Tag: glutes
Bodybuilder Veteran Rich Gaspari Reveals Effective Glute-Targeting Exercise for a Stronger Lower Body
Bodybuilding veteran Rich Gaspari revolutionized the Men’s Open division during his days of professional competition. He became the first athlete to display striations in his glutes. In a recent post made on Instagram, Gaspari shared an exercise for building leg muscles and glutes.
Rich Gaspari started his career in the IFBB Pro League in the mid-1980s. He boasted an impressive blend of muscle mass, definition, and conditioning levels. His potential was evident from the start as he cracked the top three of the 1985 Mr. Olympia competition in his maiden appearance. While he did not win the Sandow trophy, he proved himself as a top contender with three runner-up finishes, falling short of eight-time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney on each occasion.
Gaspari was the inaugural winner of the 1989 Arnold Classic and earned an entry into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2004. He decided to hang up his posing trunks in 1996 after an illustrious career lasting over two decades. Since retiring, he’s become a revered analyst with hot takes.
Following Hadi Choopan’s win at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, Gaspari fired shots at the champion for a perceived lack of conditioning in the back. He urged Choopan to work on the area and bring back an older drier look to the stage in his return.
Gaspari criticized the modern mass monsters of the Open class for relying on steroids and neglecting quality training. He highlighted the decrease in conditioning levels and called on the competitors to prioritize training.
Rich Gaspari has kept a high fitness level after stepping away from competition. He opened up on his use of peptides to achieve anti-aging benefits along with testosterone, weight training, and growth hormone three months ago. Then, he stressed the importance of maintaining proper nutrition to build muscle in addition to effective training.
The 59-year-old believes modern Open athletes take considerably higher dosage of drugs than the competitors of past eras. He issued a cautionary message against using harsh diuretics in hopes of athletes achieving drier looks. In The Menace Podcast with Dennis James, Rich revealed he didn’t use such diuretics to sculpt his physique and laid out the risks involved in using synthetic substances.
Gaspari provided fans with some of his best tips on growing lower body muscles with intense training last month. He encouraged users to reach failure in their leg workouts and offered techniques to maximize the pump.
Rich Gaspari’s Ultimate Glute-Burner for a Strong Lower Body
In an Instagram post, Rich Gaspari shared an effective glutes exercise for building muscle in the legs. He suggested performing sumo squats on an elevated platform to extend the range of motion at the bottom of the movement.
“Great exercise to hit glutes are Sumo squats with a Dumbbell elevating feet so you get more stretch at the bottom of the movement,” wrote Gaspari. “3 sets of 20-30 reps and feel your glutes burn.”
Rich Gaspari continued his feud with the Open division last month. He believes bodybuilding is an art form that is not properly represented in the marquee division. He credited the Classic Physique athletes for bringing the artistic element back into the game.
RELATED: Rich Gaspari Talks PEDs in Bikini/Wellness Divisions and Poor Coaching: ‘It’s Gotten Out of Hand’
Incorporating elevated sumo squats into your workout routine can help you strengthen your lower body, improve balance, and achieve a more sculpted and toned gluteal region. Give this exercise a try and discover the benefits it can bring to your fitness journey.
Published: 28 May, 2023 | 10:44 AM EDT
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) – How-To, Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Variations
As the name implies, there is a similarity between the downward facing dog and a common habit of our favorite furry sidekicks. Also called Adho Mukha Svanasana in yoga words, this pose is akin to how a dog stretches itself by leaning back onto the legs and lengthening its spine (svana). And this full-body technique will benefit you just the same!
The downward dog is one of the most commonly practiced yoga techniques, cued often in vinyasa yoga, flowing into other poses, but also effective all on its own! But most importantly, the goal isn’t ultimately the downward dog pose, but how it makes us feel and progress in our yoga journey, or life in general.
It’s a tricky one, but follow along with the instructions and tips in this guide, and you’ll get it down pat!
Muscles Worked
A yoga-based pose, downward facing dog still requires various muscles to perform it correctly. Here are brief descriptions of the muscles you’ll use during this technique.
Arms and delts
Anytime your body is being supported by your arms, you’re recruiting the triceps and deltoid muscles. Both muscle groups have a combined three heads, one on the anterior, another laterally, and the third on the posterior or backside of the body.
With the arms extended, your triceps resist elbow flexion, allowing you to support your weight. The front deltoids are engaged when the arms move forward in front of the body.
Trapezius
Traps too have three components – upper, middle, and lower fibers. Individually, they lift the scapula, pull it back, and retract it. The upper fibers are most prominent during a downward facing dog when the arms are in an overhead position.
Core
Finding their role in every total body movement, your core and abdominal muscles stabilize your trunk, and help you to maintain balance, and force efficiency, to keep you in the inverted ‘V’ position.
Leg muscles
Don’t expect much physical gains but the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves do bear some of your weight. Not to mention, the calf raise component during a more advanced variation where the toes are dorisflexed which activates the rear lower leg muscles. Then you have the inner thighs or adductor muscles which should be used to keep the lower body in stable and strong position.
How To Do Downward Facing Dog
In this section, we break down the downward facing dog technique with step-by-step instructions. So be sure to follow along closely, and check out the video demonstration below to hear all the important form ques.
Steps
Note: The following instructions and demonstration are the quick and easy steps to get into a downward facing dog position. If you plan to progress in your yoga journey, we recommend learning additional pre-pose techniques. This will make your yoga practice more enjoyable, productive, and sustainable.
Get down on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Your hands should be roughly shoulder width apart, shoulders slightly forward past the wrists, with arms fully extended, knees directly under the hips, and back neutral. Turn your hands slightly outward so your elbows are pointing straight behind you, not completely out to the sides.
While you’re in this position, you may feel the natural need to do a cat-cow pose, to stretch your back and abdomen. It’s a great choice before hopping into the downward dog. We’ve included a video example of cat-cow below.
From your hands and knees, squeeze your hands together, without physically moving them inward, to activate your chest.
Now curl your toes under and press your feet into the ground bringing your knees into full extension, while lifting your hips up and back. In this position, your arms should be aligned with your torso in a straight line from your hands to your butt. Bring your gaze down so you’re looking down at the floor, or at the back of the room through your legs.
Accentuate the extension through your spine by lifting up through the pelvis and pressing the full hands into the floor. Externally rotate your arms, to create space between the shoulder blades. Lift the heels, and pretend to squeeze the inner thighs together.
Congrats! You just did the downward facing dog!
Here’s a short video demonstration of cat-cow pose.
Tips
Take some time and find the right knee and foot position to ensure you are doing the downward facing dog with the correct technique.
One way people find the optimal feet to hands distance is to get into a plank.
You should be able to transition between a plank and downward facing dog without moving your hands and feet.
If you cannot keep your spine straight during the downward facing dog, do it with your knees bent until you gain more flexibility.
Your heels do not need to be touching the ground.
Do a few reps of a cat-cow pose to warm up the spine before the downward dog.
Consider easing into the downward dog by incorporating pre-movement techniques beforehand.
You need a comfortable and non-slip surface to do this technique safely and effectively.
Press down into the floor with the entire hands (palms and fingers) to get the most efficiency from the movement.
Benefits of Downward Facing Dog
The advantages of learning this technique surely outweigh any potential negatives. It does a whole lot of good for the body and mind, and it’s also challenging and a good transition pose to other yoga practices.
Get a lovely stretch!
If done right, the downward facing dog should stretch your back first and foremost, followed by everything from your wrists to your shoulders, abs, and leg muscles. However, the back should be the focal point. The goal should not be to force a stretch in your legs.
Stretching has many benefits including healthier muscles, increased range of motion and flexibility, more blood flow to the area, reduced muscle soreness, and even stress relief. During downward facing dog you’re also strengthening the aformentioned muscles.
Strengthen all your muscles
The downward dog involves your push muscles, back, abdominals and obliques, hips, legs, and feet. There’s literally no muscle sitting out. While there is some muscular strengthening from movement (isotonic), you also benefit from static strengthening, where the muscles are not contracting, but support your weight in a contracted state.
Learn about the differences and benefits of isotonic vs isometric training here.
Form of inversion
Most exercises don’t involve hanging the head down, somewhat upside down. But what this does is increase blood flow and circulation to the brain possibly enhancing mental performance, while decompressing the spine and creating more space between the vertebra which may allow better disk hydration and hence greater spine mobility and reduced risk of injury.
Many experts also believe that inversion supports the lymphatic system, which helps the body cleanse itself. And this is said to only be able to occur via the movement of muscles, and breathing. Some other supposed benefits include improving back pain, and increasing torso strength and mobility too.
It’s important to note, however, that studies are limited and not conclusive on the potential benefits of inversion.
Ease your mind
Yoga has long been practiced for its stress-relieving effects. Most of us live every day without releasing the tension that we build up in our muscles due to mental stress, physical stress, lack of activity, and high intensity exercise. Bringing flexibility, and stretch into our daily routines can have a great effect on us. Not to mention, yoga technique are therapeutic alone.
May support better digestion
For the same reason the brain and spine may benefit from downward facing dog, so too may your digestive system. In normal conditions, the belly has to work a little to digest food against gravitational forces. Well, the increased blood driven to the stomach could possibly stimulate a healthier process.
Burn calories
Moving your body and using your muscles to resist your body weight is one way to burn calories. During this process, your body uses energy from stored food for fuel, and if you expend more energy than you consume, you’ll lose fat. Yoga is one way to contribute to the weight loss process if you’re not eating too much every day.
