Saddlebag exercises: 6 moves explained step by step

After pregnancy, a poor diet or a hormonal imbalance, fat can accumulate around the hips or pelvis, forming what is commonly known as saddlebags.

This issue, familiar to many women, is not something you simply have to live with: targeted exercises let you work the saddlebag area. Here are 6 moves you can do at home: the lying lateral leg raise, the bridge, forward lunges, the side plank, the fire hydrant and the rainbow. For each one, you’ll find how to do it and which muscles it works.

Lying lateral leg raise

This saddlebag exercise involves lying on your side and bending the leg resting on the floor. Your bottom hand should be placed near your ear, while your top hand rests flat on the floor in front of you.

• Exhale, then slowly raise your top leg upward until you reach a 60° angle — keeping your back straight throughout for a proper lateral raise.
• Swing your top leg in a controlled vertical movement, making sure to inhale each time you return to the starting position!
• Aim for up to 20 reps, then switch to the other leg!

These movements engage your gluteal muscles, hips and obliques, helping to strengthen primarily the gluteus medius and minimus.

In doing so, you work the muscles around the pelvis and hips.

The bridge

Feel free to choose a variation of this move to strengthen your glutes and work the area where saddlebags tend to sit.

Also known as the bridge, this exercise comes in many forms: the classic or short bridge, the single-leg bridge, the weighted bridge, the elevated single-leg bridge, the narrow-stance bridge…

The list goes on. But whichever version you choose, the exercise will engage your hips.

The bridge helps you strengthen and tone your glute muscles, targeting in particular the gluteus maximus — the largest and most powerful of the group.

This makes it a go-to move for working the muscles of your backside.

This exercise is suitable for beginners. As you progress, you can gradually increase the difficulty.

As well as working towards nicely rounded glutes, the bridge also lets you work your tummy, as it engages the abdominal muscles too.

Forward lunges

Among the moves for firming up your glutes is the forward lunge.

How to perform the exercise:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, back straight and hands resting on your hips.
• Step forward, making sure to plant your entire foot flat on the floor. Then bend your front knee to a 90° angle on a vertical axis. Your back leg should be parallel to the floor, with only the ball of your foot touching the ground.
• Finally, push back up to the starting position using your leg. You can then switch legs or repeat on the same side.

There are several lunge variations to explore: stationary forward lunges; walking lunges with support; jump lunges; guided lunges; and more.

Lunges work your adductors, quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves. So as well as your bum, you’re also working your legs.

The side plank

For this move, you need to be on your side, lying on the floor.

• Rest on your forearm so that your elbow forms a 90° angle. The outer edge of your foot (at the ankle), which is on the floor, acts as your lower support point.
• From there, lift your hips off the floor. Your ankles, knees, hips and shoulders should be perfectly aligned — in other words, your spine must remain straight.
• Engage your core and breathe normally throughout. When you’re ready to switch sides, don’t let your hips drop to the floor.
• Simply rotate into a front plank position and transition to the opposite side, then repeat the same movement.

The side plank is primarily known for strengthening the abdominal muscles.

But it also works your hips, which are heavily engaged throughout the exercise.

Fire Hydrant

This exercise lets you work the glutes and hips.

The main muscle groups targeted are the hips, glutes, thighs and core. Best of all, no equipment is needed.

• Start on all fours, with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees hip-width apart.
• Keep one knee bent on the floor, then lift the other leg upward and out to the side until it is level with your hip.
• Lower your leg back to the starting position to complete one rep.

This move helps open the hip away from the thigh, lift and strengthen the hip, and work the glutes and thighs.

Rainbow

The Rainbow is one of the classic moves for shaping the glutes and working the area where saddlebags sit.

Here’s how to perform this straightforward exercise:

• Start on all fours, then extend your left leg straight back, reaching your toes as far as possible.
• Lift the leg and hold, then lower it to tap the floor with your toes.
• Raise the leg again and arc it across to the opposite side in a sweeping motion, as if drawing a rainbow. Hold for one minute per leg.

Saddlebags and cellulite: complementing your workout

Saddlebags can go hand in hand with an orange-peel look on the hips and upper thighs. The exercises above work the muscles in this area. You can complement them with a simple skincare routine, such as a massage with a massage oil, to look after your skin.

As mentioned at the start of this article, diet is one of the factors involved. Doing these moves and eating a balanced diet therefore complement each other. If you have any questions relating to pregnancy or a hormonal issue, ask your GP for advice.

Ultimately, to look after your figure, choose the saddlebag exercise that suits you best — or take on all six.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get rid of saddlebags?

Exercises that engage the hips and glutes let you work this area: the lying lateral leg raise, the bridge, forward lunges, the side plank, the fire hydrant and the rainbow. You can pick one or do all six, alongside a balanced diet.

Which saddlebag exercise is best for beginners?

The bridge is suitable for beginners. Start with the classic bridge, then increase the difficulty with variations such as the single-leg bridge, the weighted bridge or the elevated single-leg bridge.

Do I need any equipment for these saddlebag exercises?

No, these exercises are done on the floor or standing up, with no special kit. The fire hydrant, for example, needs no equipment at all. Only certain variations, such as the weighted bridge, require extra weight.

How many reps should I do for each exercise?

For the lying lateral leg raise, do up to 20 reps per leg. For the rainbow, one minute per leg is enough. For the side plank, switch sides without lowering your hips, rotating through a front plank position.

Can saddlebags appear after pregnancy?

Fat can build up around the hips or pelvis after pregnancy. Before getting back into exercise after giving birth, ask your GP or another medical professional for advice.

Related articles

• 6 resistance band hamstring exercises to do at home
• Strengthen Your Inner Thighs with a Resistance Band

Useful categories: Lose Saddlebags, Slimming by Body Area.

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