Tips for Developing Great Glutes
Strong glutes will help correct most lower body postural problem, strengthen your core and look good regardless of your sex. Weak glutes can cause low back pain, knee injuries, hamstring injuries, and make climbing stairs harder.
Glutes, short for gluteals, are a combination of three muscles, the gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus and gluteus medius. The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three and one of the strongest muscles in your body. Glutes start from the crests of the pelvic bone and end behind the femur.
Strong glutes do require hard work and a combination of full body squats and lunges followed by a few isolation exercises. Here are three great ways to get started shaping and toning those glutes.
Squats.
You have heard it before but here it is again. When performed correctly, the strong is king for developing your glutes. Squats are one of the most primitive and basic full body exercises out there. Put a barbell on your shoulders or hold a weight plate or kettlebell across your chest and squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Squats target your large muscle groups, including the glutes. Practice your squats with your body weight before you add dumbbells or a barbell.
When performing squats, keep your back straight or slightly arched, push your butt back and out, and your face forward, not upward. Focusing your attention on your glutes and squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement will help develop firm, strong and shapely muscles.
Lunges.
After your squats, perform 3-4 sets of lunges, another excellent firming and toning exercise for your glutes, thighs and hamstrings. With dumbbells in hand, a barbell on your shoulders or your own body weight, start with your feet together and take a large step forward until your knee is directly above your foot. Then lower your body until your back knee is about 2 inches above the floor. Push yourself back up and step back to the starting position. Alternate your legs so that you complete at least 10-12 lunges per leg.
Lying Glute Bridge
This particular exercise is very popular. This exercise allows you to work heavier weights as the glutes and hamstrings handle most of the work load. With your shoulders and mid back on a flat bench, place a flat barbell directly centered at waist level (a squat pad or some sort of pad may be needed for discomfort). With you knees bent at 90 degrees, drop you hips with the bar on your waist, then drive the bar back up pushing through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top.
Step-Ups.
Use this as a “finishing” exercise after your squats and lunges. Find a sturdy bench, box, platform or stairway and using your bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebell or similar weight, step up with one and then the other foot, then down. Alternate legs, and complete 10-12 reps per leg. The higher the step or bench, the greater the difficulty and engagement of your gluteals.
*Note- If you want to take your step-ups to the next level, I recommend taking a light bar and use the stair climber cardio machine for 10-12 minutes. The goal here is to keep your hands off the bars and let just your legs do the work!
Performing these “leg” exercises while focusing on and targeting the glutes will give you that firm, strong and toned butt you've always wanted. Perform these exercises slowly and properly to increase their effectiveness and decrease your risk of injury.
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