Try our yoga calories burned calculator to see how much energy you’re using during your sessions.
This Exercise:
Target Muscle Group: Arms, delts, core, quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves
Type: Yoga
Mechanics: Compound
Equipment: Cushioned surface, exercise mat
Difficulty: Intermediate
Drawbacks of Downward Facing Dog
If you want to try the downward facing dog, you could experience some of these negatives.
Not as easy as it looks
If you’re not decently flexible or fit, you may be in for a nice surprise. It’s harder than it looks both on video, and in your head. But… if you use a suitable surface, wear the right clothing, and follow the form instructions, you’ll have the best chance at nailing this technique. The good news is, if you can’t yet, you’re totally allowed to bend your knees. So keep practicing and you’ll master this staple pose!
Bad form is common and good form ignored
Without a proper understanding of basic exercise technique mechanics, or yoga experience, it’s too easy to do this exercise wrong. Not that its the worst thing you could do, but people try to force their heels down when they shouldn’t, or they don’t realize they have bad form. The downward dog should be a beautiful exercise that feels good, and encourages you do it more.
Common Mistakes When Performing Downward Facing Dog
If you want to get the most out of the downward facing dog, try to keep these bad habits out of your checklist.
Tucking in the tailbone
You want to lift the tailbone, not tuck it in. The latter will move the pelvis rearward and round the back in a convex shape which you don’t want. Rather bend the knees to bring the back into a better and safer alignment.
Forcing the heels down
We’re not all physically constructed the same, hence different heights, proportions, movement, etc. If your heels don’t naturally touch the floor, don’t force them. As you stretch, you’ll learn if it’s tight calves and hamstrings. But it could also be a shorter achilles tendon, or someone’s bone structure, and that’s fine, there’s nothing to do there. After all, the goal is not to stretch the calves, it’s to target the back.
Bad shoulder position
Slouching over and letting your head into your shoulders is the wrong way. The delts and scapular area should be set properly with proper arm placement and involved to make the exercise most efficient.
Wrong hand positioning
When pushing your hands into the floor, you should focus on shifting the weight onto your thumbs, index and middle fingers, not the pinkies or palms only. This will create a better position for your shoulders and it’s more efficient.
Not bending the knees
While you will need to lengthen the legs to lift the tailbone and stretch the back, you are free to keep the knees slightly bent.
Internal shoulder rotation
Remember that these three words are something you seldom ever wanted to do during any exercise. Turning the shoulders inward toward the chest can cause impingement issues, and it doesn’t make for efficient technique. Instead, turn your biceps slightly out to open up the delts and create a safer position.
Feet too close or wide
Your feet should be roughly the same distance apart that they are in a plank. That’s why it’s good to start the movement from a plank, especially if you’re a beginner. But, you may find the need to adjust your footing slightly.
Variations of Downward Facing Dog
You can find so many different variations of the downward facing dog. Unfortunately, there are too many to list here, however, we picked some favorites for you to try!
Single leg downward facing dog
Also called Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana, this single leg downward facing dog variation stretches the hamstrings, engages more core muscles, and trains your balance.
Steps
Assume the basic downward facing dog as shown in the primary example in this guide. Your feet should be fully planted on the mat.
Press down into the left foot, and lift the right heel as high as you can while keeping it fully extended. Point the toes straight down. You should feel a nice stretch in the left hamstring. Keep your gaze down toward the floor, or back toward your feet.
Hold then switch legs and repeat.
Tips
Inhale as you lift the leg and exhale as you drop it down.
Keep your shoulders and hips square, avoiding allowing the body to rotate in either direction.
For a more advanced technique, great for training balance, lift one leg, and the opposite arm.
Knee to elbow
If you want to take the previous variation a step further, hence increasing the benefits, you can introduce more movement.
Steps
From the three legged, or single leg downward facing dog with one leg extended in the air, bend the knee and bring it into the same side elbow. Keep your core tense and spine neutral.
Lift the same leg back up into extension or the three legged dog, now pull the knee into your opposite elbow.
Do several reps, then switch legs.
Twisted dog
Here’s a simple, but challenging variation you should also try. It will wake up your obliques, and give you a releasing stretching in the waist.
Steps
From the basic downward facing dog position, move your feet closer to your arms and simply reach one hand back and grab the opposite ankle. Rotate your upper body to face the same side as the leg you’re grabbing. Return to the starting position, then reach with the opposite hand to the other ankle.
Make sure to keep your spine lengthened.
Bent knee dog
From the inverted downward dog position, bend one knee so that your toes are pointed at the ceiling. Reset, and repeat with the other leg.
Downward facing dog on blocks
Prop your feet or hands up on some blocks to vary the angle and lessen the difficulty of the downward facing dog. Elevating the hands, for example, creates more space in the upper body like shoulders, back and neck. It also helps maximize space on the mat during vinyasa flow!
Steps
Prop your hands up on blocks and find your downward dog.
Keeping your toes on the mat, lift your heels high, and extend your spine by raising your hips up above your shoulders.
Now exhale, bend your knees, tighten your core, press into the blocks and hop your feet forward in between your hands. As you jump, keep the hips higher than the shoulders.
Inhale, stand halfway up keeping your hands on the blocks, exhale, fold your upper body into your lower body, then inhale, and stand all the way up reaching your arms overhead with hands together.
Finally, exhale and bring your hands to your heart.
FAQs
Below we included a few common questions and answers regarding the downward facing dog pose.
Who is the downward facing dog not good for? Due to the nature of this exercise, it’s best avoided by people with wrist problems such as carpal tunnel, or those with back issues, vertigo, high blood pressure, or eye conditions that affect vision. We also don’t recommend it for women who are pregnant.
What should be the primary goal of the downward facing dog?Stretching the back, activating the core, and really becoming more in tune with your body. There are many benefits of downward facing dog that can enhance your physical, mental, and yoga progression.
Wrapping Up
Congrats on mastering the downward facing dog pose! But if you haven’t yet, don’t worry you’re not alone, it’s by no means an easy exercise for most people. But this common yoga class pose should be learned as it’s a fundamental technique and you’ll probably be called to do it. The tips, tricks and variations in this guide are going to help you utilize the downward dog effectively, build more confidence in your yoga journey, and enhance your life!
Build a Better Butt: Three Glute Workouts for Women
For years, six-pack abs were the fitness-fashion must-have. Actors, pop stars, athletes, B-listers – everyone had shredded abs and was happy to show them off. Entire workout programs revolved around getting a washboard stomach, and abs training exercise machines were on everyone’s Christmas list.
While ripped abs are still popular, they’ve been somewhat overshadowed by another muscle group – the glutes. Since the Kardashians hit the big time, glutes have become the fitness accessory that no woman can be seen without.
Unfortunately, prolonged sitting means that a lot of women’s glutes are flat, soft, and weak instead of rounded, strong, and firm. Glute amnesia is the term often used to describe how some people have literally forgotten how to contract their butts.
The good news is that the glutes are highly trainable and will quickly respond to regular workouts. You don’t even need a fancy gym to train your glutes – bodyweight and freeweight exercises can be very effective. When it comes to glute training, consistency is the key.
In this article, we share three tried-and-tested glute workouts for women. And yes, men can do them too!
Glute Anatomy Basics
When most people mention their glutes, they’re talking about their gluteus maximus. However, there are three glute muscles, each of which deserves your attention if you want to develop a muscular, aesthetically pleasing butt.
Gluteus maximus
The gluteus maximus is the most prominent muscle in the human body. It’s also potentially the strongest. Located on the rear and lateral aspect of your hips, the functions of the gluteus maximus are:
Hip extension
Hip abduction (superior/upper fibers)
Hip adduction (inferior/lower fibers)
Hip lateral rotation
Gluteus medius
The gluteus medius is found near the iliac crest of the pelvis, above and under the gluteus maximus. It works alongside the gluteus maximus and also has some additional functions of its own, too:
Hip abduction
Hip rotation
Pelvis stabilization
Gluteus minimus
The gluteus minimus is a small, triangular muscle located toward the back of the hip. Gluteus minimus also works with the gluteus maximus, but has some additional functions:
Hip abduction
Hip medial rotation
Pelvis stabilization
Bonus glute muscle: Tensor fascia latae
The tensor fascia latae, or TFL, is part of the glute complex, even though gluteus isn’t part of its name. The TFL a biaxial muscle, meaning it crosses two joints – the hip and the knee. As part of the glute group, TFL plays an essential role in the following:
Hip internal rotation
Hip abduction
Pelvis stabilization
To develop your best ever butt, you must pay attention to all the glute muscles. So, while the gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the glute complex, the other muscles also deserve your attention. After all, they’re vital for hip stability and performance. That’s why we’ve included a variety of exercises in the following glute workouts for women.
The Benefits of Glute Training for Women
Weak glutes are a modern-day epidemic. Prolonged sitting for work and leisure means that many people have feeble, flat, soft, underdeveloped glutes. Most women train their glutes because they want a better-looking butt. While this is no bad thing, there are several additional benefits to working your glutes hard and often.
These benefits include:
Less lower back pain
Back pain is a common problem affecting a significant percentage of adult women, and a lot of back pain is caused by weak glutes. If your glutes are weak, much of the work they should do falls on your lower back, e.g., bending and lifting objects off the floor. Stronger glutes mean less stress on your lower back and a lower risk of back pain.
