Forget the gym—build stronger glutes at home with this trainer's five favorite kettlebell exercises

Building glute strength doesn't require going to the gym and doing hip thrusts every day (although that is a very effective approach). You can still get results with one kettlebell and five moves.

In this workout by fitness pro Jessica Shilling you’ll be doing a sequence of weighted squats, deadlifts and lunges. These are all compound moves that work multiple muscle groups, meaning you get more from the time you spend exercising than if you only did isolation moves.

As with any workout, it’s important to warm up for between five to 10 minutes before you start. You can try this 10-move warm-up, then run through each move in Shilling's workout without the kettlebell.

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How to do Jessica Shilling's kettlebell workout

Shilling has set out the number of reps to do for each exercise and specified four sets. For the best muscle-building results, pick a weight that challenges you and do four sets in a row of each exercise before moving on to the next, resting between sets as needed.

Or to add a cardio element to the workout and boost your metabolism turn it into a circuit. Use a lighter weight and do each exercise after the other, only resting after completing the reps of each exercise. Do four rounds in total.

Why glute strength is important

Building strength in the glutes is important because these large muscles power daily movements, from walking and running to climbing the stairs and squatting down to pick up groceries.

Sitting down for long periods doesn’t do your glutes any favors. The muscles weaken through inactivity, which can lead to areas such as your lower back to overcompensate, causing discomfort, pain or injury.

That’s where a kettlebell workout like this one can help. Activating these big muscles can help them to function more efficiently, and support the spine, hips and pelvis more effectively.