Why we need to target the Glutes more!

June 05, 2019 2 min read

Gluteus Minimus, Gluteus Medius & Gluteus Maximus. The glutes are a foundation of all lower body movements. This means your ability to jump higher, run faster and squat heavier are all dependent upon your ability to generate force from these muscles. But in this stone age we are spending so much time parked on our behinds. It is causing our glute muscles to stop firing, becoming weak and undertrained, leaving you with a butt as flat as a pancake accompanied by other surrounding muscles taking the workload instead. We need to target our bodies largest and most powerful muscle group by executing these glute developing movements.

1. Low Bar Back Squat

A Low Bar Squat will force you into more of a forward angle with your torso. In doing so your hips will also shift back more as opposed to other squats like the back or front squat. Also your hamstrings & glutes will have to work harder in this movement. Typically used by Powerlifters to live submaximal weight but also a great variant to work the glutes at a heavy load. Ensure you squeeze your glutes at the top of each rep.

2. Barbell Hip Thrusts

The Barbell Hip Thrust is up there to be one of the best glute exercises going around. Mainly because you can load up this movement with heavy weight whilst minimizing Quad & Hamstring use, focusing mostly on the glutes at these submaximal loads. Ensure you go through full range of motion reaching full hip extension, use a smooth tempo all whilst focusing on the glutes moving the bar.

3. Monster Walks

Monster Walks are a great way to work your glutes through abduction of the hip. Most of our movements like squatting and deadlifting use mostly hip extension. Doing Monster walks can be a great warm up or addition to your training program to get your glutes firing!

4. Bulgarian Lunges (Split Squats)

Also know as the rear foot elevated split squat, Bulgarians are a fantastic single leg variant that really works the glutes! Single leg work is great for hip health as you put your rear leg into a stretched position at the bottom of each rep. Ensure you descend slowly until your knee hits a pad/towel and focus on using your glutes to finish on the way up. At the bottom of the Bulgarian you should have a fairly vertical shin on the front foot.

5. Single Leg RDL

Another great single leg variation for the glutes! Factoring in balance, core and glute/hamstring development at the same time. Ensure you hold the weight in the hand opposite to the front leg. Push your hips back on the way down & squeeze your glutes at the top.