Free 4-Week Home Workout Routine for Abs and Glutes: The Exact Plan That Got My Core Back at 48
Man, remember when you could skip abs for years and still see something when you flexed? Yeah, me neither anymore.
I’m Joshua Van, the guy behind Dad Bod 40 and last year I turned 48 staring at a gut that just laughed at intermittent fasting and a backside that had completely checked out. I needed something that actually worked at home, didn’t wreck my cranky lower back, and didn’t require me to drag my ass to a gym at 5 a.m.
After testing everything on myself and about 200 guys in our private Dad Bod 40 group, this free 4-week home workout routine for abs and glutes is the one that finally moved the needle. No BS, no 60-minute sweat-fests, no crunches that make your neck scream. Just four short sessions a week that light your glutes up like they’re 30 again and pull your belly in without you having to suck it in all day.
I still use this exact routine every time life gets stupid-busy. It’s the one I send to my brother-in-laws who “don’t have time” and then they blow up my phone two weeks later going “dude, what the hell did you do to my ass?”
Quick Wins You’ll Notice With This Free 4-Week Home Workout Routine for Abs and Glutes
- Your jeans fit better in the butt and looser in the waist (yes, really)
- Lower back doesn’t ache after pickup basketball with your kid
- You can plank for 60 seconds without shaking like a leaf by week 4
- Zero equipment, zero gym, 25 minutes max
- Built for beat-up 40+ bodies nothing that flares up old injuries
Why This Hits Different After 40
Your glutes aren’t lazy, they’re literally asleep from sitting 10 hours a day. Wake them up and everything changes posture, power, even how much fat your body wants to hang onto around the middle.
Same deal with your core. Old-school sit-ups just grind your spine. The stuff that actually works now is anti-extension and anti-rotation moves (fancy way of saying “teach your abs to stay tight when life tries to fold you in half”).
I stole the best moves from guys like Stuart McGill for the spine safety stuff and Bret Contreras for the glute science, then stripped it down so any dad with a living-room floor can crush it.
The Routine – Do This Exact Thing 4 Days a Week
Pick any four days (I do Mon-Tues-Thurs-Fri). Warm up with some marching in place and arm circles for 3-4 minutes get the blood moving.
Everything is done as a circuit. Go through once, catch your breath, repeat. Form over everything I’d rather you do 8 perfect reps than 15 sloppy ones.
Weeks 1-2: Wake Everything Up (3 rounds)
- Glute Bridge – 15 reps (squeeze your butt like you’re trying to crack a walnut at the top, hold 2 seconds)
- Dead Bug – 10 each side (move slow, keep your lower back glued to the floor if it arches, you’re cheating)
- Bird Dog – 10 each side (think about reaching long, not high squeeze the glute of the leg that’s back)
- Side Plank – 25-30 seconds each side (knees down if you have to, no shame)
- Single-Leg Glute Bridge – 10 each leg (this one burns so good)
- Forearm Plank + Glute Squeeze – 40 seconds (clench your butt cheeks hard the whole time changes everything)
Rest 45-60 seconds between moves. Done in 20-22 minutes.
Weeks 3-4: Turn the Dial Up (4 rounds + small tweaks)
- Regular Glute Bridge → Marching Bridge (lift one knee toward chest at the top, alternate)
- Dead Bugs → hold the extended position for a 2-count
- Bird Dogs → 5-second hold at full extension
- Side Plank → lift top leg a few inches if you’re feeling cocky
- Single-Leg Bridges → bump to 12-15 reps
- Plank → 50-60 seconds, gently rock an inch forward and back on your toes (extra credit burn)
That’s it. Four weeks of that and you’ll feel like someone hit the “reset” button on your midsection and backside.
The Little Things That Make It Actually Work
- Walk 20-30 minutes on off days. Moving = recovery for us old guys.
- Eat protein like it’s your job shoot for a palm-sized portion every meal.
- Sleep. Seriously, nothing tanks testosterone faster than 5 hours a night.
- If your back ever feels tweaky, drop the range of motion or skip single-leg stuff that week. Better to regress a bit than flare up.
FAQs – The Stuff Guys Always Ask Me
How soon until my wife/girlfriend notices?
Most guys get comments around week 3. Glutes pop first, then the waist pulls in.
Can I add weights later?
Hell yes. Week 5 I throw a backpack with books on my hips for bridges. Cheap and brutal.
My lower back is already trash is this safe? T
his is the routine I give guys with bulging discs. If dead bugs or bridges bother you, message me on the site I’ve got regressions for everything.
Do I need to diet hard?
Nah. Just eat like an adult and this will tighten you up. Want abs to actually show? Then yeah, we’ll talk calories.
Drop a comment and tell me you’re starting today. I read every single one and will bug you in two weeks to see how your butt feels.
You got this, man.
Joshua Van Dad Bod 40
P.S. If you want the printable PDF version with videos of every move, grab it free here: [link placeholder – we email it instantly]
References
- Neto et al. (2020, updated reviews 2024). Gluteus maximus activation during common exercises. J Sports Sci Med.
- Contreras et al. (2023-2025 updates). Hip thrust vs. squat for glute hypertrophy.
- McGill, S. (latest editions). Core training guidelines for back health.
- Various 2024-2025 studies on bodyweight training for men 40+ (e.g., Eat This Not That, Men’s Health updates).
