I’m not one for making excuses. But if I were, my radio silence over the last couple weeks might just warrant your forgiveness. Two major life events happened. Firstly, my husband and I successfully bought our first house. Which means in three short weeks it’s goodbye to East London and hello to a shiny new SW postcode. It also means there’s a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.

If that wasn’t enough, I’ve also been squeezing in training and assessments at London’s Heartcore fitness studios – best known for ruling the roost in Reformer Pilates, and becoming increasingly famed for its high-intensity TRX classes and limb-lengthening Barre programme. For those of you who know me well or have spent some time perusing my posts, you can probably guess where you’ll find me! As of this Saturday, I’ll be teaching at least five TRX classes a week in the Chelsea and Fulham studios. Which means my official foray into professional fitness instructing marks life event number two, and gives me the opportunity to bring some of the passions I’ve shared with you here to the realm of real-life! Check out the schedule here, and don’t forget to say hi if you come along to a class.

To celebrate the end of an era, I did something a little naughty… I really wanted to film one last workout for you in my East London surrounds, just somewhere a little different. So I snuck into a private garden I’ve recently stumbled across in my weekend adventures. One with fountains, ponds, lily pads and marble benches. It was seriously serene, and proved a lovely backdrop for the following bum-toning workout… That is, until I had to take cover when the site security guard made an appearance.

But don’t be fooled – even a pretty setting won’t distract you from the day-after burn these bodyweight moves will deliver. They will remind you that your bum is not just for sitting. It is also for standing to attention and looking incredibly pert – a major win during the final weeks of bikini season prep. Even if you’re not in possession of a sunseekers’ holiday itinerary, autumn is just around the corner and your favourite jeans are waiting for you to fill them out with your best-ever bottom!

4-Step Kickback Series

Step 1: Time to give yourself a real kick in the bottom. From a table top position, with your shoulders stacked over your hands and your belly button scooped in, bring your right knee into your chest then point the toe and extend it as long as possible behind you. Do this 15 times.

Step 2: Now hold the foot out behind you and slowly lower and lift it to the ground. Think about firing from the glutes throughout – you’ll know you’re doing it correctly when that right cheek starts to burn. 15 reps here, too.

Step 3: OK, now hold the foot out long and flex it as you curl the heel towards your bum. You should feel the heat spread through your hamstrings. You guessed it – 15 times.

Step 4: Finally, hold at the top and keep that foot flexed as you pulse the heel towards the sky. Keep this movement small and controlled – your hips should stay squared to the ground throughout. Go on, give me 15. All done! Best do the left cheek, too…

Plank Leg Lifts

Get into your perfect plank position on your forearms. Remember your checklist: glutes clenched, abs engaged, back flat. Ready? Now slowly peel your right foot off the ground and lift it a V-motion over your left foot, tap the ground, and return to the start. Keep those hips stable throughout. Yep, you’ll feel this one through the core, too – but who ever said no to a flat, toned tum? Work to fatigue, then take a rest before repeating with the left foot. I recommend 10 reps on each side.

Hip Bridge Pulses

Roll over to your back and plant your feet on the ground a few inches from your bottom. Reach for the stars – literally! Point your right toe to the heavens and peel your bum and lower back off the floor by clenching your left glute. After 15 full reps, hold at the top of the movement and try to pulse the hips one inch higher for a further 10 reps. Switch sides! No cursing – the gods of great glutes are watching!

Side Squat

By taking your squat into one leg and out to the side, you’ll activate deeper into your gluteus medius – the muscles down the sides of your hips. The more toned these are, the better you’re going to feel in sexy high-cut swimwear. Body confidence spells uninhibited beach fun, and you deserve nothing less! Stand with your feet together, then take a wide step to the side with your right foot. Keep your feet on an even plane as you sink back through the right hips. Try to get your thigh parallel with the ground before pressing off the heel and returning to the start. Complete all your reps on one side (12-15 should do the trick) before switching.

