Buttboard has become an increasingly popular workout tool in recent years, promising to tone and shape your glutes through low-impact exercises. But is it really worth investing in? Here we’ll take an in-depth look at buttboard to help you decide if it’s right for you.
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What is Buttboard?
Buttboard is a curved, cushioned board that you kneel on to perform exercises that target your glutes, hips, and thighs. It has padded knee rests and handlebars on each end to provide stability. The unique shape of the board forces you to engage your glute muscles more than traditional floor exercises. Buttboard offers both cardio and strength training options to work your lower body from all angles.
Buttboard Features
- Cushioned, curved surface for comfort
- Knee pads to protect joints
- Handles on each end for balance and support
- Compact, portable design
- Textured surface prevents slipping
- Lightweight at around 10 lbs
- Variety of exercise options for lower body
Buttboard Benefits
Using a buttboard has several potential upsides compared to basic floor exercises. Here are some of the touted benefits:
Glute Activation
The unique shape forces you to engage your gluteal muscles more intensely. The curve presses your hips forward, putting more emphasis on your glutes rather than other leg muscles.
Low Impact
Since it’s performed on your knees, buttboard provides a lower-impact workout than exercises like squats and lunges. This makes it gentler on joints.
Core Engagement
Balancing on the board recruits your core muscles for stability. The handlebars also allow you to perform planks and other core moves.
Muscle Isolation
Buttboard’s targeted shape helps isolate muscle groups like the glutes. This allows you to directly work the areas you want to tone.
Convenience
The lightweight design makes buttboard easily portable for use anywhere. It also takes up very little space for accessible home storage.
Versatility
Buttboard allows you to perform a wide variety of lower body exercises to hit different angles. You can workout glutes, hips, thighs, and more.
Buttboard Exercises
Here are some of the most popular exercises you can perform using a buttboard:
Glute Bridges
Targeting your glutes, lie faceup with shoulders on the board, knees bent. Lift hips up, squeezing glutes. Lower back down.
Donkey Kicks
On all fours, kick one leg back and up, engaging glutes. Switch legs. Keep back flat.
Hip Dips
Sit on the board with knees bent. Lift one hip up, then lower. Repeat on each side.
Butt Pulse
Kneel on board, hands on floor. Lift knees a few inches, pulsing hips up and down to work glutes.
Plank
In pushup position with feet or knees on board, engage core to hold body straight. Work up to 60 seconds.
Mountain Climber
In plank position, raise one knee towards chest, alternating legs to get cardio burst.
Squat Press
Stand with board at back, feet shoulder-width apart. Press board out as you squat down, then stand back up.
| Exercise | Primary Muscles Targeted |
|---|---|
| Glute Bridges | Glutes, hamstrings |
| Donkey Kicks | Glutes, hips |
| Hip Dips | Glutes |
| Butt Pulse | Glutes |
| Plank | Core |
| Mountain Climber | Glutes, legs, core |
| Squat Press | Glutes, quadriceps, shoulders |
Buttboard Workout Routines
You can combine buttboard exercises into effective workouts targeting different areas. Try these sample buttboard routines:
Glute Toner
Do 10-15 reps of each exercise, 3 rounds:
- Glute bridges
- Donkey kicks
- Hip dips
- Butt pulse
Lower Body Blast
Do 30-60 seconds each exercise, 5 rounds:
- Plank
- Mountain climber
- Glute bridges
- Squat press
Cardio Booty Burn
Do 1-3 minutes of each exercise:
- Mountain climber
- Plank jacks (jump feet wide and together)
- Jump squats
- High knees
- Butt kicks
Is Buttboard Effective?
Studies on buttboard specifically are limited. However, research on glute exercises on unstable surfaces does show they can be effective for targeting your glutes:
- A 2015 study found unstable surface training increased glute muscle activation vs. stable floor exercises.1
- A 2019 study showed unstable glute bridges activated the glutes up to 20% more than floor bridges.2
The unique shape of buttboard mimics unstable surface training. So using proper form, it can deliver an effective glute workout.
Tips for Best Results
To get the most out of your buttboard, keep these tips in mind:
- Engage your core during each exercise for stability
- Avoid arching your back – maintain a neutral spine
- Slowly lower down from moves to increase muscle time under tension
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of each rep
- Progressively add reps or time under tension for a greater challenge over time
Buttboard vs. Other Options
How does buttboard compare to other popular at-home workout tools? Here’s a breakdown:
Vs. Exercise Bands
| Buttboard | Exercise Bands | |
|---|---|---|
| Glute focus | High | Medium |
| Full-body training | Low | High |
| Joint impact | Low | Medium |
| Price | $$ | $ |
Buttboard is specialized for lower body/glute training, while bands offer more overall body workouts. Buttboard goes easier on joints.
Vs. Squat Rack
| Buttboard | Squat Rack | |
|---|---|---|
| Glute focus | High | Medium |
| Full-body training | Low | High |
| Joint impact | Low | High |
| Size | Small | Large |
| Price | $$ | $$$ |
Buttboard is more compact, portable, and joint-friendly than a squat rack, but limited for full-body training.
Vs. Glute Hamstring Machine
| Buttboard | Glute Hamstring Machine | |
|---|---|---|
| Glute focus | High | High |
| Hamstring focus | Medium | High |
| Joint impact | Low | Medium |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ |
Buttboard matches the glute focus for less cost but doesn’t train hamstrings as intensely.
Buttboard Pros & Cons
Here are the main advantages and disadvantages of using a buttboard:
Pros
- Targets glutes for rounding/lifting benefits
- Low-impact and joint-friendly
- Engages core muscles
- Portable and space-efficient
- Effective muscle isolation
- Allows variety of exercises
Cons
- Not ideal for full-body training
- Must be used properly to avoid back arching
- Not intended for building strength like heavy weights
- Requires good balance
- Not suited for cardio benefits
Buttboard Prices
Buttboard ranges from around $100 to $200 depending on the model. Here are some example prices:
| Brand & Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Bbooty Pro | $99.99 |
| Tone Fitness Butt Blaster | $129.99 |
| Gorilla Mats Butt Builder Pro | $189.99 |
| P2P butt builder elite | $199.99 |
Higher price often reflects more cushioning and premium materials. Around $100-150 provides good quality and value.
Optional Add-Ons
Some popular accessories to boost your buttboard workout include:
- Resistance bands: $10-20
- Ankle weights: $20-40
- Slides: $15-25
- Foam roller: $10-30
Conclusion
Buttboard can deliver an effective lower body workout, especially for targeting the glutes. It brings benefits like low-impact training, muscle isolation, and convenience. While not ideal for full-body or cardio exercise, it provides a useful option for butt and thigh toning.
With proper form and gradual progression, buttboard can help shape and lift your glutes. It offers a worthwhile investment for around $100-150 if you’re seeking to round out and define your backside. Just be sure to combine it with a balanced fitness routine. Buttboard can be one piece of an integrated approach to improving your health, fitness, and physique.