Get Behind Your Glutes with These 3 Exercises

There’s a big list of butt exercises. Perform them properly, meaning using good form and having intensity, and there is a good chance of you having a strong and shapely backside. Here are three that I recommend. They are easy to do and you can do them almost anywhere. They are also great supplements to your normal workout routines.

The Hip Thrust

This low impact move has been proven to be the king of glute exercises. It opens the hips flexors, activates your glutes while also working the core. This move improves glute strength, increases glute size, helps you improve aesthetics of glutes by achieving higher, rounder and firmer glutes. Reduces your overall risk of injury, as strong glutes can help take stress off the lower back and also positively affect the mechanics of the hips, knees, ankles, and feet.

Adding bands and elastic resistance are a great variation to strengthen and fired up your glutes. To make it harder use a barbell and increase the load. Another way to intensify and isolate the glutes is by performing Single Leg Hip Thrust. You can also add weights and resistance bands to this variation.

To modify, start by using your own bodyweight during the Hip Thrust and place a mini band around your thighs.

1. Start with your shoulder blades against a bench. You can spread your arms across the bench for stability. If your shoulders don’t reach the bench, you may need to start with your butt slightly off the floor.

2. Bend your knees to about 90 degrees, and make sure your feet are flat on the floor.

3. Take a big breath in, blow your air out fully, and brace your core.

4. Squeeze your glutes, lift up your hips, and hold a second or two. Do not hyperextend your lower back at the top.

Weighted Froggers

I love weighted froggers since you feel the glutes activating to a greater degree. These are very easy to perform and a great bodyweight exercise to add into your routine. Froggers also made a great regression for those who struggle to feel their glutes during hip thrusts, squats or deadlifts.

You can add these during your warm up as a glute activation drill during the general warm-up prior to the strength workout (3 sets of 10 reps), or as a finisher at the end of a workout to burn out the glutes (2-3 sets of 20-30 reps).

1. Get into a glute bridge position.

2. Flatten out lumbar spine.

3. Tuck neck into chest.

4. Put bottoms of feet together and scoot heels as close to your glutes as possible.

5. Bridge into the air while maintaining position.

Clamshells

Clamshells are a fantastic way to strengthen your glutes as well as your abductors! This is a hip abduction exercise that you can use to activate your glutes and strengthen them depending on the tension of the band.This a very easy, low impact accessory exercise to incorporate in between heavy lifts, recovery days and during the warm-ups for activation.

1. Start by stepping through your slingshot band and pull it just above your knees.

2 Lay on your side with one hip stacked directly over the other with the femur at a 45 degree angle and knees bent to 90.

3. Don’t let your feet separate from one another as you lift your top knee up to the sky.

4. Keep your legs in line with one another throughout each repetition.

To intensity perform Extended Range Side Lying Hip Abduction on a bench. If you are new to this exercise, start with a lighter band or no band at all and pause at the top of the movement for optimal glute recruitment.