Want bigger, stronger, more powerful glutes?... we know, silly question really.
In this article, we'll give you all the information you need to know about glute training – from what the glutes actually do, to the best glute exercises to grow stronger, more powerful glutes.
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It's a dream come true, right? All that's left to do is add the exercises to your next glute focused workout which you can build, and track, on The Gymshark App. If you're ready to start growing your glutes, let's get started!
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(related: The Ultimate Guide To Growing Bigger Legs).
What Are The Glute Muscles?
Let's start with a brief overview of the glutes...
As the gladiator-esque Latin name suggests, the Gluteus Maximus is something special - in fact, it's the largest muscle in the human body and plays a major role in both our day-to-day life and athletic ability.
The glutes are made up of 3 muscles, all working together to provide form and function in daily activities and exercises.
The three muscles are:
Gluteus Maximus (largest)
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus (smallest)
What is the function of the glutes?
We've established that the glutes are the largest muscle in the body, but what does all that muscle do? A few things, actually...
Extends and rotates the hip
Provides stability around the hip
Aids in standing up, climbing stairs, and maintaining an upright posture
If you think of the major exercises that target the glutes, you'll soon be able to relate them to the above functions. Whether you're training for performance or aesthetics, adding weight or resistance to hip extension movements is the key to growing and developing the glutes.
Focusing on glute development isn't just for Olympic lifters and bodybuilders – it can transfer directly into non-weight loaded exercises/activities too, such as team sports, running, jumping and more; due to the requirement for a hip extension being present in most sports and movements.
example 1: when sprinting, the more power your glutes can produce to extend the hips after each stride, the faster you can take your next step – covering a greater distance in less time.
example 2: during an Olympic lift such as the snatch, explosive hip extensions are a crucial part of the exercise, transitioning the body into full extension and propelling the bar upwards.
How To Grow Your Glutes
Growing your glutes is just like training any other muscle, and therefore your approach to developing the gluteus muscle group should be part of a well-rounded training routine.
Hypertrophy has been proven to be one of the most effective ways of building muscle, along with increased training volume. Both of which can be achieved through the use of resistance training. If you don't have access to weights, then our article on the best bodyweight glute exercises may interest you.
With your glutes being one of the largest, and strongest muscle groups in the body - it's important to be placing enough load, and volume (safely) to create adaptations in the muscle.
How Many Reps And Sets For Glutes?
Knowing the best exercises to grow your glutes is one thing, but you also need to know how to target and manipulate reps and sets to get the best out of your glute workouts.
Utilizing varied rep ranges and loads, by hitting heavier, lower rep sets to increase overall strength before moving on to slightly lower loads with higher reps can target the muscle optimally.
For building strength, aim for 3 to 5 reps at 89% to 94% of 1RM.
For hypertrophy, 8 to 12 reps per set with 60% to 80% of 1RM has been proven to be effective.
The 6 best glute exercises for strength, power, and size
Here are 6 of the best glute exercises to grow your glutes that should be part of any glute training program if strength, power and size is your goal!
This list of the best glute exercises combines to best compound movements that allow you to put a significant load through the glutes, and lower body muscles - making them ideal for growing stronger, more powerful glutes.
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Barbell Hip Thrusts
If glute development is your aim, then this will give you maximum bang for your buck. The Barbell Hip Thrust should be one of your go-to's when looking for the best glute exercises. These are great for your hamstrings too!
Several studies have revealed a slightly higher level of Gluteus Maximus activation over other similar exercises, such as the back squat and split squat.[1]
Hip thrusts are a great way to target your glutes and increase your strength, speed and power. By encouraging optimal hip extension, incorporating hip thrusts into your lower body workout will also help to improve your squats and deadlifts – everyone’s a winner.
TIP: Don't forget to vary rep ranges, and incorporate a unilateral element to your glute training with single-leg hip thrusts.
Back Squat
No surprise here.
If you want to grow your glutes, back squats should be a staple part of any lower body training program. They’re a great compound movement that will not only add mass to your glutes but also help develop and strengthen your entire body by engaging your hammies, core and quads.
A study in 2017 found an increase in glute engagement when squatting with higher loads between 90% and 100% of your 1RM [2] – so grab a spotter and load up that bar!
If you’re bored of back squats or have injuries, don’t worry! Check out our squat alternatives here.
Front Squat
Lacking in popularity when compared to the back squat, usually due to the reduced loading ability of the bar – most people can squat much more in the back squat variation.
But, take ego out of the equation, and the front becomes an excellent compound exercise for increasing lower body size and strength. One study even found a greater level of gluteus maximus activation when performing the front squat than in any other squat variation [3].
If you're new to front squats, take it easy and focus on technique – the above study found a stronger muscle activation during the descending phase of each rep.
Bulgarian Split Squats
They might be tough, but trust us, they’re worth the pain!
The Bulgarian split squat is a unilateral exercise, similar to the split squat, however, when performing a Bulgarian split squat the rear leg is elevated – increasing the muscular stress on the working leg at the front.
Bulgarian Splits squats will help to develop your quads, as well as your glutes, whilst also developing lower body strength and power.
A study also found that the Bulgarian Split Squat places less demand on the knee joint in comparison to a back squat, and, therefore, may provide a sensible alternative for people who suffer from knee pain [4].
Conventional Deadlift
Deadlifts are a key exercise to work the muscles in our posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae.
With proper technique, performing the deadlift allows us to add significant load to our training with an exercise that provides full-body activation, developing both upper and lower body strength, power and size.
Other benefits include improved posture and grip strength, both easily transferable to other exercises.
Prefer to sumo deadlift? A comparison of electromyographic analysis between sumo and conventional deadlifts reported no significant differences in glute activation when performing a 12RM [5].
Romanian Deadlift
Romanian deadlifts are a great exercise for targeting your hamstrings, glutes and erector spinae. The ‘pulling’ movement that is required is great for challenging your glutes and helping to build strength and power, promoting muscular growth. If you struggle with activating your glutes during a regular deadlift, Romanian deadlifts are a great way to help.
TIP: Remember to retract your shoulders throughout the whole set, and focus on squeezing and engaging your glutes as you maintain a steady tempo during each rep.
Prefer to have the weight loaded on your back? Good Mornings provoke a very similar muscle activation making them a great substitute for Romanian Deadlifts [6].
If you want to make these more challenging, why not try a single-leg Romanian deadlift and really challenge your stability and glutes?
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When training your glutes, it is essential to keep in mind that they are one section of an incredibly sophisticated body, and not to become fixated on just prioritizing training for particular muscle groups - otherwise, imbalances and a higher risk of injury may occur.
We've provided you with the best glute exercises to add to your training program and keep working towards your goals.
What are your go-to glute exercises? Drop them in the comments below to share them with other readers!
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Written By: Chris Beck
Chris Beck is Senior Editor at Gymshark, with a passion for writing informative conditioning and health content. Chris is an experienced Personal Trainer, and also holds qualifications in Nutrition, Sports Performance, and is a certified Crossfit Level 1 Trainer.
