What are the best gluteal exercises?
Strengthen your gluteal muscles for more explosive performance with the best glute exercises.
There is a common misconception that sculpting a toned and developed butt is an endeavor only undertaken by those who want to get a big butt to wear in form-fitting leisurewear. But incorporating the best glute exercises into your next workout will help you build a stronger platform for lifting heavier weights and ensure you have the muscles to become a faster cyclist, a better runner, or just stay free of glutes. injuries for longer. And you’ll look better in jeans.
The gluteus maximus (better known as the glutes) is often considered one of the strongest muscle groups in the body, playing a stellar role when it comes to walking, running, climbing, or just standing up. Weak glutes can lead to lower back pain, stiff hips, and sore hamstrings in people who exercise regularly, as these peripheral groups end up working harder to make up for the lack of strength during training.
Focusing on the best glute exercises will help you discover your weak spots first and then gradually work to improve your glute area, which will lead to greater performance in future lower body workouts. It’s a win-win situation, no matter how you look at it.
HOW TO PERFORM THE BEST EXERCISES FOR THE GLUTES
The list of exercises below have been designed to be incorporated into a lower body workout, or you can choose a few of your favorites to create a glute workout day as you work your glute muscles. with intensity.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t do this more than twice a week, as creating an overall body plan is much more beneficial than just working the glutes, and you may overwork the muscle group in question, resulting in slow or poor results.
We’ve also chosen the best glute exercises for the widest range of fitness levels, starting with absolute beginners and suggesting ways to make them more challenging for more advanced workout buffs. With this in mind, there are also a mix of exercises that can be performed with just body weight, while others will require some specialized home gym equipment like dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells…or a gym subscription.
Take note of the form mentioned in each exercise guide and focus on contracting the glutes effectively, rather than lifting heavy weights or rushing the repetitions. It is far more beneficial to create a good mind/muscle connection with your glutes than to launch into very heavy squats, for example, as this almost always leads to injury.
THE BEST GLUTE EXERCISES1. DONKEY KICKS
Equipment needed: None.
Level: Beginner.
Begin on all fours on a yoga mat. Make sure your knees are below your hips and your hands are below your shoulders. Bring your spine into a neutral position and bring your shoulder blades down and back.
Inhale.
exhale. Keeping the knee bent, release and raise the right leg until the thigh is in line with the spine, making sure the foot remains flexed.
Inhale. Lower your right leg to return to the starting position, but do not rest your knee on the mat.
Complete 15 reps on the same side, before repeating the remaining reps on the other side.
2. GLUTE BRIDGE
Equipment needed: None.
Level: Beginner.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Lift your hips off the ground so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Pause when you are in that position, and then slowly lower your body to the ground.
Do 2 sets of 12 seconds.
3. SQUAT WITH DUMBBELLS
Equipment needed: 2 dumbbells.
Level: Beginner/intermediate.
Stand up, holding a pair of dumbbells over your shoulders.
Keep your head up, squeeze your abs, push your hips back, and bend your knees.
Slowly lower your body into a squat, hands at your sides.
Hold this position for a few seconds.
Then push up to the starting position.
Perform between 8 and 12 repetitions.
4. SIDE WALK WITH RESISTANCE BAND
Equipment needed: Resistance band.
Level: Intermediate/advanced
With a resistance band looped around your lower thighs, place both feet on the floor hip-width apart, making sure your knees remain in line with your toes. Looking straight ahead, flex your hips and knees, making sure your knees are in line with your toes. Continue to bend your knees until your upper legs are parallel to the ground. Make sure your back is at a 45-90 degree angle to your hips. This is the initial position.
Inhale.
exhale. Keeping in a squat position and with your right foot on the ground, step your left foot out so that your feet are slightly shoulder-width apart.
Inhale. Maintaining the squat position and with your left foot on the ground, step your right foot in to return to the starting position.
Complete 10 reps on the same side before completing the remaining reps on the other side.
5. SQUAT WITH BAR
Necessary equipment: Bar, weights, rack.
Level: Intermediate/expert.
Beginners should start practicing their squat form with a light dumbbell or barbell, focusing on technique, rather than reps or weight. Once mastered, this move is the ultimate glute exercise, with additional benefits for the hamstrings and quads.
With the bar across your shoulders, step back out of the rack and stand with your feet hip-width apart (or slightly less).
Again, rotate your hips, pressing your butt back but keeping your chest high and shoulders tight as you lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Pause at the bottom, squeeze your glutes, and drive through your heels to the top of the movement.
Complete between 8 and 12 repetitions.
6. BARRELL HIP THRUST
Necessary equipment: Bar, weights, bench.
Level: Intermediate/expert
Many personal trainers prefer this exercise as the best for the glutes, rather than the squat, because it is easier and has less risk of injury than a poorly performed barbell squat.
Begin by practicing with a light barbell and place it on the ground in front of you. Grab a typical weight bench and sit with your back against it (sideways).
Now make sure that your shoulders are pressed into the padded section of the bench, with the soles of your feet pressed into the ground.
Bring the bar over your legs and sit it in your lap on your hipbones, making sure it remains straight and well balanced.
Use your hands to stabilize the bar before driving yourself up through your heels, squeezing your glutes throughout and making sure your shins remain vertical.
Pause at the top (when your back is level with the floor) before lowering yourself a few inches and repeating the movement. If your shins move excessively back or forward during the push, it means you’re losing focus on your glutes and using your quads and hamstrings instead. So avoid fast reps, focus on contracting your gluteal muscles, and make sure your range of motion is fairly shallow. It should be about the same as the glute bridge mentioned above.
Complete between 8 and 12 repetitions.