Glute-related lower back pain is especially common during pregnancy, as the shift in your center of gravity pulls you forward, and you’ll need strong glutes to counter this effect. Stronger glutes will also help stabilize your sacroiliac (SI) joint, which is another common cause of lower back pain for women.
In many cases, stronger glutes are the most effective way to prevent and treat lower back pain – with your doctor’s approval, of course.
Better posture
Posture is the alignment of your joints, which can be good or bad. Good posture puts minimal stress on your joints, ligaments, and muscles and is very efficient. In contrast, poor posture puts far more pressure on your joints and connective tissue and is very inefficient. Poor posture can lead to muscle tension, fatigue, and chronic pain.
Weak glutes can affect the alignment and position of your lumbar spine or lower back. It can also reduce pelvic stability. Stronger glutes can help prevent common postural problems such as hyperlordosis or an over-arched lower back.
A better-looking butt
While training your glutes has a lot of functional benefits, there is no denying the aesthetic appeal of a strong, firm, muscular butt. Great-looking butts don’t happen by accident; if you want a rear you can be proud of, you must train it hard, often, and consistently.
Increased hip and knee stability
The hip is a very mobile ball and socket joint capable of a wide range of movements, including flexion, extension, medial and lateral rotation, abduction and adduction. However, that mobility comes at a price – reduced stability.
While increased mobility is generally a good thing, uncontrolled movement of the hip can cause hip pain and injuries and even affect your knees. For example, if your hips cave in while you are walking or running, you may experience pain in the medial part of your knees.
Strengthening the muscles around your hips will enhance joint stability and function, leading to more efficient movements and a lower risk of hip and knee pain.
Three Glute Workouts for Women
Here are your three glute workouts for women. But, before doing any of them, you must prepare your joints and muscles for what you’re about to do by warming up. Start with 5-10 minutes of easy cardio, e.g., air bike, rower, jogging, or jumping rope, followed by a few dynamic mobility and flexibility exercises for knees, hips, and lower back.
A ten-minute warm-up can save you months of lost training caused by an otherwise avoidable injury, so don’t skip it.
Ready? Then let’s get to work!
Bodyweight-Only Glute Workout
No time to go to the gym? Prefer home workouts? No problem! You can train your glutes almost using just your body weight. Do this workout at home, in your hotel room, in your garden, at the park – anywhere you want!
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1
Glute bridge marches
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2
Prisoner good-mornings
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
3
Frog pumps
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
4
Reverse lunges
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
5
Side leg raises
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
1. Glute bridge marches
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Steps:
Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet flat. Brace your abs. Drive your feet into the floor and push your hips up so your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line.
Without lowering your hips, lift one leg up and push your knee up toward the ceiling.
Lower your foot to the floor, swap legs, and repeat.
Continue alternating legs for the prescribed number of reps.
2. Prisoner good-mornings
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Steps:
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly.
Place your hands behind your head and push your elbows back to open your chest. Brace your core.
Hinging from your hips, lean as far forward as possible without rounding your lower back. Push your butt backward as you lean.
Drive your hips forward and stand up.
That’s one rep – keep going!
3. Frog pumps
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, hip abductors, hamstrings, core.
Lie on your back with your legs bent and the soles of your feet pressed together.
Push your knees apart.
Drive the outside of your feet into the floor and lift your hips up to form a straight line with your knees and shoulders.
Lower your butt back down to the floor and repeat.
Read more: Frog Pumps Exercise Guide: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Variations
4. Reverse lunges
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, core.
Steps:
Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides. Pull your shoulders down and back, and brace your core.
Take a large step backward, bend your legs, and lower your rearmost knee down to within an inch of the floor. Lean forward slightly to increase glute engagement.
Push off your back leg, bring your feet back together, and repeat on the opposite side.
Alternate legs for the required number of reps.
5. Side leg raises
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius.
Steps:
Lie on your side so your body is straight and your head is resting on your outstretched arm.
Raise your uppermost leg to about 45 degrees, turning your hip slightly inward to maximize glute engagement.
Lower your leg and repeat.
Roll over and do the same number of reps on the other side.
You can make this exercise more challenging by putting a booty band around your knees or wearing an ankle weight.
Freeweight Glute Workout
Freeweights provide a low-tech way to overload your glutes and build more strength. Barbells and dumbbells are available at almost every gym. They are also ideal for home workouts as they’re cheap, compact, and easy to store between workouts.
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1
Barbell Romanian deadlift
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2
Barbell hip thrust
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
3
Dumbbell side leg raise
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
4
Dumbbell high step-up
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
5
Dumbbell sumo squat
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
1. Barbell Romanian deadlift
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Hold a barbell in front of your hips with a double overhand grip. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.
Pull your shoulders back and down and brace your core.
Push your hips back and hinge forward, lowering the bar down your legs.
Descend as far as you can without rounding your lower back.
Push your hips forward, stand back up, and repeat.
2. Barbell hip thrust
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Sit on the floor with your back against a sturdy bench. Rest and hold a barbell across your hips. Use a folded mat or squat par pad for comfort if required.
Push down with your feet and lift your hips up to form a straight line between your knees and shoulders.
Lower your butt back down to lightly touch the floor and repeat.
3. Dumbbell side leg raise
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius.
Lie on your side with your legs straight and your head resting on your lowermost arm.
Hold a dumbbell in your other hand and rest it on your uppermost thigh.
Raise your top leg to about 45 degrees, lower it, and repeat.
The further down your thigh you hold the weight, the more challenging this exercise becomes.
On completion, roll over and do the same number of reps on the opposite leg.
4. Dumbbell high step-up
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, core.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides. Stand in front of a bench or step that’s about knee height.
Place one foot on the top of the platform, drive your foot down, and step up. Try not to push off with your trailing leg.
Step back down, switch legs, and repeat.
Continue alternating legs for the duration of your set.
5. Dumbbell sumo squat
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, core.
Stand with your feet about 1.5 shoulder widths apart, toes turned slightly outward.
Hold a single dumbbell in front of your hips.
Pushing your knee outward, squat down as deeply as possible without rounding your lower back. Keep your weight on your heels to maximize glute engagement.
Drive your feet into the floor and stand back up.
Continue for the prescribed number of reps.
Gym Glute Workout for Women
Having access to a gym means there are lots of ways to train your glutes. In fact, there are so many choices that it can be hard to know where to start! Keep your training on track with this tried-and-tested gym-based glute workout.
#
Exercise
Sets
Reps
Recovery
1
Barbell booty band back squat
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
2
Cable machine pull-throughs
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
3
Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
4
Cable hip abduction
2-4
12-20 per leg
60-90 seconds
5
Barbell glute march
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
6
Reverse hypers
2-4
12-20
60-90 seconds
1. Barbell booty band back squat
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, hamstrings, quadriceps, core.
Put a booty band around your knees. Rest and hold a barbell across your upper back. Step out so your feet are about shoulder-width apart. Push your knees out against the resistance offered by the band.
Bend your knees and squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Keep pushing your knees outward. Do not round your lower back.
Stand back up and repeat.
2. Cable machine pull-throughs
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine.
Stand astride the cable with your back to the machine. Hold the handle in both hands in front of your hips. Take 1-2 steps forward to tension the cable.
Push your hips back and lean forward, reaching back and through your legs.
Drive your hips forward and stand up straight.
Continue for the prescribed number of reps.
You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
3. Dumbbell single-leg Romanian deadlift
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Hold a dumbbell in one hand and stand with your feet together.
Shift your weight over onto one leg. Bend your supporting knee slightly.
Hinging from your hips, lean forward and lower the weight down toward the floor. Extend your non-weight-bearing leg out behind you for balance.
Stand back up and repeat.
Use your non-working arm for support if required.
Switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.
4. Cable hip abduction
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteus medius.
Wrap a strap around your ankle and attach it to a low pulley machine.
Stand sideways onto the weight stack with your working leg furthest from the weight stack. Hold the machine for balance. Brace your core.
Keeping your leg straight, lift your foot out to the side, taking care not to twist your hips.
Lower your leg and repeat.
Do the same number of reps on both sides.
5. Barbell glute march
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Lie on the floor with your legs bent and feet flat. Rest and hold a barbell across your hips. Use a folded mat or squat bar pad for comfort if required.
Drive your feet into the floor and raise your hips so they form a straight line with your knees and shoulders.
Keeping your hips up, extend your right leg.
Lower your foot back to the floor, swap legs, and repeat.
Continue alternating legs for the prescribed number of reps.
6. Reverse hypers
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core.
Lie on the machine so your hips are in line with the lever arm pivot point. Place your lower legs behind the restraint. Hold onto the support handles.
Extend your hips and legs out behind you, taking care not to hyperextend your spine.
Lower your legs and repeat.
No reverse hyper machine at your gym? Don’t worry; you can also do this exercise with a regular workout bench, like this:
Glute Workouts for Women – FAQs
Do you have a question about these workouts or glute training for women in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. How often can I train my glutes?
While it might be tempting to train your glutes more often, 2-3 workouts per week should be sufficient for most women. Muscles take on average 48-72 hours to recover between workouts, so training them more often could impede rather than accelerate your progress.
So, train your glutes every 2-3 days for best results, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Monday and Thursday.
