20-Minute Pilates Glutes and Core Workout
By Olivia Griffiths
Pilates Instructor & Nutrition Coach
This 20 minute Glutes & Abs Pilates workout focuses on strengthening and sculpting the glutes while building deep abdominal control. The session combines slow, controlled movements with progressive challenges to improve stability, posture, and lower body strength. It is suitable for beginners, with clear opportunities to increase intensity for those working at an intermediate level.
Instructions
Step 1
Side Lying Glute Series: Begin lying on your side with the body aligned and the core engaged. Perform controlled leg lifts to activate the glutes, adding small pulses at the top of the movement. Progress into leg circles while keeping the pelvis stable, then move into long leg sweeps forwards and backwards. The focus is on maintaining tension through the glutes and abdominals while avoiding momentum.
Step 2
Single Leg Teaser Reaches: Lie on your side with one leg extended and the other bent. Lift the head, neck, and shoulders while reaching the arms forward, engaging the deep abdominals. Lower down with control, maintaining stability through the pelvis. This exercise challenges core strength, coordination, and control.
Step 3
Forearm Teaser Progression: Transition into a seated position supported on the forearms. Maintain a strong brace through the abdominals as you reach forward, keeping the chest lifted and spine long. This progression increases the demand on the core and hip flexors while improving balance and control.
Step 4
Prone Glute Bracing into Press-Ups: Roll onto your front and gently activate the glutes without arching the lower back. From here, press the chest up into a controlled press-up, encouraging length through the front of the body while maintaining glute engagement. Lower with control to reinforce posterior chain strength and spinal stability.
Step 5
Knee Drive Toe Taps: Move into a high plank position with shoulders stacked over the wrists. Draw one knee toward the chest before lightly tapping the toes back to the mat, alternating sides. Maintain a stable pelvis and strong core throughout to challenge abdominal strength and shoulder stability.
Step 6
Knee Hovers into Plank with Crouch Back: From an all fours position, lift the knees to hover just off the mat before pressing into a high plank. Shift the hips back into a crouched position and return to plank with control. This dynamic sequence strengthens the core, shoulders and lower body while improving movement coordination.
Step 7
Side Plank with Arm Sweeps: Lower into a side plank, maintaining a long line through the body. Sweep the top arm overhead and back down with control, keeping the hips lifted and the glutes engaged. This exercise targets the obliques while reinforcing shoulder and hip stability.
Step 8
All-Fours Glute Series: From a kneeling position, lift one leg back to engage the glutes, then bend into a hamstring curl. Continue into a donkey kick before opening the knee out into a fire hydrant. Maintain a neutral spine and steady pelvis throughout to maximise glute and hamstring activation.
Step 9
Press Up & Hamstring Curl: Remain in the all-fours position and focus on pushing down into triceps into a press up keeping one knee down, then adding in a hamstring curl on the other leg to activate glutes. Move slowly to increase time under tension before switching sides.
Workout Notes
This workout helps to build strong, lifted glutes without placing excessive load on the lower back, while developing deep core strength to support posture and pelvic stability. It improves hip mobility, coordination, and functional strength, making it ideal for supporting running, strength training, and everyday movement. The controlled nature of the session enhances muscle tone and balance without high-impact stress on the joints.