5 Tips For Building Better Glutes

Having big, powerful glutes isn’t just about building a nice big butt that looks good in jeans; it also improves your athletic performance and can help reduce the risk of injury in high-impact sports like football, soccer, and tennis. However, not all glute exercises are created equal – some will build the glutes better than others, and you want to be sure to choose the best ones to get the results you want. Here are five ways to build better glutes!

1) Squats

All guys should be squatting, and they don’t need to do a single crunch. Butts aren’t made in gyms; they are built in squats. The big butt guy needs more of it and more often than other guys. Hip thrusts are going to get you there faster than leg presses and lunges (in terms of bigger butt), but any squat variation can improve your glute function and size, so look at all options here – hip thrusts, back squats, front squats… Try one or try them all!

2) Deadlifts

Deadlifts help build great glutes because they target your lower back and hamstrings, both of which are key in building glute muscles. Deadlifts are also effective for helping you lose weight: one study found that people who did twice-weekly deadlifts lost more than twice as much belly fat as those who didn’t exercise. As with other types of weights, heavy weights should be used to start with; otherwise, you can risk injury by using weights that are too light. If you do only a few reps per set and don’t use heavy enough weights, you won’t get as much out of your deadlift workout. Start by doing three sets of four to six reps using 80 percent of your 1RM for each set.

3) Lunges

The single leg deadlift is an excellent exercise for working your glutes. The movement involves lifting a dumbbell while standing on one leg and will focus on utilizing your posterior chain (the muscles of your glute, hamstring, and calf). If you don’t have a single leg hip lift machine at your gym, try doing them without one. To do so, simply pick up a weight in each hand and stand on one foot. Bend down to bring your other knee towards that foot; hold for 1-2 seconds before straightening back up with control. Repeat on both sides for 4 sets total, 15 reps per side. You can add resistance to make it more challenging or decrease resistance to make it easier—it’s totally up to you!

4) Step-Ups

If you’re a big butt guy, try a wide step-up onto a sturdy box or bench. Step down with one leg, stepping onto your other foot, then repeat on your opposite side. This is a great move for developing glute strength and mass; plus it forces you to keep proper form with each repetition. By avoiding putting extra weight on your back when performing step-ups, you can more easily feel where your hips are throughout each rep. Another option is to do double-leg step-ups instead of single leg ones—one study found that by doing both versions there was less tension in hip flexors than when doing single leg reps (meaning there’s less chance of overworking them).

5) Single Leg Deadlifts

This exercise targets your glute muscles, and requires you to isolate those muscles and move a weight while minimizing help from other muscle groups. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, lift one leg from behind you off of a weight bench or platform. You should feel it in both hips/buttocks. From there, lower down into a deep squat position until you can’t go any further. Pause for a second at that lowest point before standing back up with control to complete 1 rep on that side before switching sides. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps per leg.