7 Pilates Moves for a Rounder Butt

Kourtney Kardashian

As you know, Pilates is one of Kourt’s favorite workouts. She does a session every day outside at her home (some days she’ll even do two sessions). The exercise is great for toning, stretching, flexibility, and sculpting a nice and round rear. To get all the details on how to perform the routine in the comfort of your own home, we tapped one of Kourt’s trainers and the incredibly talented Pilates instructor, Jesse O’Hara. Ahead, she’s sharing seven at-home Pilates moves for a rounder butt. Learn her tips and watch the video below.

The Routine:
Side-Lying Leg Extension with Hip Abduction
Side-Lying Rainbow Leg Lift
Kneeling Hydrant Kickback
Kneeling Hydrant Kick
Kneeling Leg Circles
Quadruped Straight Leg Hip Extension
Quadruped Bent Knee Hip Extension

Pro tips from Jesse:
1. “Align all of the movements with your breath.
2. Take a full inhale through the nose and exhale deeply, pulling your belly button in toward your spine.
3. Don’t rush through the movements.
4. Be aware of your shoulders; imagine sliding your shoulder blades down the back away from your ears.
5. Complete all of the moves on one side of the body before repeating on the other side.
6. Once you have advanced or you want an added challenge, feel free to add an ankle weight.

The Move: Side-Lying Leg Extension with Hip Abduction
How To: Start by lying on your side with both knees bent, legs together, and feet flexed. Lift your top leg to hip height and push through your heel to extend your leg, stretching as long as you can. Squeeze the glutes and abs as you lift your foot above hip height, then lower down and return to the starting position. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

The Move: Side-Lying Rainbow Leg Lift
How To: Start by lying on your side with your top leg extended. Tap your toe on the ground in front of the body, lift your foot in a rainbow motion, and tap the ground behind your body. Repeat 10-15 reps.

The Move: Kneeling Hydrant Kickback
How to: Come onto all fours, lower down to one forearm, and let the opposite hip rotate up toward the ceiling. Lift your leg to your side with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Press through your heel to extend your leg parallel to the ground. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

The Move: Kneeling Hydrant Kick
How to: Come onto all fours, lower down to one forearm, and let the opposite hip rotate up toward the ceiling. Lift your leg to your side with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Extend your leg up toward the ceiling with a pointed toe elongating as much as you can. Bend your knee to return to the hydrant position. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

The Move: Kneeling Leg Circles
How to: Come onto all fours, lower down to one forearm, and let the opposite hip rotate up toward the ceiling. Lift your leg out to your side and extend up toward the ceiling. Point your toe and draw small circles. Draw 10-15 circles in both directions.

The Move: Quadruped Straight Leg Hip Extension
How to: Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders, pulling shoulders away from the ears, and position your knees directly under the hips. Engage your core by drawing your navel in toward your spine. Keeping your hips square, extend one leg behind the body. Squeeze your glutes as you lift your foot above hip height and then lower down. Repeat for 10-15 reps.

The Move: Quadruped Bent Knee Hip Extension
How to: Start on all fours with hands under your shoulders, pulling shoulders away from the ears, and knees directly under the hips. Engage your core by drawing your navel in toward your spine. Keeping your hips square, raise one leg behind you with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Squeeze your glutes as you press your foot up toward the ceiling and then lower down. Repeat for 10-15 reps.”