Sweeping Squat Hold

As you’ve just nailed your dynamic squat form, take the next step and challenge yourself with a static hold. Sink into a narrow stance squat and take the weight into your right foot. Now sweep the left foot from front to back, keeping the movement slow and controlled. Pull the shoulders back, switch on the core and try to sink a little deeper towards the final rep (that should be roughly the point your thigh starts to shake).

Single Leg Deadlift and Split Kicks

No one knows the way to a pert bottom and long lean legs like a ballerina, so the final move is inspired by traditional ballet training. From standing, slowly bend from the hips and lift your left leg straight behind you. When your body forms a perfect T, plant your hands on the ground and take the leg up even higher. Ballerinas and barre regulars call this the ‘standing splits’, but my tight hamstrings don’t take me into anything quite resembling the splits. However high you can take your leg, turn out and pulse the foot just a centimetre or two higher. Go for 3 pulses, then return to standing. Slow and steady – your core and hamstrings will keep you in control. This is one rep – aim for 10, then switch sides.

Enjoy your workout! Wishing you booty confidence for the beach and beyond – don’t forget to send me the evidence on Instagram ;).  

Brit x 

It’s hard to think of a part of the body that isn’t worked during squats. Arms, you might say? But there are so many combination exercises you can create around the humble squat, grabbing a pair of dumbbells or a resistance band to incorporate bicep curls or tricep extensions. For the purposes of this post, I’m sticking to squat variations that primarily engage the muscles of your legs – glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. Low- or high-impact, squats work the biggest muscles in your body and therefore help you hit the calorie-burning jackpot. They also create balance in the lower body – working the fronts and backs of your legs equally so you avoid common weaknesses like “lazy glutes”, and the chunky thighs and flat bum that can result from imbalances.

It’s time to get your glutes in gear. Work your way through the following 10 squat variations, and try pairing them with these plank exercises to complement your new toned tush with a slim, strong midsection.

Basic squat

Assume a shoulder-width stance and lower your hips back and down while your arms float in front of you for balance. Try to keep your shoulder blades pulling back – this will prevent any rounding of the spine and keep your chest facing up and forwards. Aim to get your thighs parallel with the floor, then pause at the bottom for a moment before slowly returning to a standing position. Think about contracting your glutes and hamstrings throughout to get the most bang for your buck!

Wall squat

To feel the heat in your thighs, take your squat to the wall and hold an isometric position for as long as possible. I love wall squats because they’re great for partner work – one person can perform tricep dips off the other’s thighs, then you can switch as part of a great bodyweight circuit routine. To start out, simply stand with your back against a wall and your feet about a foot from the skirting board. Sink down into your hips until your thighs are completely parallel with the floor. Engage your core and hold tight. 30 seconds is ideal for beginners, while more advanced exercisers should aim to surpass the minute mark!

Dumbbell overhead squat

Grab a pair of light dumbbells and hold them in an extended shoulder press position straight above your head. Sink into your basic squat without bending at the elbows. Remind yourself to pull your shoulders down your back throughout. The extra lever of your arms in the air will increase the challenge on your core – so you strengthen your tum while sculpting your bum.

Single leg stability squat

Another take on the isometric squat, this move activates more of the stabilising muscles around your knees and hips. It’s great for athletes who need to build up resilience to quick changes of direction and prevent injury from overtraining. Drop into a basic squat and pull your bellybutton into your spine as you hover your right leg off the floor. Extend the lifted foot to the back, then out to the side. Repeat all your reps on one side before switching over to even out your glutes!

Walking burpee squat

A great alternative to the high-impact burpee, the walking burpee squat will elevate your heartrate for a cardio burst that won’t put stress on your knees or shake the floorboards for those of us who live in creaky flats. Lower into a basic squat and plant your hands on the floor between your feet, then step one leg at a time into a plank position. Walk the legs back in and reverse the squat until you’re standing. That’s one rep.

