I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority when I say that I absolutely love leg day. I adore the sweat-infused, feel-good endorphins that a challenging, glutes-intensive workout brings, and I don't even mind the inevitable, cringeworthy booty soreness that ensues. Since I'm always on the lookout for new ways to spice up my routine, and I basically worship the Victoria's Secret angels, looking into Alessandra Ambrosio's workout was basically a no-brainer for me.
TBH, I have so much respect for how hard all of the Victoria's Secret angels work to get ready for their annual fashion show. Many of them have revealed that they never skip a day in the gym, and they're always finding new ways to challenge their bodies and build their strength.
Alessandra Ambrosio is no exception, telling Glamour that "it's important to break a sweat every day." Hell to the yes, girl. While Ambrosio is all about working her muscles from head to toe, she specifically has a myriad of killer booty-sculptors up her sleeve. Her trainers know exactly what moves will target which leg muscles, and they know how to make you feel the freaking burn.
So, whether you're bored of your standard booty workouts like I am, or you simply want to see how sweating like a Victoria's Secret angel really feels, here are 10 Ambrosio-approved booty-blasters that will redefine the phrase "hurts so good."
If you're looking for a new way to target muscles in your butt that you low-key didn't even know you had, pilates is where it's at. Ambrosio told Glamour that she loves pilates because of the way it makes her "feel long and lean."
The challenging exercises include micro-movements that really activate and challenge each muscle being used. It doesn't look like you're doing much from afar, but TBH, you'll probably be crying a little on the inside.
If you can't make it to a pilates class, try incorporating some bridges, hip rolls, and hip dips into your routine to reap the same benefits.
According to Shape, Ambrosio has a personalized booty-training method that she sticks to on the reg. Her trainer, Leandro Carvalho, created the "triangle training method," which is a mix of cardio, Brazilian dance, and lower-body sculpting moves. The workout targets your glute muscles from essentially every angle, and it's intense as hell.
Honestly, I'm sweating just writing about it. Good luck, fam.
The rainbow is a move that Ambrosio includes in her routine because it's as effective as it is difficult.
The sweeping motion of your legs that you'll see above should be done in a controlled manner, and even though you're technically doing a booty workout, you should remember to engage your arms and core, as well.
This Victoria's Secret angel leaves no muscle unworked, that's for sure.
TBH, I love this bad boy because I don't even feel like I'm working out, but the simple, controlled movements do so much.
Side-lying leg lifts target your glutes, outer thighs, and core. Ambrosio does them in the gym with her trainer, but I'll be chillin' on my floor pumping them out while watching reruns of Grey's Anatomy.
Donkey kicks work your gluteus maximus and medius. And while they're pretty simple to perform, this move is no joke when it comes to working out those butt muscles.
Make sure that your back isn't caving in while you're doing this to avoid injury, and remember to engage your entire body as you move.
Ah, the squat — such a classic that everyone loves to hate.
Ambrosio squats on the reg, but she doesn't include any extra weights in her routine. All this model needs is the weight of her very own body, which makes this move convenient AF to incorporate wherever, whenever.
As casual as this exercise looks, the work that your inner and outer thighs will be doing is actually insane.
I'm starting to wonder how the Victoria's Secret angels even walk on the runway, because my legs feel like they're going to fall off after a few of these bad boys.
Lunges are such a classic movie when it comes to leg day. However, Ambrosio adds a simple variation that takes this basic move to the next level.
Adding a little curtsy to your lunge will target the glute medius, and even improve your posture. Ah, so that's the secret to her badass runway walk.
Clearly, Ambrosio's all about those variations to otherwise simple butt workouts.
Adding a lateral raise to your otherwise straightforward donkey kick will target your obliques in addition to your booty — double whammy, amirite?
Toward the end of this video, Ambrosio lies on her stomach and does some single leg raises on each side. Her trainer advises that the smaller the motion, and the more resistance you provide with your body, the better the results.
After watching this myself, I was like, "Oh, that looks easy enough!" Spoiler alert: It's not. Trust me.
