Alright, let’s be honest: building strong, powerful glutes isn’t just about looking good – though that’s a nice bonus, right? Your glutes are crucial for stabilising your body, boosting your posture, and helping you with everything from squats to sprints. But the good news is, you don’t need an endless variety of exercises to get the glutes of your dreams. In fact, you really only need three.
Yep, you read that right. Three.
So, let’s cut the fluff and get into the only three exercises you need for a complete glute workout. These bad boys will target your glutes from all angles, helping you build strength, size, and definition.
The information in this article is largely based on the expertise and knowledge of Mike Israetel in a video he shared recently. Dr Mike Israetel, PhD in Sport Physiology and co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, is a well-respected professor in the bodybuilding community. He doesn’t only talk about workouts and fitness tips, he often dives deep into health and nutrition.
1. Reverse Lunges
- Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads
- How to Do:
- Start by standing tall with feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in one hand while grabbing a TRX band (or something stable) with the other hand for balance.
- Step one foot back into a deep lunge, lowering your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Keep your front knee behind your toes. Make sure your shoelaces touch the ground, and avoid pressing off your back foot for extra push.
- Return to the standing position and repeat with the other leg.
Reverse lunges are brilliant for focusing on the glutes and building single-leg strength. They also help improve stability and coordination. Remember, go slow and controlled for maximum muscle engagement.
Pro tip: “Touch your shoelaces to the ground but don’t use the back foot to push off,” as Mike says. Trust me, your glutes will feel the burn with each slow, deliberate rep.
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2. Barbell Squat (High Bar)
- Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, lower back
- How to Do:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, the barbell resting comfortably on your upper traps (high bar position).
- Keep your chest up and engage your core as you lower into a deep squat. Aim to get your thighs parallel to the floor or lower if your mobility allows.
- Push through your heels as you return to the standing position, making sure to squeeze your glutes at the top.
Ah, the classic squat. When it comes to building a strong lower body, nothing quite beats it. The high bar squat is perfect for focusing on your quads and glutes while maintaining a more upright posture. It’s also fantastic for developing overall lower body power.
Slow and steady wins the race here. Don’t rush through your reps; control the descent and power up through the lift. Keep your core tight and your back straight to prevent injury. And let’s be honest, “the deeper you go, the more your glutes grow!”
3. Smith Machine Hamstring Lean with Barbell
- Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, lower back
- How to Do:
- Set up in front of a Smith machine, putting your feet under the bar at shoulder width. You want the bar resting just in front of your thighs.
- Keeping your legs straight, slowly lean forward at the hips, lowering your body as far as you can go without rounding your back.
- Engage your hamstrings and glutes to pull your body back to an upright position.
This exercise is a killer for targeting the hamstrings and glutes, offering a unique stretch and contraction with every rep. It’s like a Romanian deadlift but with more control and stability due to the Smith machine. “Go slow and steady on the way down, and focus on feeling that stretch in your glutes,” Jared says.
The key here is slow, controlled movements. Rushing through this exercise could leave you with strained muscles and no real gains. Focus on that mind-muscle connection—feel the stretch as you go down, and engage the glutes and hamstrings to bring yourself back up.
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Why These 3 Work
Here’s the secret: these three exercises—reverse lunges, barbell squats, and Smith machine hamstring leans—cover all the bases. They target your glutes from different angles, ensuring maximum muscle recruitment. The reverse lunge builds unilateral strength and stability, the squat builds mass and power, and the Smith machine hamstring lean isolates those glutes and hamstrings for the ultimate stretch and squeeze.
Source: Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.How to Structure Your Workout
- Reverse Lunges – 3 sets of 2 RIR (reps in reserve) – try to go for 15 reps the first set
- Barbell Squat – 3 sets of 2 RIR (reps in reserve) – Laura did 15 reps in the first set and after 3 sets did another set to failure with bodyweight squats
- Smith Machine Hamstring Lean – 3 sets of 2 RIR (reps in reserve) – Laura did 10 reps in the first set and also finished with a set to failure with bodyweight hamstring lean (without a barbell)
Don’t forget to warm up properly and cool down with some stretching to help with recovery and mobility.
Pro tip: “Take your time with each exercise,” Mike Israetel says, “The slower and more controlled, the better.” This is especially true with glute exercises, where the mind-muscle connection makes a massive difference in your results.
Final Thoughts
There you have it – the only three exercises you need for a complete glute workout. By sticking to these movements and focusing on your form, you’ll build strong, powerful glutes that not only look good but perform well, too.
It’s not about doing a million different exercises. It’s about doing the right ones, and doing them right.
So, next time you hit the gym, skip the fancy machines and stick with these basics. You’ll feel the burn in the best way possible, and your glutes will thank you for it. Now go crush it!
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This content is originated from https://www.boxrox.com your Online Magazine for Competitive Fitness.