Basics: 14.34 minutes

This intro to the Brazil Butt Lift workout is a showcase of Leandro’s signature moves. You’ll be seeing these throughout the workouts, and by familiarizing yourself with them here, you’ll be able to include them into the flow of exercises seamlessly when Leandro throws them at you. They range from the rotational madness of the Samba Tornado to the strange catwalk that is the High Heels. Go through them, learn them, and then recognize them as old friends when they pop up in the future!

Samba Tornado:

Stand with feet wider than hip width apart, toes slightly out. Sit back into your heels as you lean slightly forward. A basic squat, knees don’t go past toes. Circle your hips as you descend, around your navel.

Ipanema Walk

Stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward, hands on hips. Lift your leg by swing it back up, swing it forward, knee high, and then drop into a lunge. Reverse, by lifting, swinging, stepping, and lunging. Add arms swings to add caloric burn. Go deep into the lunge, keep  your chest lifted, and abs pulled in.

Squat Arabesque

Stand with knees shoulder width apart, and drop into a squat, straighten your legs, and lift your right leg behind you, squeezing your butt cheeks, raising your arms before you. Alternate with each lunge. Sit back into  your heels, pull your abs in, and don’t allow your back to arch.

Curtsey Lunge

Feet hip width apart, hands on hips. Lift your toes, place your left foot back and behind your right leg, and drop into a curtsey. Make sure your front knee does not go past your toes, and drop as low as possible. Squeeze your glutes at the bottom and top, and feel free to throw in some arms to add a challenge.

Attitude Kickback

Stand with heels together, toes turned out. Reach overhead in a V position. Lift your right leg, and press your right foot against your left knee, and then rotate your foot back as far as you can, before bringing it back to your knee, arms up at all times. Chest lifted, navel in. To add intensity, hold your leg up, and squeeze your buttocks, focusing on small, intense movements.

High Heels

Feet hip width apart, toes and knees turned out form hips. Stand on the balls of your feet, bringing heels together. Arms out to the sides, now march on the toes from side to side, and wave your arms up and down in opposition to your steps.

Side Lunge Knee Ups

Stand with feet hip width apart, toes forward, abs tight. Lunge to the right, lean your body weight onto your hands which you rest on your knee, and then push back. As you become more comfortable with this exercise, begin to pick up the tempo. To increase the intensity, bring your knee back up and lift it, arms going overhead when they do so.

Kneeling Leg Lift

Come to all fours, knees under hips, elbows under shoulders, palms on the floor. Reach out to the side on your finger tips for support. Lift your right leg up, foot to the ceiling, bending your knee and flexing your buttocks. Bring your knee down, and then back up. Keep your abs engaged, arch your back, and squeeze your butt cheeks the whole time. The tighter you engage your abs, the more benefits you will get from your abs. To increase the intensity, hold at the top, and focus on a small, targeted movements.

Kneeling Diagonal Rainbow

Come to all fours, knees under hips, elbows under shoulders, palms on the floor. Reach out to the side, and balance on your fingers for support. Pull in your abs, draw your shoulder blades together, extend your spines. Extend your left leg straight behind you. Lift your straight leg up, and then drop it across the other heel, then open your leg out to the side on a diagonal, tapping your toes against the ground lightly. Lift the leg as high as possible.

Kneeling Cross Kickups

Come to all fours, knees under hips, elbows under shoulders, palms on the floor. Reach out to the side, and balance on your fingers for support. Pull in your abs, draw your shoulder blades together, extend your spines. With a bent knee, lift your leg high behind you. Cross your leg behind the other knee, and lower it to the ground, and then lift it up, and then bringing it back forward. Repeat, squeeze your butt checks, and always cross behind the other leg.

Suspended Clam

Lie on your side, with your arm extended, resting your head on your upper arm. Hips stacked, lift both feet into the air, and then rotate the top knee up while keeping the heels touching.

On the Beach Leg Lift

Lie on your side, propped up on your forearm and hip. Extend your legs out straight, and rest one foot on top of the other. Engage abs, keep hips stacked. Lift both legs to hover above floor. Slowly lift and lower your top leg, trying to create as wide a gap as possible as you squeeze your thighs and clench your butt cheeks. To increase intensity, hold at the top, and focus on short, controlled movements.

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