2. Will these exercises and workouts fix my violin hips?
Violin hips, aka hip dips, are where your lower glutes/upper thighs curve slightly inward. Contrary to what a lot of influencers believe, this is NOT something that can be fixed with exercise or diet and is caused by your bone structure. Hip dips are perfectly natural and not something you need to try and alter.
While training your glutes will enhance your general butt shape, your hip dips are here to stay. So, don’t worry about them, and focus on the things you can control instead.
3. Do I have to stick to the 12-20 rep range?
To build maximal strength, you must train using heavy weights and low reps, typically 1-5 per set with 85% or more of your one-repetition maximum. However, if you aren’t training for strength, it really doesn’t matter how many reps you do per set.
In fact, studies suggest that you can perform anywhere from 5 to 35 reps per set and still make progress (1). Almost any rep count will work if you take your set close to failure.
12-20 is just a general guideline, and you can do eight, ten, twenty, or thirty reps per set if you wish.
4. What is the best diet to build a better butt?
Building a bigger, stronger butt is a type of hypertrophy training, better known as bodybuilding. As such, you’ll need to provide your body with the energy it needs for your workouts as well as muscle growth and repair.
Invariably, this means eating a slight calorie surplus, consuming enough protein, and eating mostly natural, clean foods.
It’s beyond the scope of this article to provide you with a diet to follow, but you can find all the information you need to write your own healthy eating plan in this step-by-step guide.
5. Can I just do core workouts to get in shape?
Your glutes are just a small selection of the 600+ muscles that make up the human body. Trying to get in shape by just training your glutes is like trying to keep your car running by only ever checking the tire pressure!
While these glute workouts will certainly help, you need to train the rest of your body if you want to be in good shape. That means including upper body, cardio, and core training in your weekly workout schedule.
Glute training IS undoubtedly important, but it’s just one of the things you need to do to be fit and healthy.
Glute Workouts – Closing Thoughts
Whether you are training for better health, improved athletic performance, or want to look your best, glute training can help. Unfortunately, many women have weak, soft glutes, often because they spend too much time sitting.
Use these workouts to sculpt your perfect butt. However, remember that while the glutes ARE important, the rest of your body deserves the same amount of care and attention. Nature abhors imbalances, and going all glutes all the time will probably cause more problems that it cures.
More Glute Workouts:
Eight Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Glutes
Eight Best Dumbbell Exercises for Your Glutes
In theory, we train our glutes all day by walking, taking stairs instead of elevators, and by moving as nature intended. We should squeeze those glorious butt cheeks one at a time all day long, even when trapped in a meeting, stuck at a desk, or snarled in traffic.
In reality, we ignore our glutes. Not only that, we deactivate them by sitting on them, a major problem in our sedentary culture of working in cubicles and camping out on couches. This tightens the hips, flexes our bodies forward, and contributes to a chain of muscle dysfunction and pain. It also leaves us with flat, unattractive rear ends.
Some world-class butts are the product of genetics, but most are the result of work in the gym. Studies suggest that training the glutes reduces back pain. It’s possible to open the hips and unflatten your ass through training.
In this dumbbell workout, we’ll work the glutes through four sets of these eight moves in a circuit fashion, resting only briefly between sets, to produce maximum results with minimal time and equipment.
Inverted Hamstring
What it does: This move forces you to fire (activate) your glutes. Practicing such movements becomes a habit in the gym and everyday life.
How to do it: While holding dumbbells, balance on your right foot, keeping tummy tight, and shoulders back and down. Bend at the waist with both hands out to the sides and extend your left leg back as you fire the left glute. Your shoulder and heel should move together, forming a straight line. Return to starting position and switch legs.
How many? 10 on each leg.
Squat-to-Press, One-Arm Dumbbell
What it does: It challenges the glutes while also challenging your overall core stability.
How to do it: Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, hold a dumbbell on one shoulder with that elbow pointed down. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push through the hips to stand and press the weight overhead. Lower the weight to starting position. Finish the set with one arm before switching arms.
How many? 10 on each side.
Lateral Lunges
What it does: Lateral movement is important to the motions of everyday life, but too often we ignore it in the gym. The lateral lunge hits the glutes, along with the quads and hamstrings.
How to do it: Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Step out to the right, keeping toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat. Squat down only your right leg, keeping the left leg straight. Squat as low as possible, keeping the left leg straight and holding for two seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a set of 10. Switch sides.
How many? 10 reps per side.
One-Legged Squats
What it does: This not only challenges your glutes – one at a time – but your overall balance and core strength.
How to do it: Stand on one foot holding dumbbells on your shoulders with elbows pointed out. Squat on one leg until your thighs are parallel to the ground – or as parallel as possible. Return to a standing position using only the leg you’re balancing upon. Do 10 on one side and then the other.
How many? 10 reps per side.
Weighted Glute Bridge
What it does: It’s one of the best moves to improve the activation patterns of the glutes. The dumbbells add a further strength challenge.
How to do it: Lie faceup on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet on the floor. Hold dumbbells along each leg. Squeeze your glutes and bridge your hips to the ceiling. Only your shoulders and hips remain on the ground. Hold for two seconds and then lower your hips toward the ground without touching.
How many? 10 reps.
Reverse Lunges
What it does: It’s impossible to do this without actively firing your glutes.
How to do it: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells. Keeping the eight mostly on the front foot, step back into a lunge. When the back knee is just off the ground, push through the front hip to a standing position. Repeat with the opposite leg.
How many? 10 on each side.
Split Squats
What it does: Squatting in the gym and daily life works the glutes, but the split version with dumbbells places them fully on stretch.
How to do it: Step out into a lunge with dumbbells at arm’s length at your sides. Lower your hips by squatting back and down. Without letting your back knee touch the floor, drive your weight back up with the front glute. Do 10 sets on one leg and then repeat with the other.
How many? 10 to each side.
Romanian Deadlift
What it does: Perhaps the most recognizable hamstring move, and for good reason; it’s effective in building the proper activation patterns in your hamstrings and glutes while also strengthening your back.
How to do it: Start with a light set of dumbbells. Form is especially key to getting the full benefit from the RDL; don’t think of the exercise as bending forward but rather as sitting back with your torso moving forward instead of staying upright.
How many? 10 reps.
Pete Williams is a NASM-CPT and the author or co-author of several fitness books, including Core Performance and Every Day is Game Day. His work has appeared in multiple publications such as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, and USA Today.
The Cure For The Flat Butt
Reasons for a Flat Butt and How to Fix It
Ladies, if you’re struggling with the “flat butt syndrome”, this is the article you need to read. A firm and round butt is aesthetically appealing and is within your reach if you’re willing to work for it.
A pear-shaped rear doesn’t only make you stand out, it makes you fitter and healthier. The glutes are composed of three separate but synergetic muscles which make them one of the strongest muscle groups in the body.
The three muscles are primarily the hip extensors. They aid in the external hip rotation, abduction, and even in stabilizing the entire posterior chain when working properly. The gluteus maximus is the strongest and thickest muscle in the body which is capable of burning a surplus of calories when trained efficiently.
Sitting For Too Long
While desk jobs obviously don’t burn a lot of calories, they’re also the reason for flat butts. Prolonged sitting and a lack of physical activity are big factors for causing the anterior pelvic tilts.
Too Much Cardio
For most women, hitting the gym is equivalent to working out on the cardio equipment. Doing too much cardio leads to muscle and fat loss. The excess of cardiovascular training can cause a loss of gluteal muscle mass.
Resisting Resistance Training
Look around in a gym and you’ll hardly find women in the free weights section. It’s a widespread myth that lifting weights will make the girls look masculine. On the contrary, resistance training can help tone and tighten the muscles for women. Women don’t generate enough testosterone naturally to be able to build muscle like men.
Fix for the Flat Butt
Training with weights is arguably the best way to get your glutes in shape. A glute focused workout will help you build the gluteal muscle mass even if you have strong quads which otherwise take over your leg workouts.
Hip Thrusts – 3 Sets 15 Reps
The hip thrusts are a great way to work on your glutes and hamstrings. Make sure you maintain a neutral spine and pause at the top of the movement. With this workout, the goal is to target your glutes and not your entire lower body.
Butt Blaster Machine – 3 Sets 15-12-10 Reps
Butt blaster machine is an isolation exercise and will set your rear on fire. Feeling and contracting the glutes is the key to a successful butt workout. If you don’t have access to a butt blaster machine at your gym, perform the donkey kickback on a leg extension machine.
Cable Pull-Through – 3 Sets 15-12-10 Reps
Locking out and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement during the cable pull-throughs will recruit all the three major muscles in your rear. With the glutes workouts, your goal is not to hit PRs or move big weights but to completely annihilate your muscles.
GHD – 3 Sets 15 Reps
Glute Ham hyperextensions (GHD) are great posterior chain builders. Maintain a full range of motion while performing this exercise and hyperextend your back to hit your glutes effectively.
Smith Machine Squats – 3 Sets 15-12-10 Reps
Barbell squats are a compound exercise and for some people, might work their quads and hams more than their glutes. Performing the squats on the smith machine with your feet placed together and in front of you can put more focus on your butt.
Are you suffering from the pancake ass syndrome? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements.
The Glute Ham Raise Alternatives To Constantly Change Your Workouts
Put these glute ham raise alternatives into your workout for better gains.
Focusing on certain exercises we love can prove to pay off in the long run, but when it comes to the glute ham raise as a singular exercise, looking to those glute ham raise alternatives can diversify your workouts for the better. We all want the best when it comes to seeing gains and often times we stick to the same old exercises we know and love because it’s what comfortable.
