It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman, great glutes are high on the wish list for anyone looking to sculpt their body. There is no doubt that the buttocks contribute to a desirable body shape. Still, figuring out how to streamline or grow your prey seems complicated at first.
To understand all of this, Muscle & Fitness spoke to ex-bodybuilder and health and fitness guru Whitney Johns to find out how best to get gains on your glutes.
"Stability, strength, posture, strength - these are all benefits of exercising your glutes," says Johns. "Functionally, it is very important to have strong glutes and aesthetic benefits."
So, first of all, make sure you are doing every move with the correct form. "Shape is everything," she says. “People do so many different exercises in hopes of building their glutes and they'll either be carrying the weight on their quads or just their legs, and so they don't recruit those glutes. It's important to get the full range of motion and also to establish this connection between mind and muscles. "
Johns is a NASM-certified personal trainer and offers with their app "Find Your Fit with Whit" a program that can be individually tailored to their customers. She believes it is important to start a glute activation cycle before your main workout. "This is something that can be done with resistance bands or body weight," says Johns. "And that's great for at home or at the gym."
As an avid weightlifter and bodybuilder, Johns designs her workouts with scientific precision. "Your glutes are a combination of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles," she says. “Quick twitch muscles will really respond to strength training, heavier compound movements like squats and deadlifts, lunges and compound movements, anywhere in the range of 4 to 8 reps. The slowly twitching muscles respond to the higher volume, lighter movements such as body weight or cables, which are only easier in the range of 12 to 30 repetitions. "
Eat your way to bigger glutes
Toning your glutes is one thing, but if you want to increase your prey's muscle mass, you need to be eating more, not less, she says. "I have a lot of people who want to build their glutes but also want to go on a diet," says Johns. "You can't really build this muscle on a calorie deficit."
The Fitness Model and Mentor note that people often freak out at the thought of bloating, but stresses that it should be viewed as a necessary phase of muscle building to achieve the desired shape. "As long as you're getting a clean caloric excess, remember that you're doing it for your glutes!" Johns says.
According to Johns, after the muscle building phase has been completed, there can always be a calorie reduction, which can be rotated seasonally if necessary.
"I really encourage my clients to keep track of their macros," she says. "Even if that's only a couple of times a week because the portion sizes are so deceptive. I also hate following macros, but if you can do it yourself you'll find out if your protein intake is on point, or if yours." Calorie intake is on the right track and then you will know you are getting somewhere. "
Whitney would also like to point out that building a better butt isn't just about isolating the glutes. “You need to strengthen your hamstrings and erectus spinae (back muscles) to support them. Quad strength is also required. So, if you're just doing cable kickbacks all day trying to target your bum, you need to trust the process and do a well-rounded routine. You want the legs to match the prey! "
Courtesy Nikki Rotta
Whitney John's Tips for Working On Glutes At Home
- Invest in a good selection of resistance bands.
- Adjustable ankle weights are also very effective.
- Bodyweight exercises are ideal for high-volume, slow-twitch muscle training sessions.
- Kettlebells and dumbbells will take your home workout to the next level.
- Find something to step on, like stairs or a sturdy coffee table.
Whitney John's Tips for Working Your Glutes in the Gym
- Don't be intimidated by lifting weights. Use the Smith machine if you need extra assistance.
- Boxing is another great way for extra support.
- Use a glute push machine if your gym has one. It is very convenient to adjust the weight.
- Increase your weight every or every other week as the exercises become more comfortable.
- Use the cables. Kickback is a great exercise for large volume work.
Whitney John's Anywhere Glute Workout
Whitney advises that you should keep your rest intervals short to really feel the burn.
- Kettlebell Sumo Squat: 3 sets, 15 repetitions. Keep your chest up, core tight, feet and knees slightly outward.
- Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets, 12 repetitions (each side). Keep your hips and shoulders straight.
- Good Morning: 3 sets, 10 reps. Hinge low on your hips. Keep your spine neutral.
- One Leg Deadlift: 3 sets, 12 repetitions per side. Keep the core strong and hang low on your hips.
- One-legged hip thrust: 3 sets, 20 repetitions (each side). Keep your hips straight throughout the movement and push through your heel to activate your glutes.
