Glute training has come a long way in recent years, and in our opinion the current focus on the glutes is long overdue. After all, the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in our bodies, and has the potential to be extremely strong -- with benefits for our athletic performance, posture, and well… who doesn't want a shapely derriere?
So what do you need to do to build those glutes?
Muscles grow most with variety, so try incorporating all five of these movement types:
Activations
A lot of us, even some of us gym rats, have an unglorious case of Gluteal Amnesia, aka Dead Bum Syndrome (eek!), which means our glutes don't "fire" when they're supposed to.
This can happen for all sorts of reasons: too much sitting and poor posture are common culprits, but the cause can also be lots of running (since running is quad dominant). For those of us working on waking up our bums, it doesn't always work to go straight into a glute-focused lifting session: unfortunately, it's likely that our quads or hammies are used to taking over and will compensate for our glutes.
This is why activating the muscles, over time and as part of dynamic stretching before each workout, is so important. Exercises like donkey kicks, clamshells, and fire hydrants will all help engage your glutes.
Try to find that mind-muscle connection as you go through each exercise. As time goes on, you can keep add difficulty to your glute activation exercises with resistance bands.
Hip Dominant Exercises
Hip thrusts are today's go-to glute exercise and with good reason. They specifically target the glute muscles, especially the middle part of your glutes. They might feel awkward at first -- after all they do require you to, umm… thrust those hips up and down.
But they're a great way to feel the burn in your bum area and they're unique in that they require peak muscle activation while you're glutes are contracted, meaning your glutes are squeezed while you're at the top of the movement. The glutes are a huge muscle group, and if you hip thrust regularly you'll soon find yourself increasing the weight. (At this point, a common problem is that it's simply too painful on your pubic bone to load more weight on the bar. If you've reached this milestone, we'd suggest our barbell pad -- your hip thrust PR's unsung hero for loading up that bar). In addition to traditional hip thrusts, you can change it up with single leg variations and glute bridges.
Quad Dominant Exercises
Good old squats are great for your glutes, too. In fact, some recent studies have suggested that they activate the glutes the most (of course, you'll be engaging your quads at the same time).
In addition to traditional barbell back squats, most quad dominant exercises, from lunges to leg presses, also help build the glutes. To target your glutes more in your squat movements, use a wider stance, like a Sumo quat, or try reverse lunges.
Hamstring Dominant Exercises
Deadlifts, back extensions, and hammy curls are all pull exercises that engage your glutes. After all, your bum is part of your posterior chain, along with your hamstrings and back muscles.
Exercises that especially target the glutes include Romanian deadlifts and modified back extensions (try rounding your back a bit to up the load on your glutes).
Abductions
Busy building a glute shelf?
The upper glutes can be hard to target, and while hip thrusts engage this area a bit, you might want to add in some more isolated exercises. Abductions are the secret to a sculpted upper bum, and as you progress, you'll want to add resistance. For seated abductions, you can use a hip abductor machine or resistance bands.
For standing abductions, consider adding weight to your ankles. Try out our ankle weights, or if you're using a pulley machine, pick up a pair of cable ankle straps.
Gearing up to work out your glutes? We're right there with you.
May we suggest:
