Next to abs, butts are women’s favorite thing to complain about. Too big, too flabby, too flat, too little definition, too dimpled, not enough lift. And men, we know you may not think it’s important but don’t worry we look at the ass when you walk by us! Everybody wants a nice booty, but few know what to do to get it.
The good news? Glute training is not rocket science. Combine targeted strength-training exercises with fat-melting cardio techniques and proper nutrition and you’ll be on your way to the booty of your dreams. A well-trained rear end isn’t just nice to look at. Strong glutes and hamstrings can help improve your posture, reduce lower back, hip, and knee pain.
Muscles used for Butt Exercises
The butt (gluteus maximus, gluteus medias, and gluteus minimus), the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) are by far the largest and potentially the most powerful group of muscles in the body. Even though these muscles may be the strongest they use compound training, which means that they use additional muscles to assist and stabilize.
Gluteus Maximus
The largest of the three glute muscles. This creates the general shape of your rear end. Flat or droopy? Round or Lifted? The primary function of this muscle is to extend or straighten the hips, for example when you stand from sitting. Your Gluteus Maximus works the hardest while incline walking, stair stepper, jumping, squatting, lunging.
Gluteus Medius and Minimus
These muscles are the smaller muscles and are located posteriorly, attaching the top of the hip to the femur (thigh bone). The medius sits over the top of the minimus. Together they function primarily to stabilize the hip and the pelvis. Training the medius and minimus helps firm the upper part of the hips and helps to shape the thighs.
Hamstrings
The three muscles in the hamstrings are located on the back of the upper leg. They cross both the hip and the knee and function as hip extensors and knee flexors. In weight-bearing exercises, the hamstrings work together with the quadriceps (the large muscles on your thighs) to move the torso up and down.
Three Moves To A Better Butt
Training your Glutes requires only three basic movements: Hip extension, Hip Abduction (with and without external rotation), and knee flexion (with hips extended).
Multiple exercises for each basic movement not only increases the number of muscle fibers stimulated during a workout (more muscle fibers means more growth), it also increases the likelihood that you’re working the muscles almost to the point of fatigue of “failure”. In strength training failure is success.
#1 Hip Extension
An extension is a front to back movement of the body that results in the angle at the joint increasing. Hence, hips are extended when rising to stand from sitting. We practice hip extensions every time we squat, lunge, and perform a deadlift.
#2 Hip Abduction
Abduction is defined as when an arm or leg is moved away from the midline of the body. Examples are lying leg raises and cable lateral leg raises.
#3 Knee Flexion
Flexion describes a decrease in the angle at a joint. You flex your knee by bending it. The muscles above and below the knee control knee flexion. Examples are hamstring curls, bent-knee deadlifts, squats and lunges.
Consistency and Progression
These two things are what we call the keys to success. What we bodybuilders call trusting in the protocol. When you want to see results from your efforts in the gym you need to aim for these two things.
Goal: Keep each workout to about 6-8 exercises. Missing just one or two workouts is like missing 10% of your program. Make your booty the best it has ever looked by doing the correct butt exercises.
Catching up on missed workouts can put you at risk for overtraining, fatigue, or even weight gain. Not only will be consistent with your workouts result in a more sculpted and lifted rear end; it will help make regular exercise a part of your long-term lifestyle.
When you stick to training regiment as well as proper nutrition you will see in just one month of keeping to a protocol that your body will change, you will see an even bigger change in three months. Keep yourself motivated and you will get the body you want.
Remember it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon to the best body you will ever have!
