The glutes are one of the most important muscles in the body.
The recent explosion of #belfie and the era of Kim K shouldn’t be the only reason you turn your attention towards your glutes. Combat your more sedentary hours with this highly effective and beginner-proof Grow Your Glutes workout.
As one of the most functionally important muscle groups in your body, the glutes do so much for your body. They help you walk, run, jump, and even sit. Thank them! Speaking of sitting, we all know how exceptionally bad hour-upon-hour of sitting at your desk is. Strengthening those gluteal muscles will simultaneously tighten, lift, and reshape your booty, leaving you feeling ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way today. (Um, I’m looking at you, stairs!)
Your posterior is made up of three different gluteal muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus. While the gluteus maximus is the muscle that is largely responsible for the size and shape of your booty, the other two are just as important. The exercises included in this Grow your Glutes guide will make sure that you train all three to end up with the butt of your personal best fantasies.
Grow Your Glutes With This Strength Training Workout
What you need: A barbell, weight plates, and a yoga mat or a towel
What to do: Perform the exercises for the designated number of reps and sets below each video. Leave your ego at the door and perform the movements slowly and consciously to prevent injury. We’ve included instructional videos below to ensure that you use proper form. You can use a mirror or a friend to insure your back, shoulders, and neck are properly aligned at all times. Don’t dismiss pain—particularly if it feels sharp. Regularly check in with your body.
You could perform this routine several times a week, but we recommend keeping your muscles on their toes with a dynamic workout regimen. You should take at least one rest day a week. We don’t need to patronize you with the importance of properly preparing your body for heavy weights. Prevent injury, prepare your breath, and increase overall flexibility by starting with this incredible full-body yoga sequence. Supplement this Grow Your Glutes guide with proper nutrition, aiding your muscle recovery for a lean and toned body that powers you through your busy life.
Activation stage
After a proper warm-up that focuses on mobilization and gentle warming up of all your joints (don’t forget your wrists!), you can think of these initial 5 to 10 minutes as an “activation stage.” The goal here is to get heat building and your heart racing.
You also want to wake up the muscle group you’re about to target. This could involve lifting your leg behind you in a static hold, lunges, or any glute movement which you enjoy. Without weights, without stress, just say greet your glutes and let them know what’s coming.
Now is a great time to fit in a little bit of abdominal work. It’s important to breathe into your core and keep your abdominals tight throughout ALL the exercises below. This is because strong abs take some of the weight off your lower back.
Do These Four Exercises for Great Glutes
To grow your glutes, you’ll want to aim for approximately 15 “hard sets” by the end of the workout. Take it slow and rest for at least a minute between each set. While it may be tempting to keep your eye on the clock and rush through these movements as quickly as possible, you will tire yourself out, reducing the amount of weight you can work with. This is a great little pause to think about your breathing or something that made you smile today!
When you’re starting out, there is no shame in doing these movements with lower weights (or even no weights) until you feel comfortable with your form. Feel free to up your weights for the second or third repetition. You will be surprised by how strong you are!
Hip thrusts
Perform three sets with eight repetitions each. Hip thrusts are one of the best movements to grow your glutes. They’re a great place to start, but go slow and go heavy. Be mindful to lift completely into the full extension of the movement. Push yourself to pause for a moment at this highest position. This point of tension is where the real magic happens.
Box squats
Perform three sets with eight repetitions each. Box squats beat regular squats for beginners because, with the proper programming, they’re safer for the kinesthetically unaware on both your back and knees. Practice for several sessions with a handheld weight before moving on to a barbell. Keep your core tight!
Back extensions
Perform three sets with 12 repetitions each. Do this with or without weight. You know you’re near the end of the workout when you get to these back extension.
Side-Lying Leg Raises
Perform three sets with 12 repetitions each (remember to do both sides). Grow your glutes while lying down? Sign me up! Target your booty’s side muscles with this crowd-pleaser.
Looking for a kick-ass soundtrack for your imaginary fitness montage? Check out The 3 Top Workout Playlists You Need In Your Life for some music ideas.
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