This 10-Minute, Equipment-Free Pilates Workout Seriously Combats Couch Butt

Pilates instructor Chloe Gregor views the glutes as part of your core. Why? Your glutes muscles are also in the center of your body, and play a major role in practically every movement that you make, and so strengthening them by doing Pilates for glutes is a great way to ensure your whole body moves better.

"Glute strength is so important to help stabilize your pelvis so that you move better, you stand better, you exercise better—I see them as part of our core, so let's get them really strong," says Gregor, who's bringing us a 10-minute workout that does just that in this week's episode of Good Moves, Well+Good's YouTube fitness series (subscribe if you haven't yet!).

The good news is that this Pilates workout sesh requires zero equipment—all you need is a mat, and you're ready to start sweating. Keep scrolling to try it for yourself.

Pilates for glutes workout

Lifted clam—left: Start on your side, and lie down, using either a pillow or extending your arm out to rest your head on. Keep your head in line with your spine. Pick your feet up and move them back so that they're in line with your spine, bending your knees out. Stack your hips and make a space underneath your lower waist. Lift both of your feet up, squeezing your heels together. Then, lift your top knee up, exhaling to lift, inhaling to lower it back down. Keep your ribcage drawn in.

Clam pulse—left: Hold your knee at the top and pulse, lowering it slightly down and up.

Kick out—left: Lower your knee down, spiral it open, and keep your thigh where it is, but kick the leg straight out. Bend your knee so that your heels connect, then lower the knees to that they connect. Exhale to kick, inhale to lower. The challenge is to keep the thigh still as you kick that leg out.

Leg circle—left: Drop the bottom leg, spiral your top one open, and flex your foot as you draw tiny circles. Do five in each direction, keeping your lower waist lifted.

Repeat everything on the right side.

Figure-four stretch: Roll onto your back, crossing your left ankle over your right thigh. Thread your hands through the back of that leg, interlacing your fingers and pulling into your chest. Hold the stretch for as long as you need, then repeat on the other side.

Donkey kick—left: Come onto your forearms with your elbows underneath your shoulders, knees underneath your hips. Pull your ribs and your abs in, and start by flexing your left foot, lifting it up to the ceiling. Inhale to lower. As your leg lifts, make sure it's coming from the back of your hip and not from your lower back arching.

Donkey pulse—left: Keep your foot lifted at the top and do little pulses for 10 reps.

Hip opener—left: Your left hand plants down where your elbow was, as you rotate your chest open. Open your leg out to that side, swing it open, then slowly lower it down. Lift right up out of your right hip, as your whole body is twisted over. Swing that leg all the way up and out. You should feel this in your stabilizing leg as well.

Hip opener circle—left: Open your leg out to the side in a big circle, up and around. Do five circles in each direction.

Repeat everything on the right side.

For more at-home Pilates exercises to do, try this Pilates for tight hip flexors workout, and this Pilates lower body workout that *burns.*