Develop your glutes and core in 40 minutes with this bodyweight workout

You don't need to spend an hour in the gym to build strength and boost your metabolism — this session allows you to warm-up, work out and cool-down in just 40 minutes. And, because it only uses your bodyweight, you can do it at home, saving the time it takes to get to and from the gym (how's that for time-efficient?). 

You only need one of the best yoga mats to take on fitness trainer Anna Engelschall (aka GrowingAnnanas) session, which will provide a little extra grip and cushioning for your spine during lying movements. However, while this is great to have, you can easily do this workout without. 

This workout uses a combination of exercises that will target your glutes and abs. Some exercises are performed back-to-back to really fire up your muscles while others have short rest times factored in to allow them to recover slightly before your next set. 

Follow-along with Engelschall's workout below, mimicking her technique to ensure you're performing each movement with perfect form. 

"Feel the fire in your booty and abs but don't quit when you feel uncomfortable," she advises. "Keep pushing through, challenge yourself, and I'm sure you'll finish it feeling amazing and proud of yourself. Let's do it!"

Watch GrowingAnnanas glutes and abs workout

Engelschall targets the abs and glutes using a combination of glute activation training, core strengthening exercises, and movements that engage your lower body muscles. For example, there are a number of squat, lunge, and glute bridge variations. 

She says the workout can be adapted for all fitness levels by adding longer breaks when needed. However, she encourages people to keep pushing past the point where they start to feel the burn to enjoy maximum muscle-building benefits. 

This is an example of the progressive overload principle which, when it comes to gaining strength and muscle, simply means incrementally increasing the amount of weight you lift or number of repetitions you perform as you grow fitter. This will make sure your body is constantly challenged, triggering it to make positive adaptations so it can better handle the tests you're presenting it with. 

The other key to building muscle is consuming enough protein, as the amino acids that make up this macronutrient are responsible for maintaining and repairing muscle tissue. You should get most of your protein from whole foods, but if you struggle to hit your goals then the best protein powders for weight loss can help supplement your daily intake.