But eventually our muscles get used to them and our growth plateaus, clearly something we all don’t want or need. By adding in alternative exercises we give ourselves the best benefit to seeing similar growth while also adding different workouts to the larger training program.
The glute ham raise is a solid exercise to work your posterior chain, mainly your hamstrings and glutes, but with the top glute ham raise alternatives in your routine, the gains you want to see most are right around the corner. Working the same muscles, in a different way, but sticking to the idea of supporting the posterior chain, what you will find is your workouts become more engaging and fun with only the best gains to show for it.
Let’s take a look at both the glute ham raise exercise and the best glute ham raise alternatives so you can see huge gains and mix up your workout. With the right exercises in your training program, all of those you want to see can be achieved in no time.
What Is The Glute Ham Raise?
The glute ham raise is a great exercise working mainly your hamstrings and glutes. It is highly effective in developing strength and muscular endurance perfect for seeing posterior chain gains.
By working to bend the knee and extend the hips, this targets your hamstrings so they will grow, but also see better range of motion and aid in functional movements. Great for adding to your leg day routine, this exercise is certainly not one to neglect (1).
Benefits Of It
The benefits of the glute ham raise are hard to ignore and will make you want to put this into your routine. As a highly effective workout, it would be a disservice not to give this exercise a go.
Benefits of the glute ham raise include:
Glute and hamstring development: By increasing strength and size in your hamstrings and glutes, you build better development for sport specific and functional movements.
Better posture: With this overall development, you work to strengthen muscles necessary for posture, so no more slouching and unfortunate pain caused by poor posture.
Back support: Strengthening those lower body muscles work to support your hips, and with stronger hips, comes a more supported back to increase gains in sport specific and functional workouts.
More power and speed: Both power and speed stem from your leg strength and by working on this overall development, you will see those performance goals take off.
Plenty of alternative exercises: The nice part about alternative exercises (which we will get into) are that you can target the same muscles and get the same benefits, all while changing up your workout.
Best Glute Ham Raise Alternatives
Let’s take a look at some of these glute ham raise alternatives in order to set you and your training plan up for success. With the right exercises, you can tackle all of those goals and really give yourself the best benefits possible, all while targeting the exact same muscles. Give these glute ham raise alternatives a try and really see what these can do for all your muscle building goals today.
1. Good Mornings
Good mornings follow the idea of hinging at the hips and allowing for better movement in the waist. You can make these harder by adding resistance bands, dumbbells, or a barbell to the lift for that added time under tension and resistance (2).
2. Single Leg RDL
Great for focusing on your glutes and hammies, the single leg RDL is a nice alternative to work on muscle imbalances and improve single leg stability. Able to increase lower body strength and size, this is a real challenge to put into your workouts (3).
3. Stability Ball Leg Curls
Great for those hamstrings, this is also relies heavily on your core and forces you to really focus on form. Great for working on stability and enforcing mind-muscle connection, this will give your hamstrings a wild ride to growth.
4. Glute Bridge Walkouts
This workout is a real challenge and really works those core and hip stabilizers. As a result of the stretching that occurs, you not only give your glutes a great workout, but also those hamstrings, both vital for the completion of the exercise.
5. Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are a great exercise and one totally worth doing, for they not only work your glutes and hamstrings, but many other muscles as well. A real full body exercise, this is most certainly one to build muscle and increase your heart rate for a really nice alternative (4).
Why These Alternatives Are Great
These glute ham raise alternatives listed above are great for a number of reasons, most notably being the fact they work the same muscles and will target them in unique ways. By allowing your muscles to become confused, you will trick them into growing so they can’t get used to the same old exercises. For your posterior chain, having exercises that allow for similar development as the glute ham raise keep the benefits like posture and injury prevention intact.
Wrap Up
These top glute ham raise alternatives can help you see much better gains so you only continue to sculpt and shred. By sticking to the same exercises, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to truly thrive, thus inhibiting our ability to see the best growth possible. These glute ham raise alternatives are exactly what you need to see success and will only produce the best physique for you, and one others will definitely envy.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
McAllister, M.; et al. (2014). “Muscle activation during various hamstring exercises”. (source)
Vigotsky, A.; et al. (2015). “Effects of load on good morning kinematics and EMG activity”. (source)
Martin-Fuentes, I.; et al. (2020). “Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review”. (source)
Lake, J.; et al. (2012). “Kettlebell swing training improves maximal and explosive strength”. (source)
How To Get A Nice Butt For Solid Gains & Aesthetic
You may not care, but a nice butt can take you a long way.
We often work those muscles we see as important to training, performance, and aesthetic, but having a nice butt can take us a long way. By putting an emphasis on building stronger glutes, we better set ourselves for success either will sport specific movements or more functional ones. People love a nice butt, on both men and women, and working your behind can be something others will envy, or enjoy.
There are great exercises and tips out there to help us get a nice butt and knowing how best to approach this can prove to be highly effective in the long run. A nice butt can take your aesthetic to new heights, come competition time or with everyday life and focusing on your glutes will make all the difference for those gains you want most.
Let’s take a look at what it takes to get a nice butt for those sport specific and more functional movements. Knowing what exercises to perform to better our training will lead us to better performance and more of a drive to see those results we want most. Plus, strong glutes can enhance a nice butt so others will envy us as well.
Benefits Of Strong Glutes
We often take having strong glutes for granted. While we tend to focus on those muscles we see as performing enhancing and aesthetically pleasing, too often do we neglect our glutes and feel as though they may not be as pivotal in our sport specific and functional movements. But the benefits of strong glutes cannot be overlooked for what they can do for all facets of our fitness goals.
Benefits of strong glutes include:
Increased performance: With less risk of injury, more power, and better strength, our overall performance goals are greatly enhanced through stronger glutes.
Better posture: Posture is huge and without our glutes to support us, we will find ourselves struggling to have good posture as we look to support our hips.
Reduced injury: Able to help support us, strong glutes will allow for reduced injury, especially to our low backs which often take on a large load (1).
Better balance and stabilization: We need to be balanced and stable for all areas of our training and performance and strong glutes allows us to maximize that ability no problem (2).
Increased power: Having strong glutes allows us to generate more power for better explosivity and speed when it comes to boosting those sport specific movements.
Aid in our aesthetic: Strong glutes will add to our aesthetic and allow us to feel good about our butt when we turn around, either for competition or just in daily life.
Best Exercises For Stronger Glutes
Knowing which exercises to put into your routine can make or break those glute gains and having the right approach will only prove to be most effective in the long run. Let’s take a look some great exercises to build those glutes for a nice butt.
Squats
Squats are a great exercise to build that lower half so you see only the best gains. By maximizing your range of motion, you rely on those glutes to keep you balanced and stable as you drive that weight to build overall leg development (3).
Lunges
Lunges help build your glutes with the nature of the movement. Like the squat, these help you stay balanced and stable but given the movement of one leg, each side of your glutes get equal work done with this effective exercise. Plus, lunges offer tons of variations to try (4).
Hip Thrusts
Hip thrusts rely on your glutes to build stability for your core, pelvis, and entire lower body. A great exercise to target your glutes, this is definitely one to put into your routine.
Deadlift
Some of the movement of the deadlift puts an emphasis on your glutes making this great for shaping and toning your butt. A great exercise for your entire posterior chain, you can’t go wrong with a great deadlift (5).
Step-Ups
Step ups can improve symmetry and balance and work each leg as a whole or individually. A great exercise to develop explosiveness and power, you really put a focus on your glutes as a driving force to make this movement happen.
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings activate your glutes for greater hypertrophy and with the weight of the kettlebell, you will see great progress. A nice exercise to get your heart rate going, you also see plenty of other benefits as well.
Top Tips For A Nice Butt
Along with the right exercises to perform, knowing some helpful tips can better take your gains to places you want them. Building your glutes takes time but knowing how best to do so will only enhance those gains for the better.
Emphasis On Leg Training
When you settle into your leg day routine, double up on exercises or put in two leg days for your plan. Your glutes are imperative for leg exercises and focusing on these more will allow for better gains, and ultimately, more toned glutes.
Focus On Rep Ranges
Working with different rep ranges will challenge these muscles so they grow more effectively. Treating your glutes like other muscle groups includes them in the party and allows for those gains you want most.
Superset and Drop Sets
Like other muscle groups, don’t be afraid to focus on drop sets and supersets to fatigue these muscles and get the most out of your training (6). Pushing yourself will only enhance those gains you want most.
Wrap Up
Having a nice butt goes a long way and focusing on those movements is something to not take for granted. Strong glutes can elevate our training and performance but also allow for more toning and a better sense of confidence when we turn around. With the approach, those gains will appear in no time and allow for only the best gains come competition time or just everyday appearance.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Buckthorpe, M.; et al. (2019). “Assessing and Treating Gluteus Maximus Weakness- A Clinical Commentary”. (source)
Jeong, U.; et al. (2015). “The effects of gluteus muscle strengthening exercise and lumbar stabilization exercise on lumbar muscle strength and balance in chronic low back pain patients”. (source)
Kubo, K.; et al. (2019). “Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes”. (source)
Jonhagen, S.; et al. (2009). “Forward lunge: a training study of eccentric exercises of the lower limbs”. (source)
Neto, W.; et al. (2020). “Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review”. (source)
Schoenfeld, B.; et al. (2018). “Can Drop Set Training Enhance Muscle Growth?”. (source)
Best Supersets – Glutes
Here are some of the best supersets to perform to build up your glutes!
