So you want to have a bigger or stronger butt, but don’t know exactly how to get there, or if it is even possible? It is possible. This ultimate guide for bigger and stronger glutes will help you achieve what you are looking for.
Sadly, the glutes are a muscle group that is often neglected by most gym-goers. Think about it, when was the last time you did an exercise that focused on your butt? Exactly.
The few times we see people working out their butt off, literally, they are usually women. Men do not see the appeal of working their glutes, which is a shame and a mentality that needs to be changed as soon as possible.
In this article you will find out:
- Why should you exercise your glutes
- What is the rule of thirds
- How to warm up before working out your glutes
- Glutes exercises
- CrossFit workouts for a bigger and stronger butt
–
Why Should You Exercise Your Glutes
Simply because every muscle group should get the attention it deserves. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. To understand the importance of a strong butt, you need to learn what muscles you have on your behind.
The gluteal muscles are often referred to as glutes, which is a group of three muscles that make up your buttocks. They are the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.
The glutes are connected to your pelvis to the top of your femur (thigh bone), which is connected to the side of your knee. The main purpose of the glutes is to help hip extension, lateral rotation, abduction of the leg and provide support during single-leg positions.
Strong glutes will:
- Help prevent injuries – by protecting your pelvis with strong glutes, you can prevent the famous lower back pain. It will also lower the chances of you having a knee injury.
- Help you run faster – your glutes and hamstrings are a major role in the power of a stride while running. Hip extension is the act of moving your leg backwards after it hits the ground and the glutes are responsible for hip extension.
- Make you fitter generally speaking – not only you will run faster, but also jump higher, and squat deeper and heavier loads.
- Help you lose weight and increase your metabolism – the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the body and one of the strongest as well. Strengthening your glutes will increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories since it’s a large muscle group that requires energy to function.
What is the Rule of Thirds?
Here is where you need to know about Bret Contreras, the self-proclaimed The Glute Guy. Bret has a PhD in Sports Science, he is a YouTuber and has written books on athleticism, mainly focussing on the glutes.
According to him, the best way to train your glutes is the Rule of Thirds. But what exactly is the Rule of Thirds?
According to him, there are three ways in which exercises can work your glutes. Some of them are vertical movements, some are horizontal, and some are rotational or lateral.
- Vertical – squats, deadlifts, step-ups, Bulgarian split squats, lunges.
- Horizontal – hip thrusters, glute bridges, frog pumps, back extensions, cable pull-throughs, kickbacks.
- Rotational or lateral – seated hip abduction, standing cable hip abduction, lateral band walks.
Bret says that he came up with the terminology after realising he was answering most questions from his followers in the same way.
“People ask me how much should I do of each and I’d say around a third of each. A third of your exercises should be horizontal, a third should be vertical and a third lateral rotary.”
The same applies to load and effort. Go heavy (1 to 5 reps range), moderate (6 to 15 reps) and light (16 and above reps) about a third each time.
“The rule of thirds is not to become obsessive-compulsive about it. Is to have this in mind when you design your programs and when you do your workouts.”
Bret Contreras explains that having the Rule of Thirds in mind when working out will make sure you are targeting your glutes from every angle. “You’re gonna perform the three main joint actions of the gluteus maximus: hip extension, hip external rotation, and hip abduction,” he says,
How to Warm-Up Before Working Out Your Glutes
The best way to warm up your glutes is to wake them up with a foam roller and to perform low-intensity glute exercises. The exercises we will discuss further down.
Tight glutes can cause pain on muscles surrounding your butt, your glutes included. It is very important to always warm up before exercising and the glutes are no exception.
The best way to activate your glutes with a foam roller is to sit on it and roll back and forth, but not too fast, always finding a sore spot. Keep pressure on that spot to “wake” it.
Another effective way to warm up your glutes is to perform some bodyweight glute exercises, meaning without the added weight and not too intense.
Glutes Exercises
Glute Bridge
The glute bridge can be done to wake up your butt right after foam rolling.
- Lay on your back, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor mat. The feet should not be too close to your buttocks, but not too far – a good distance is one that you can barely touch with your fingertips when you stretch your arms down.
- Lift your glutes up the floor and drive upwards without arching your back. Squeeze your glutes hard during this process.
- Avoid caving in your knees, keep them straight up.
