Glute Workout Routine

I don’t believe in doing indirect exercises in hopes of a direct result. A lot of people preach that all you need to do for a nice butt is deep squats. That’s not entirely true. Some people are genetically un-gifted when it comes to their glutes. I’m one of those people. Squats were not enough and leg kickbacks were not enough. However, a combination of exercises has helped me greatly. Now, I finally have glutes to be proud of. Below are three basic glute routines that will directly target the glutes.

Routine 1 – Softcore:

• Walking lunges (Find an area where you can do wall to wall, about 15-20 feet down): 3 sets
  • Lung deep people. Make sure you feel it in your hams and glutes when you go down and push through your heel on the way up (front leg).

• Elevated hip thrust (with bar or no bar – one or 2 leg – can be done with a bench also.) 3 sets of 15-25 reps

• Floorwork:
  • Exercise 1: Kickbacks: 3 sets of 15-25 reps
  • Exercise 2: Firehighdrants side raises: 3 sets of 15-25 reps
  • Exercise 3: Straight leg, kneeling leg raise: 3 sets of 15-25 reps

Routine 2 – Intermediate:

• Walking lunges: (Find an area where you can do wall to wall, about 15-20 feet down):3 sets

• Smith Butt Lift (I made this up – image coming soon): 3 – 4 sets of 10-15
  • Put your legs up as if you are going to do a 90-degree leg press at the Smith Machine. Position the bar almost directly above your pelvis. Extend legs and unlock the Smith Bar with your feet, or with the assistance of a partner. Lower the bar with legs and on the way up, lift your hips off the floor and squeeze your glutes as hard as possible at the top.

• Wide Stance Leg Press w/ Glute Squeeze: 3 sets of 10-15
  • Put your feet on the edge of the leg press platform. Angle your toes out. Make sure your feet are high on the platform. When you push the weight, lift the glutes about an inch off the pad (optional, don’t do if you have a bad back, or if you’re a beginner) at the top of the movement and squeeze your glutes as hard as possible.

Routine 3 – Hardcore:

• Barbell step ups: 3 sets of 10-12
  • PUSH THROUGH YOUR HEEL. I can’t stress pushing through your heel enough. If you don’t and instead you shift forward and put your knee into it, you won’t feel it in the glutes well enough. You need to go straight up, not forward, then up.
• Barbell Hip Lifts (five-star exercise!): 3 sets of 10-15
• Plie Squats: 3 sets of 10-15

• Floorwork
  • Exercise 1: Single-leg hip lifts
  • Exercise 2: Firehydrants side raises: 3 sets of 15-25 reps
  • Exercise 3: Straight leg, kneeling leg raise: 3 sets of 15-25 reps

LLAFIT Senior Writer/Editor

As an athlete for over 21 years and a broke single mom for most of that time, I created brokesinglemomfitness.com, now LLAFIT.com, to aid anyone who believes the road to fitness requires a lot of cash or time. In reality, the way to fitness is paved with knowledge and firm principles; teaching readers how to master both is the goal of this site. LLAFIT – Lifelong Applied Fitness