 15-20 seconds between movements)
8 Staggered Stance Deadlift, R foot forward
8 Staggered Stance Deadlift, L foot forward
8 Farmer Carry Reverse Lunge, R
8 Farmer Carry Reverse Lunge, L
- Rest 2 minutes before Part 2 -
Suggested Weight
Men: 40-50#
Women: 25-35#
Score: Weight Used
COACHES NOTES
Choose a weight that is challenging but allows you to do each movement unbroken for all 6 rounds. Ideally, we want you to use the same weight for both the deadlifts and lunges. Grip shouldn't become too much of an issue with the 15-20 seconds rest between each movement. Make sure during the staggered stance deadlifts that you're squeezing the butt cheek of the forward leg to come to standing.
STAGGERED STANCE DUMBBELL DEADLIFTS
Stagger your stance by just about a foot or so. Your stance should be much shorter than a split squat. Stay as light as you can on the ball of the back foot so that all the work is performed by the front leg. Make sure you keep tension in the front leg in the bottom position and keep a micro-bend in the front knee at the top so you are always under tension. Remember that the belly stays tight and back remains flat at all times.
FARMER CARRY REVERSE LUNGE
Hold the dumbbells or kettlebells at your sides. Keep your chest up with a slight retraction of the shoulders. Step back with one foot. Make sure you take a long enough step so that the heel of your front leg is firmly planted when the back knee GENTLY touches the ground. Stand all the way up between reps.
Part 2
8 Rounds of 20 Sec ON / 10 Sec OFF (4 Min Total)
Accumulate as many Side to Side Plank Steps as you can!
Score is total # of side steps from all 8 rounds
COACHES NOTES
Your quads are going to be LIT from Part 1 and staying rigid in the plank. Just expect it and do your best to grit through it so that you can perform the side steps for the entire 20 seconds. If stepping is too much or you find you're changing your hip position a lot - just hold a hand plank in place.
SIDE TO SIDE PLANK STEPS
Hold a plank from the hands. Step to the right with both your right hand and foot. Then have your left side follow. Then step to the left with your left side, right side follows. Every step is one rep. So you're basically just moving side to side for 20 seconds at a time. Don't let your hips pike up - or sag down.
Plank Hold
Pay attention to any coning or doming in your belly and try adjusting your posture, breath, or tension strategies. You can always modify with an Elevated Plank Hold, Bear Hold, or Overhead Plate Hold. You could also do a shorter timed set or certain number of reps/distance of Waiter Walks, Farmer Carry/March, or Bear Crawl. See the Mama Modifications Movement Library for demos.
Farmer Carry
This can be a great movement for pregnant and postpartum Mamas. Focus on your posture, aligning your pelvis under your rib cage, and your breathing mechanics.
KB/DB Deadlift
If you're pregnant and the shape of your belly is making reaching the floor difficult or if you're postpartum and managing core rehab through practice of proper posture, sub: Sumo Stance KB/DB Deadlift or elevate the DBs/KB so it's not so low to the ground when you pick it up. If you are working on healing any pelvic floor dysfunction make sure you are able to breathe properly throughout the entire range of motion and that you are not bracing or bearing down.