- Lower your body back to the ground.
You must feel your glutes working on this exercise and not your lower back or your calves.
Clam Shell
- Lie on your side. Bent your legs at a 45-degree angle and stack them on top of each other.
- Put your hand which lays on top of your body to your hip to check for form.
- Raise your upper knee as high as you can, in an arch motion, but without moving your hips or pelvis backwards.
- Do not move your lower leg off the floor and keep your feet touching each other at all times.
- Pause at the top and return your leg to first position.
After foam rolling your butt and performing some glute bridge and clam shell exercises your glutes should be activated and ready to take on some heavier exercises.
Side-Lying Hip Raise
The side-lying hip raise is great to strengthen your gluteus medius and minimus.
Single-leg Hip Thrust
The single-leg hip thrust utilising the hinge method because you move through a greater range of motion. You also move more of your body, so although is a bodyweight exercise, there is more loading on the hips.
Perform 3 sets of 20 reps, resting 2 minutes between sets.
Cable Pull Through
The exercise is also called glute pull-through.
- Face away from the cable machine. Reach between your legs to grab the rope handle with a neutral grip.
- Move away from the machine a few steps so that the weights are off the stack.
- Hinge over, but keep your posture tall with feet wider than hip-width.
- Your arms should be slightly bent the whole time, but do not move them during the exercise, lock them in the position.
- Begin to hinge your hips and thrust your body upwards, as if you are in a standing position. Feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- Squeeze and activate your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Lower your body and repeat for the amount of desired reps.
Bulgarian Split Squat
You may increase the load of the weight you are holding to burn more calories and tone even more your legs and butt.
This exercise is also used as a scaled version for people who cannot perform the one-legged squat, or pistol squat. Therefore, you may also do pistol squats to work on your glutes.
Knee-banded Dual Elevated Bodyweight Hip Thrust
According to Bret Contreras, this is the best glute exercise that people don’t do. “Note the insane range of motion here. The hips move deep into full hip flexion and then rise into full hip hyperextension.”
Again, 3 sets of 20 reps are more than enough to make you question your life decisions.
Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian Deadlift or any other deadlift technique will work your butt off. The best thing about deadlifts is that you can increase the load you are lifting, which can make your glute grow bigger faster.
50 exercises to try
If you want a quick glance into every possible glute exercises that Bret Contreras thinks is valuable, you can check out his Instagram post about the top 50 exercises for glute development.
Pick a few of these exercises and work your butt off.
5 CrossFit Workouts for Bigger and Stronger Buttocks
1. Bret’s Glute WOD
3 rounds for time:
- 20 seconds RKC plank
- 20 reps barbell glute bridge (100/60kg)
- 20 reps sumo walks mini band
The RKC plank is slightly different from the normal one and it fires up your glutes while you squeeze your legs together.
2. Basic B*tch Booty Blaster
AMRAP in 15 minutes:
- 20 Frog Pumps
- 20 Single-Leg Glute Bridges (10 each leg)
- 20 Air Squats
- 20 Lunges (10 each leg)
Score is the total number of rounds completed and reps on the unfinished round.
“Frog Pump” Movement
“Single-Leg Glute Bridge” Movement
Single-Leg Glute Bridge: Lay on the ground with your back flat on the ground and feet close to the hips. Raise one leg fully extended while the other foot stays on the ground. Lift your hips towards the sky and down to the ground for one repetition.
3. Hip Thruster Glute WOD
21-15-9 for time:
- Hip thrust (100/60kg)
- Heavy RKC-style kettlebell swing (32/20kg)
4. Optimus Prime
AMRAP in 7 minutes:
- Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lb)
- 5 Deadlifts (225/155 lb) at the top of each minute
Start with wall ball shots. At the top of each minute, starting at 1:00, complete 5 deadlifts, then immediately resume to wall ball shots.
5. Butts ‘N’ Guts’
5 round, 3 minutes each, of:
- 24 kettlebell alternating arm swings
- 16 kettlebell alternating arm deadlifts
- 8 kettlebell alternating arm cleans
- Burpees
- 1 minute rest
Do each kettlebell movement and in the remaining time do as many burpees as possible until the clock reaches 3 minutes. Rest for one minute and begin the second round.
Workout by Luke Downing.
image sources
- Glutes featured: Sergio Pedemonte