Everyone needs to work the glutes more. But without properly activated glutes, many movements cannot be done properly, or at least effectively.
Since most of us spend our days sitting, hunched over computers and behind steering wheels, we shut off our glutes. That tightens our hips and shortens our hamstrings, leading to all manner of muscular dysfunction, most notably back problems. Not only are we setting ourselves up for ailments and injury, but we also end up with a flat butt that nobody finds attractive.
If you approach daily life as one big glute workout, you’ll be well on your way to muscular glutes and pain-free living. Squeeze your cheeks one at a time while stuck in traffic or an endless meeting. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. Walk instead of driving short distances.
One study suggested that some of the most common exercises produce significant improvements in the glutes. In this glute superset workout, we’ll pair a bodyweight glute activation move with one that works the glutes through lifting This way we both activate and challenge the glutes in an efficient manner that enables us to keep moving through the workout with no rest.
Pete Williams is a NASM certified personal trainer and the author or co-author of several books on performance and training.
FIRST SUPERSET: KNEE HUGS AND SPLIT SQUATS
Knee Hugs
What it does: This move stretches the hamstring and glute of your front leg as well as the hip flexor or your back leg.
How to do it: Lift your right knee to your chest and grab below the knee with your hands. Pull your right knee to your chest while squeezing your left glute. Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side. Continue alternating sides.
How many? 10 reps.
Split Squats
What it does: Squatting in the gym and daily life works the glutes, but the split version with dumbbells places them fully on stretch.
How to do it: Step out into a lunge with dumbbells at arm’s length at your sides. Lower your hips by squatting back and down. Without letting your back knee touch the floor, drive your weight back up with the front glute. Do 10 sets on one leg and then repeat with the other.
How many? 10 reps to each side.
SECOND SUPERSET: GLUTE BRIDGE AND ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
Glute Bridge
What it does: It’s one of the best moves to improve the activation patterns of the glutes.
How to do it: Lie face-up on the floor with knees bent 90 degrees and feet on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and bridge your hips to the ceiling. Only your shoulders and hips remain on the ground. Hold for two seconds and then lower your hips toward the ground without touching. Repeat for a set of 10.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Romanian Deadlift
What it does: Perhaps the most recognizable hamstring move, and for good reason; it’s effective in building the proper activation patterns in your hamstrings and glutes while also strengthening your back.
How to do it: Start with a light set of dumbbells. The form is especially key to getting the full benefit from the RDL; don’t think of the exercise as bending forward but rather as sitting back with your torso moving forward instead of staying upright.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
THIRD SUPERSET: QUADRUPED ROCKING AND ONE-LEGGED SQUATS
Quadruped Rocking
What it does: This move is a combination of two familiar yoga poses: cow and child’s pose and provides a great stretch for the quads and hips.
How to do it: Get down on all fours and let the lower back sag. Push your hips back as far as you can, holding the lumbar arch. You should feel a stretch in and around the hips. Return to the starting position and repeat.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
One-Legged Squats
What it does: This not only challenges your glutes – one at a time – but your overall balance and core strength.
How to do it: Stand on one foot holding dumbbells on your shoulders with elbows pointed out. Squat on one leg until your thighs are parallel to the ground – or as parallel as possible. Return to a standing position using only the leg you’re balancing upon. Do 10 on one side and then the other.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps per side.
FOURTH SUPERSET: SQUAT JUMPS AND LATERAL LUNGES
Squat Jumps
What it does: This move works the hips, knees, and ankles but the key is using your glutes to generate power.
How to do it: Stand with feet just outside the shoulders and hands behind your head. Squat, keeping your knees behind your toes and squeezing your glutes. After holding this position for two seconds, jump vertically. Pull the toes to your shins in midair to prepare for landing. Land in the starting squat position, hold three seconds and repeat for 10 reps. Be sure to land softly, with the hips back and down.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Lateral Lunges
What it does: Lateral movement is important to sports and the motions of everyday life, but too often we ignore it in the gym. The lateral lunge hits the quads and glutes, along with the hamstrings.
How to do it: Step out to the right, keeping toes pointed straight ahead and feet flat. Squat down only your right leg, keeping the left leg straight. Squat as low as possible, keeping the left leg straight and holding for two seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat for a set of 10. Switch sides.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps (per side).
FIFTH SUPERSET: INVERTED HAMSTRING AND FRONT SQUAT
Inverted Hamstring
What it does: This move forces you to fire (activate) your glutes. Practicing such movements becomes a habit while training and in everyday life.
How to do it: Balance on your right foot, keeping tummy tight, and shoulders back and down. Bend at the waist with both hands out to the sides and extend your left leg back as you fire the left glute. Your shoulder and heel should move together, forming a straight line. Return to starting position and switch legs, performing a set of 10 on each leg.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps per side.
Front Squat
What it does: Like the inverted hamstring, the front squat forces you to fire your glutes.
How to do it: Stand holding a barbell across the front of your shoulders, palms facing you and elbows in front of you. Squat until your thighs are as parallel to the ground as possible. Push from the hips and return to a standing position.
How many? 2 sets of 10 reps.
Cable Pull Through – Benefits, Muscles Worked, and Alternatives
There are many benefits and alternatives to cable pull-throughs!
Cable pull-through is one of the most underutilized exercises for posterior chain development. Not only does it help with your glute and ham development, but it also improves muscular endurance, hip flexion, and extension mechanics, helps with muscle imbalances, corrective routines, and can be a great warm-up exercise.
The cable pull-through (aka glute pull-through) is a compound exercise that primarily works your hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and lower-back muscles.
Cable-pull through is a hip-hinge functional movement and should be an indispensable part of your training routine. These movements help you perform essential activities such as picking things up off the ground. They also assist in keeping your hips mobile and strengthen muscles that can prevent lower back pain.
The exercise can be highly beneficial for a fitness rookie for balance in the frontal plane and posterior chain (hamstring, glute, calves) muscle recruitment.
Related: The Most Effective Compound Exercises For All Levels of Experience
Cable Pull Through Exercise Details
Target muscle: Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus
Synergists: Erector Spinae, Hamstrings, Adductor Magnus, Soleus
Mechanics: Compound
Force: Pull
Benefits of Cable Pull Through
1. Reinforces the Hip Hinge
If you are a beginner, cable pull-through is a great exercise to learn and reinforce proper hip flexion and hinging patterning necessary for advanced lifts like the deadlift.
The added tension in the eccentric phase due to the use of a cable can provide neurological and motor patterning feedback to help increase a lifter’s understanding of what hamstring flexion and extension should feel like.
Check Out: How These Hinge Exercises Can Boost Hip Strength
2. Glute and Hamstring Hypertrophy
Since cable pull-through requires the use of a cable pulley, it increases time under tension, eccentric muscle damage, and overall muscular activation of your glutes and hamstrings.
3. Cable Pulley is a God-send
The cable pull-through can be a deadlift substitute. You might find the perfect resistance on a pulley machine faster than on a barbell while performing the deadlift since a pulley offers a wide range of resistance options.
On top of that, cable pull-through give you a better way to monitor your progress and isolate your working muscles.
4. Muscle Annihilation
While performing the cable pull-through, your target muscles are under constant tension. It aids with establishing a mind-muscle connection and muscular hypertrophy.
The degree of muscle fiber recruitment while performing the cable pulley pull-through can be altered by switching up the time under tension.
Related: The Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection To See Huge Gains
5. A Great Posterior Chain Exercise
Cable pull-through is one of the most reliable posterior chain exercises.
While exercises like the leg curl isolate your hams, cable pull-through helps train your butt, hamstrings, and lower back effectively and at the same time.
6. Cable Pull-Through is Lower Back-Friendly
While performing the exercise, the rope handles stay close to your center of gravity, which means you are less likely to round your back and end up putting unnecessary stress on your lower back.
Must Read: 4 Exercises to Alleviate Lower Back Pain
Muscles Worked While Performing Cable Pull Through
Cable pull-through works the posterior chain muscles, especially around your hips. These muscles are responsible for generating most of your lifting, running, and jumping power.
The cable pull-through target muscles consist of:
1. Gluteus Maximus
The gluteus maximus is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It is the largest and outermost of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large part of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. The gluteus maximus is the large muscle driving the powerful hip extension of cable pull through.
2. Hamstrings
Along with your glutes, your hamstrings play a vital role in hip extension and flexion. There are three muscles in the hamstring group; biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. The hams are involved in explosive lower body movements such as sprinting and jumping.
3. Erector Spinae
The erector spinae run up both sides of your back and are responsible for extending your spine. It is formed of 3 muscles (spinalis, longissimus, and Iliocostalis muscles), and its fibers run more or less vertically throughout the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions. These muscles are also important for maintaining posture.
4. Core
The cable pull-through works the muscles of your midsection, including rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. These muscles stabilize your spine and prevent your lower back from rounding.
Next Read: Build a Rock-Solid Core With These Exercises
5. Iliopsoas
The iliopsoas is the primary hip flexor. It consists of major and minor psoas muscles and the iliacus muscle that forms the iliopsoas musculotendinous unit (IPMU). The muscles can function in isolation to stabilize the pelvis and lumbar spine during hip movement and support flexion of the trunk.