Sumo squat

To work deeper into your adductors (those inner thigh muscles everyone stresses over during bikini season), heel-toe your starting stance until your feet are just wider than your shoulders. Make sure your toes are pointing out to 45 degrees, then drop into a squat and keep your knees tracking over your toes. The temptation will be to let your knees fall backwards, but by squeezing your adductors and resisting this temptation you’ll get a beautiful streamlining contraction through your thighs.

Deep side squat

Assume the same wide stance as above, but drop your butt back and to the side so your hip falls over your ankle on the same side. Plant your elbow inside the knee and let the other toe come off the floor. As well as building up tons of strength in the working glute, you’ll stretch and lengthen the inner thigh.

Calf-activating squat

Preparing for your basic squat, lift your heels, tuck your pelvis and squeeze your lower abdominals to stabilise your body from top to toe. Keeping your back flat, lower your hips back and down into a parallel squat. Complete 10-15 full reps on your tip toes, then get an extra ‘burn’ in your calves by pausing at the bottom of the position and lower and lift your heels. You may need to shake out your legs after this one.

Touch down squat jumps

Watch out for creaky floorboards on this one. Combine your cardio with conditioning and take your basic squat up a notch with a bit of explosive lift-off. Lower into a squat and touch your fingertips to the floor on either side of your ankles before pushing upwards with maximum force. Gently bend your knees as you land and lower straight into your next rep. Keep this one smooth and steady. Warning: your breath will want to race ahead – that’s a sign you’re working hard.

Frog squat shuffle

Time to take that dynamic squat jump one step further – or forward. From the back of your mat or workout space, lower into a deep squat and explode up and ahead by a few feet. Land in a soft squat and maintain that position as you ‘shuffle’ your feet to the start position. Don’t stop moving. Just know that your fitness is skyrocketing with every rep.

Want to see variations of more of your favourite exercises? I always take suggestions on board, so please let me know how I can help to inspire your workouts! 

If you haven’t tried the ViPR yet, it’s high time you get familiar with the rubber tube that’s raised the bar for strength and conditioning. Think traditional barbell exercises with a more fluid range of motion, and stability challenges that incorporate your full body. Think faster, more effective and – most importantly – more interesting workouts.

You can swing, push, pull, curl or roll a ViPR – and therein lies its beauty. You get three-dimensional movement and effortless transitions from one exercise to the next. So you can guess why I like it. Quick, successive exercises and compound movements form the basis of most of my workouts. I don’t believe in isolated exercises like bicep curls or tricep kickbacks because I know I can get more from them if I combine them with a squat or a lunge.

Although the workout below is technically designed to target your legs, the demand for full-body coordination means you’ll also feel it in your core and postural muscles. And in just three moves you’ll hit your legs from all angles – generating effort from your hamstrings and glutes as much as your quads. This too supports better posture and helps you build the power you need to excel in running, yoga, sport or any activity you enjoy.

Allow 10 minutes; Complete 3 circuits; Rest 1min between circuits

1. Squat with alternating shoulder press

Hold a ViPR in both hands over your right shoulder. Drop into a low squat, then press the ViPR straight above your head as you come to standing. Drop into a low squat with the ViPR over your left shoulder. Continue alternating until you’ve done 8 reps on both sides.

16 reps total; 6-8kg ViPR

2. Lunge and twist

Hug the ViPR into your chest, cradling it in your arms. Step forward into a front lunge on your right foot, then twist your torso over your bent knee. Return to standing and repeat to the other side. Perform 10 reps on both sides.

20 reps total; 6-8kg ViPR

3. Bridge (Advanced option: Single leg bridge)

Lie down on a mat with the soles of your feet resting on the ViPR. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips until the front of your body forms a straight line from top to toe. Pause for a moment at the top. Slowly lower and repeat.

15 reps total or 10 on alternating legs; any weight ViPR

Want to learn more or share your ViPR experience? Leave a comment below!