30-Minute Pilates Butt & Ab Workout: A Comprehensive Guide

Updated at: 08/05/2025

This 30-minute Pilates workout is designed to sculpt and strengthen your glutes and abs, leaving you feeling energized and toned. Utilizing simple yet effective Pilates principles, this comprehensive guide provides a step-by-step approach to a challenging yet accessible routine. Whether you're a Pilates novice or a seasoned pro, this workout incorporates modifications to cater to all fitness levels, ensuring you can achieve a satisfying and effective workout regardless of your experience. Prepare to engage your core, strengthen your posterior chain, and feel the burn as you target key muscle groups for a leaner, more defined physique.This workout strategically combines glute bridges, leg extensions, and core-engaging movements to deliver a targeted approach to strengthening your abdomen and buttocks. The incorporation of a yoga block adds an element of resistance, enhancing the effectiveness of each exercise. This workout is ideal for those short on time but still looking for a powerful and efficient way to improve their fitness. Get ready for a fantastic workout that will leave you feeling confident and strong.

Read more: 5 Best Yoga Blocks with Strap for Deeper Stretches

Glute Bridges with Yoga Block

Begin by lying on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a yoga block between your inner thighs, horizontally for comfort.

Woman lying on her back with a yoga block between her inner thighs, preparing for a glute bridge.
Woman lying on her back with a yoga block between her inner thighs, preparing for a glute bridge.

Engage your core and glutes, pressing your lower back into the mat. Gently squeeze the block, then release. Repeat this squeezing and releasing action to build strength and stability in your core and glutes.

Woman performing a glute bridge, squeezing the yoga block between her thighs.
Woman performing a glute bridge, squeezing the yoga block between her thighs.

Next, perform glute bridges by lifting your hips off the floor while maintaining the block squeeze. Slowly lower back down. This exercise targets your glutes and hamstrings and improves hip mobility.

Level Change Glute Bridges

Progress to a level change by lowering your hips halfway and then performing a glute bridge. This subtle variation helps to isolate and strengthen your glutes and hamstrings even further.

Woman demonstrating the neutral spine position before performing a level change glute bridge.
Woman demonstrating the neutral spine position before performing a level change glute bridge.

Maintain a neutral spine and focus on the connection between your glutes and hamstrings. Concentrate on pushing your heels into the ground, while lifting your hips upward. This exercise enhances the intensity and muscle engagement.

Woman performing tiny pulses at the top of the glute bridge.
Woman performing tiny pulses at the top of the glute bridge.

Perform pulses at the top of the bridge, lifting your hips slightly higher and then lowering them. This adds an extra challenge to the exercise. Remember to engage your core throughout the movement and to protect your lower back.

Calf Raises with Glute Engagement

From the bridge position, rise up onto your toes, engaging your calves and maintaining glute activation. Slowly lower your heels back down. This targets your calves and further enhances your posterior chain strength.

Woman performing calf raises while maintaining a glute bridge.
Woman performing calf raises while maintaining a glute bridge.

Focus on digging your heels into the ground as you lower them. Be mindful of your foot and ankle alignment to protect these joints. This exercise improves lower leg strength, and aids overall balance and stability.

Woman performing a final calf raise and glute pulse.
Woman performing a final calf raise and glute pulse.

Repeat this sequence, combining the calf raises with the glute bridge pulses. This integrated movement strengthens multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Core Work: Tabletop Leg Extensions

Transition to a tabletop position with the yoga block between your ankles. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine while extending your legs out, one at a time, then bringing them back to the tabletop.

Woman in tabletop position with a yoga block between her ankles, preparing for leg extensions.
Woman in tabletop position with a yoga block between her ankles, preparing for leg extensions.

Keep your back ribs glued to the floor, and focus on extending the legs from the core rather than moving from the hips. To protect your neck and shoulders, keep your arms extended and your back flat.

Woman performing leg extensions from the tabletop position.
Woman performing leg extensions from the tabletop position.

This targeted core work is enhanced by the resistance of the block, making it more effective than typical leg extensions.

Advanced Core Work: Curls and Double Leg Stretches

Progress to a more advanced core exercise by incorporating arm curls and double leg stretches. Maintain the tabletop position, and extend your arms up to the ceiling. Curl your upper body forward while simultaneously extending your legs away from your body.

Woman in tabletop position with arms extended, preparing for the advanced core exercise.
Woman in tabletop position with arms extended, preparing for the advanced core exercise.

Maintain a neutral spine to protect your lower back. Focus on engaging your core throughout the movement. These combined movements provide a significant core workout, targeting both the upper and lower abdomen.

Woman performing a double leg stretch with arms extended.
Woman performing a double leg stretch with arms extended.

This exercise can also be modified; the arm curls can be omitted if necessary, focusing solely on the leg stretches.

Hamstring and Oblique Work

Place the yoga block lengthwise under your right foot. Engage your core and glutes, performing bridge movements. Focus on keeping your hips level and your knees pointing forward.

Woman performing bridge movement with yoga block under one foot.
Woman performing bridge movement with yoga block under one foot.

This variation strengthens your hamstrings and obliques, requiring additional core engagement to maintain balance and stability. Remember to keep your shoulders relaxed to avoid straining your neck.

Woman performing single leg stretch with hip raised, focusing on oblique and glute activation.
Woman performing single leg stretch with hip raised, focusing on oblique and glute activation.

Alternate between lifting and lowering your legs to work your core and hamstrings and improve stability.

Final Core and Stretch

Conclude with a final core exercise incorporating plank position, squats, and spinal undulations. Engage your core, glutes, and inner thighs while moving slowly and deliberately through each movement.

Woman in plank position, engaging core and glutes.
Woman in plank position, engaging core and glutes.

Focus on the detailed movements, feeling the stretch and engagement in your core and lower body. Perform the movements slowly and intentionally, feeling the muscles engaging deeply.

Finish with a final stretch, focusing on your inner thighs and hips. This helps to improve flexibility and mobility, and to release any built-up tension.