How To Perform A Cable Pull Through With Perfect Form
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Most people leave gains on the table by performing the exercise with an incorrect technique. Here is how to perform the cable pull-through:
1. Secure a cable attachment to the pulley and adjust it to the lowest height setting on the cable machine.
2. Face away from the cable machine and reach between your legs to grab the rope handles with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
3. Take a step forward to engage the weight. Make sure you are far enough from the pulley so that the weight remains off the stack at the bottom of the movement while performing the exercise.
4. Stand with an upright torso, feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, and a slight bend in your knees.
5. Your shoulders should be directly over your feet with a neutral head and neck position.
6. Keep your chin tucked throughout the movement, as if you are trying to hold an egg under your chin.
7. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips, and engage your core.
8. Keep your arms straight and elbows locked out throughout the lift.
9. Without letting your toes lift off the floor, hinge at your hips until you feel a stretch in the back of your legs while maintaining a neutral spine. At the bottom of the movement, your lower arms should be between your thighs and hands behind your knees. At this point, your upper body should be at a 45-degree angle with the floor.
10. While maintaining a neutral spine, return to the starting position by driving your heels into the floor. As you rise, squeeze your glutes and thrust your hips forward.
11. Pause and contract your glutes and hams at the top of the movement.
12. Repeat for the recommended repetitions.
Cable Pull Through Tips
Avoid using your back and focus on pulling with your glutes and hamstrings.
Do not hyperextend your lower back upon standing. Your body should be in a straight line at the top of the movement.
Start with light to moderate weight and increase as you become more proficient with the exercise.
Who Should Perform the Cable Pull Through
The cable pull-through can be especially beneficial for:
1. Strenght and Power Athletes
The hip-hinge exercise can help in improving glute activation, muscle hypertrophy, and maintaining proper hip flexion and hamstring flexibility if performed with a full range of motion. All these benefits can add to a strength or power athlete’s performance matrix.
Related: Full Range Of Motion Vs Partials: Which Is The Way To Go?
2. Functional Fitness and Bodybuilding
The cable pull-through can help add glute training volume for increased muscle hypertrophy, endurance and improve muscle activation. The glutes are involved in almost every functional fitness movement and exercise (running, squatting, pulling, jumping, etc.), making this movement pattern a great one to reinforce and strengthen with the cable pull through.
Must Read: Top Exercises To Increase Hip Mobility To Improve Performance
3. General Fitness
The isolated range of motion of the exercise helps fitness rookies understand the proper position and muscle activation for advanced exercises like deadlifts and good mornings.
Ideal Sets, Reps, and Programming for Cable Pull Through
You are not making the most of the cable pull-through if you limit yourself to three sets of 10 reps while performing the lift. You should program the exercise depending on your goals. Here is a quick rundown on the sets and reps you should be performing based on different goals:
I) General Fitness
If your main objective is to build muscular strength, you should perform lower reps for more sets.
4-6 sets of 5-8 repetitions, resting 1-2 minutes between sets
II) Muscle Hypertrophy
Most bodybuilding enthusiasts would fair the best by targeting muscle hypertrophy while performing the cable pull-through. The set and rep range mentioned below will perform the best for glute development.
4-6 sets of 8-12 reps, resting 60-90 seconds between sets
Pro tip: Using tempos and isometric holds can increase time under tension (TuT) and muscle fiber recruitment.
Related: Struggling to Build Muscle? Here’s Why Your Muscle Fiber Type is Important
III) Muscle Endurance
Some lifters (especially athletes) might want to train for muscular endurance. In such cases, higher rep ranges and shorter rest periods between sets is the way to go.
2-3 sets of 15+ repetitions (at least 45-60 seconds under tension), resting 30-60 seconds between sets
Cable Pull Through Alternatives
Although cable pull-through is an incredibly effective exercise to improve your posterior chain muscles, you can always use a little variety in your workouts. Here are five alternatives and variations you can use to ensure you never hit a plateau:
1. Hyperextension
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Also known as the 45-degree back extensions, most people know this lift as a lower back exercise. Hyperextension is a complete posterior chain exercise. Contrary to popular opinion, the goal while performing this exercise should be to minimize lower back movement and maximize movement at the hip. In other words, the goal is a hip extension, and that’s probably what the exercise should be called.
Steps:
Adjust the pad so that it is right below your pelvic bone.
Turn your feet out 45-degrees as it winds the hips up into external rotation which makes your glutes work harder.
Cross your arms over your chest and lower your torso towards the floor until you feel a strain in your hamstrings.
Round your upper back and maintain this form throughout the exercise.
Raise your upper body explosively until you are almost parallel to the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
2. Reverse Deficit Lunge
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Most people consider lunges to be a quadriceps exercise. But if you lunge backward, you will feel a higher degree of glute and hamstring muscle fiber recruitment. Want to take your glute and hams activation a step further? Use a 6″ box to perform the deficit variation.
Steps:
Stand on a 6″ platform with a shoulder-width stance while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Take a giant step back.
Keep your front shin and torso upright, bend your legs, and lower your rear knee down to within an inch of the floor.
Using the ball of your back foot, push off your back leg and bring your feet back together on the platform.
Perform the recommended reps with the same leading leg before switching sides.
3. Kettlebell Swing
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The kettlebell swing is probably the closest cable pull-through alternative there is. The kettlebell swing is a more explosive exercise as compared to the cable pull-through and focuses on increasing muscle power. On the other hand, there is a constant tension on your posterior chain muscles while performing the cable pull-through which is not the case with the kettlebell swing.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-width stance.
Hold a kettlebell in front of your body with both hands, arms straight.
With a slight bend in your knees and a flat back, hinge at your hips and swing the kettlebell back through your legs.
Use that momentum to stand and swing the kettlebell out in front of your body until it is parallel to the floor.
Thrust your hips forward, and engage your glutes and core as you stand up straight.
When the kettlebell hits shoulder height, your knees should be straight and glutes contracted in a full hip extension.
Allow the kettlebell to swing back down through your legs.
Repeat for recommended reps.
4. Romanian Deadlift
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Romanian deadlifts are one of the purest hip-hinge movements and should be a part of every lifter’s exercise arsenal. This variation of the standard deadlift focuses primarily on your hamstrings, building flexibility, strength, and power.
Steps:
Stand with an upright torso with your feet placed under your shoulders.
Use an overhand grip to hold the bar at hip level.
Draw your shoulders back and keep your spine straight.
Push your hips back as you slowly lower the bar toward your feet.
Press your hips forward to come into a standing position with the barbell in front of your thighs.
5. Barbell Hip Thrust
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Oh, so you do not have a cable pulley machine at your gym? No problem!
The barbell hip thrust will get you a glute and ham pump, unlike anything you have ever experienced before.
Steps:
Place a loaded barbell parallel to a flat bench.
Sit on the floor with your back up against the bench. Roll the barbell over your hips until the barbell rests in the crease of your hips.
With your upper back against the bench, lift your hips slights off the floor.
Squeeze your glutes and push your feet into the ground as you begin the upward hip thrust.
Continue contracting your glutes as you push your hips toward the ceiling to achieve full hip extension.
Pause and squeeze the life out of your hams and glutes at the top of the movement.
Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Conclusion
Whether you are a powerlifter, bodybuilder, or just want a better-looking rear-end, the cable pull-through should be a part of your lower body workout regimen.
Use the variations, alternatives, and different set and rep range combinations laid out in the article to keep your posterior chain muscles guessing and avoid hitting a plateau.
Which is your favorite hamstring exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
7 Kettlebell Exercises For a Nice Butt
Kettlebell exercises can help build up many areas!
Kettlebells are all the rage these days. Many people consider kettlebell exercises to have better functional value than dumbbells, and for that reason, it is drawing a cult following. Heck, we even have kettlebells that look like chimps, orangutans, Bigfoot, and even Darth Vader.
While kettlebells provide the convenient size and portability of a dumbbell, they have a unique impact on your muscles. The spherical weight of a kettlebell can be anywhere between six to eight inches from your hands, which adds an unparalleled challenge for core stability and stabilizer muscles.
Kettlebell exercises usually involve several muscle groups at once, making them a potent compound lift-focused training tool. The versatile tool that they are, kettlebells can be used for a variety of exercises that improve both your strength and cardiovascular fitness.
Check Out: Best Kettlebells For Durability & Versatility (Updated 2021)
Origin of The Kettlebell
Before we get to the exercises which will transform your rear forever, let us talk about how the weird-looking training equipment came to be.
Kettlebells were developed by Russian strongmen in the 1700s.
Interestingly, in the 18th century, the girya (as the kettlebells are called in Russia) were primarily used to weight crops until some burly Russians started lifting them for building strength and endurance.
Russians and their awkward inventions, right?
The cannonball resembling training equipment began to be used for recreational and competition strength athletics in Russia and Europe in the late 19th century.
Trivia: The English term kettlebell has been in use since the early 20th century.
Kettlebells are usually made of iron or steel and are sometimes covered in colorful vinyl with a comfortable handle grip.
Must Read: The Most Effective Compound Exercises For All Levels of Experience
Benefits of Kettlebell Training
So, you are wondering why bother with the kettlebells and not just use dumbbells instead? Here are the benefits of using kettlebells in your workouts:
1. Helps Develop Explosive Hip Strength and Speed
You cannot go wrong with kettlebells if your goal is to build explosive hip strength. Don’t worry. We won’t ask you what you need the explosive hip strength for in the first place.
Kettlebell swings are one of the most common and effective kettlebell exercises. They are also efficient at training your glutes for strength and speed.
But why is hip strength so important, you ask?
Hip strength can help improve your overall stability and can prevent injuries. Also, hip strength and speed play an important role in many athletic movements, such as jumping, sprinting, and squatting.
Related: Fifteen Essential Lower Body Exercises To Add To Your Training
2. Improves Core Strength and Stability
Most kettlebell movements are a form of ballistic training. Ballistic training improves explosive power by maximizing acceleration and minimizing deceleration. These explosive lifts activate the abdominal muscles and require core contraction and coordinated breathing. This process results in an improvement in core strength.
On top of this, kettlebell exercises are multiplanar, meaning – you will be training your core from all directions. It helps with building overall core strength.
3. Increases Range of Motion
Most kettlebell exercises are compound movements that require you to move through multiple planes of motion. Explosive movements through these planes, over time, results in improved flexibility, mobility, and as a result – a better range of motion.
Related: Full Range Of Motion Vs Partials: Which Is The Way To Go?
4. A Total Body Conditioning Tool
Don’t let the little friendly-looking weight training equipment fool you. They can cause total body annihilating in no time. Maybe there is a reason why some brands make them in the Primal shape.
Kettlebells are great at all the four aspects of fitness – strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance training. No matter how packed your schedule, you can always fit a 20-minute kettlebell routine into your day. The best part? You do not need to hit the gym to complete a kettlebell circuit, you could do it from the comfort of your living room or your garage.
Next Read: At Home Workouts With A Single Kettlebell
5. Facilitates Fat Torching Workouts
Kettlebell training circuits are nothing less than fat-burning fests. According to a study, swinging a kettlebell burns as many as 20 calories per minute. For people too lazy to do the math, that’s 400 calories for a 20-minute workout.
Better yet, kettlebell training often results in EPOC (express post-exercise oxygen consumption). Before you freak out – this is a good thing. It means that you would still be burning calories throughout the day after you are done with your kettlebell workout.
6. Improves Balance
Unlike while training with machines, you need to control your movement path while working with kettlebells. Since kettlebell movements have no predetermined movement paths, it requires your stabilizers to work extra hard, and over time results in their strengthening and improvement in overall body balance.
7. Develops a Stronger Posterior Chain and Improves Posture
Most kettlebell exercises are great for your posterior chain as they target your entire backside. Ballistic exercises like Kettlebell Swings help develop explosive strength in your glutes, hamstrings, lower and middle back, and traps.
Your newfound posterior chain strength will aid in jumping higher, running faster, and kicking harder. Not to mention, strong posterior muscles result in a better posture. Goodbye, slouching.
Must Read: Improve Hip Mobility to Boost Lower Body Power
8. Improves Muscles Imbalances
Since many of the kettlebell exercises involve unilateral movements, they help nail down muscle weakness and imbalances. While performing a kettlebell exercise, you might notice that your right side is weaker than the left on a specific lift.
With this information, you can re-design your training program to fix these discrepancies. If you have been training with barbells and machines for a long time, add kettlebell training to your regimen, and you will notice an improvement in muscle imbalances and symmetry.
Check Out: The Benefits Of Unilateral Training & Why It Matters
9. Enhances Muscle Coordination
Unlike the linear movement pattern of barbells and machines, the dynamic nature of kettlebell training forces you to focus on the movement and have a sharp mind-muscle connection. This leads to improved muscle coordination.
Read: 6 Ways To Improve Your Mind-Muscle Connection
10. Builds Lean Muscle Mass
Although kettlebell training alone does not build crazy muscle mass, it increases the amount of lean muscle tissue. If you are a fan of ripped physiques, kettlebell workouts can help you achieve the conditioning you are after.
Not only does kettlebell training help build lean muscle mass, but it also helps in staying agile, athletic and improves mobility, flexibility, and range of motion. What else could you ask for?
7 Kettlebell Exercises For a Pear Shaped Rear
Contrary to popular opinion, you do not need barbells and dumbbells to build shredded wheels. The cannonball with handles is quite a powerful tool when it comes to building strength, conditioning, and mobility. So, grab a kettlebell and start carving legs that Greek gods would approve.
1. Kettlebell Goblet Squat
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Goblet squat is one of the most versatile kettlebell leg-building exercises. Holding a kettlebell in front of your chest allows you to squat deep while minimizing the risk of an injury. Goblet squat also activates the highest number of muscle fibers in your glutes because you are holding the weight in the front and are hinging and leaning slightly forward.
Steps:
Stand upright with a shoulder-width stance, and your toes pointed slightly outwards.
Hold a heavy dumbbell (as per your strength level) in front of your chest. You could either hold the kettlebell upside down or hold the horns with both your hands.
Pull your elbows in towards your sides and maintain this position throughout the exercise.
While keeping your chest lifted, squat down as deep as you can comfortably.
The kettlebell and your arms should stay inside of your legs and close to your body at all times.
Return to the starting position explosively.
Pause and contract your glutes at the top of the movement.
Repeat for recommended repetitions.
Related: How to Perfect the Goblet Squat
2. Kettlebell Swing
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Kettlebell swings are a popular cannonball exercise. It is an incredibly effective exercise for building hip power and explosiveness. This high-intensity exercise will also help burn off excess body fat.
Steps:
Hold a kettlebell with both hands by the flat, top handle.
Stand with a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance and let the kettlebell hang between your legs.
At the starting position, keep your torso upright and brace your core.
Bend at your knees as you push your glutes back, and lower the kettlebell straight towards the floor.
Keep your arms straight and elbows locked out throughout the movement.
Thrust your hips forward explosively and raise the kettlebell until your arms are parallel to the floor.
Squeeze your glutes, core, and quads at the top of the movement.
Hinge forward at your hips and push your butt back again, letting the bell drop on its own as you do.
Keep a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
Repeat for reps.
3. Bulgarian Split-Squat with Kettlebell (in racked position)
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Kettlebell Bulgarian split-squat will set your glutes and hamstrings on fire. The racked position (in front of your chest) will help strengthen your core and stabilizers.
Steps:
Grab a kettlebell in your right hand and hold it in front of your chest.
Drape your left foot on a flat bench as you firmly plant the right on the floor.
Make sure your right foot is out far enough so that when you lower your hips, your knee stays directly over your ankle.
Bend your right knee and lower your body until your left knee is a few inches off the floor.
Return to the starting position explosively and squeeze the life out of your right hamstring and glute.
Complete the recommended reps on the right side before switching sides.
4. Overhead Kettlebell Lunge
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This is probably the hardest exercise on the list. Overhead lunge forces your glutes and hamstrings to work on full throttle to stabilize the lunge. It also requires good shoulder and traps strength and stability.
Steps:
Grab a kettlebell in one hand and press it overhead. Keep your arm straight and elbow locked out throughout the exercise. Your overhead arm should be perpendicular to the floor for the entire duration of the lift.
Drop into a reverse-lunge by extending the leg opposite to the arm holding the weight.
Bend your rear knee and lower your body until your knee is a few inches off the floor.
Push with your rear foot and return to the starting position explosively.
Complete the recommended reps on one leg before switching sides.
5. Single-Arm Racked Curtsy Lunge
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You probably have seen the curtsy lunges on Instagram. Confused? These are a #FitGirl favorite, and hey, we are not complaining. Curtsy lunges are a god-send for glute development.
Steps:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your left hand on your left hip.
Hold a kettlebell in your right hand in the racked position at your shoulder. Let the cannonball rest on your shoulder for the duration of the exercise.
Step your left foot diagonally behind you and lower your left knee until it almost touches the floor.
Your right knee should bend to about 90-degrees at the bottom of the movement.
Drive through your right heel to return to the starting position.
Pause and squeeze the life out of your glutes and hams at the top of the movement.
Do all your reps on one leg before switching sides.
6. Single-Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
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Single-leg kettlebell deadlift is an incredibly effective kettlebell exercise for isolating your glutes.
Steps:
Hold a kettlebell in your right hand, and lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
While keeping your back and head neutral, lean forward by hinging at your hips.
Raise your left leg off the floor slowly while keeping it in line with your body.
Lower the kettlebell until it almost touches the floor.
Keep your left shoulder blade pulled down your back.
Slowly return to the starting position, and contract your glutes. Make the most of the move by keeping your rear foot off the floor as you go through the reps.
Repeat for recommended repetitions before switching sides.
7. Kettlebell Squat and Clean
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There is some learning curve to this exercise. Make sure you are not going too easy on yourself by using lighters kettlebells. Use a weight that puts a strain on your glutes from the first rep.
Steps:
Stand with an upright torso and your feet placed shoulder-width apart.
Bend at your knees and push your hips back to lower yourself and grab a kettlebell with both hands by the top of the handle.
Drive through your heels to stand up as you pull the weight up to your chest.
During the upward movement, quickly swap your hands from the handles to the cannonball.
Lower into a squat, shifting your weight into your heels and pushing your hips back as you bend your knees.
Drive your body up explosively and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
Reverse the movement by switching your hands back to the kettlebell handle and lowering the weight back down to the floor, bending your knees and pushing your hips back to keep your spine straight.
Repeat for recommended repetitions.
Conclusion
You could perform all these exercises in a single leg workout or use some of them in separate routines to make the most of your glute training. After you see the results, kettlebells will become an indispensable part of your leg training regimen.
Which is your favorite kettlebell exercise? Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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