Struggling to grow your glutes and don’t know where to start? These simple steps will walk you through the ins and outs of glute training and exactly what you need to do to grow your glutes.
As one of the largest muscles in your body, you’d be silly not to train it. However, strengthening the glutes and growing the glutes don’t always equal the same thing.
Like any other fitness goal, growing the glutes takes consistency, patience, and a plan of action.
I can tell you that just stumbling into the gym to do some donkey kicks won’t do the trick.
But before you begin to implement the steps, you need to know what muscles the “glutes” really are. The gluteal muscles consist of:
- The gluteus maximus (the largest part of your bum)
- The gluteus minimus (on your outer hip)
- Gluteus medius (just above the hip and over top of the minimus)
Though you can target one of the other slightly (check out these gluteus maximus exercises), they all work together to bring you movements like:
- Hip extension (think glute bridges or a barbell hip thrust)
- Hip abduction (taking your leg away from your body to the side)
- Hip external rotation (turning your leg outwards)
How To Grow Your Glutes
Growing your glutes can be broken down into 6 steps:
- Glute exercise selection
- Activating the glutes
- Variety of repetitions
- Weights versus cardio
- Eat for gains
- Progress, progress, progress
Each step is an important key in growing the glutes.
Step 1: Glute Exercise Selection
Though smaller glute exercises like abductions and kickbacks are necessary for well-rounded glutes, you want to make sure you include the big stuff.
The gluteal muscles like variety in exercises and a workout routine. So mix up the bigger butt exercises that target the gluteus maximus (and multiple muscle groups) and the smaller butt exercises that target the outer hips (glute medius and minimus).
The top glute exercises to include are:
- Hip thrusts
- Glute bridges
- Deficit lunges
- Bulgarian split squat
- Extended range abductions (extended range means performed on a bench so you get a bigger drop)
- Sumo walks
- Resistance band kickbacks
- Reverse hyperextensions
Make the hip thrusts, bridges, lunges, and split squats the bulk of your glute-focused exercises add in the other exercises as accessory work. Check out these tips for the best hip thrust.
Hot tip: hip thrusts and glute bridges can be done with so many exercise variations. You have a bit of freedom to mix and match here (check out these glute bridge variations).
Need more guidance? Check out the Glute Training E-book. A no-nonsense home workout plan to help moms build stronger, perkier glutes, reduce pain, and feel amazing in just a few minutes each day.
Step 2: How To Activate The Glutes
Before you can really gain muscle mass on your glutes you need to know how to engage them properly.
The fun thing about glutes is that, when activated, they actually change shape! You can both feel and see the contraction.
To activate your glutes:
1. Come into the starting position for a glute bridge: lay on the floor with the knees bent and feet hip-width or slightly more apart and close to the bum.
2. Relax, inhale, and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips opening up the hip flexors. This is called hip extension. You should feel the engagement.
3. Place your hands on your buttocks and you should physically feel and see the contraction. The glutes should feel tight. Keep your hands there and release your hips back down towards the floor. The glutes will feel relaxed and squishy.
Learn more about how to engage glutes in greater detail.
Step 3: Variety Of Repetitions
The glute muscles actually respond really well to variety in repetitions.
This means that for some of your bigger glute exercises (like hip thrusts that target the gluteus Maximus primarily) you can aim for lower repetitions like 5-8 reps. But for exercises like abductions, kickbacks, and hyperextensions, strive for higher reps. Think 15 to 30 repetitions.
Much of your repetition choice will revolve around the load (weight) you choose. The lighter the load the higher the reps.
You want a good variety of lower reps for tension and higher reps for metabolic stress (feeling that BURN!).
"Oh my gosh, thank you! Even just after three weeks my glutes are more shapely and rounded. I realized that I wasn't fully engaging them in each movement, and your picture showing what to do vs what not to do made all the difference. I can now focus on activating them during hinges and band-work." - Michell
Step 4: Weights Over Cardio
For maximum glute gains you’re going to need to add some tension!
If you’re not into loading up a barbell for barbell hip thrusts, definitely invest in some dumbbells and resistance bands.
The glute muscles respond best to weight training (which means rest days too). Overdoing it on the cardio front will actually stall your muscle growth.
Aim to have a few of your bigger exercises like the hip thrusts, bridges, and lunges at heavier weights.
And remember it’s all relative. What’s heavy for me may not be heavy for you. Even on low reps, you want that last repetition to be hard.
Not into dumbbells? Resistance bands are a good way to get started with resistance training and glute training.
Target those crucial muscles like your glutes with a mini band that can easily be taken anywhere you go!
Step 5: Eat To Gain
The number one mistake people make when trying to grow their glutes is that they eat too little! Your muscles need fuel to grow. They need building blocks.
If you want a shapely peach, you can’t be living off 1200kcals a day. Especially if you’re lifting weights.
If your glute growth has stalled, check your calorie intake.
Step 6: Progress, Progress, Progress
To see continuous results you need to keep stimulating the muscles! This means that you always want to be challenging them (this glute HIIT workout is a great start!).
You can learn more about how to increase the intensity of your glute exercises without adding weights.
This can be done by loading up more, adding pauses, changing reps etc. But know that every few weeks you want to make your workouts challenging in a new way.
Stronger glutes = less back pain, better posture, more power.
This no-gym workout plan builds serious strength in just minutes a day.
Other Wicked Resources For Training Your Glutes
- Glute isolation exercises
- Best at home glute exercises
- Workout finishers for strong glutes
- How glutes help alleviate back pain
- Glutes exercises to help in pregnancy and postpartum
- The best glute activation exercises
- Glute training 101: everything you need to know
- The best fitness equipment for small spaces
- Progressive Glute Workouts
- The best dumbbell exercises for your booty
Frequently Asked Questions About How To Growing Glutes
Growing your glutes is different for everyone and requires consistent effort. If you stay dedicated to your plan, your glutes will become stronger in six weeks, start changing shape in ten weeks, and keep growing from there. Optimal glute growth can take anywhere from eight months to sixteen months of solid effort.
Growing glutes is a combination of a strategic training program with the best glute exercises, making sure to train the glutes through a variety of repetitions and loads, and eating enough food to stimulate growth.
It could be a combination of things but the number one mistake females make when growing their glutes is that they’re not eating enough. That and that they focus too much on the gluteus Maximus and not enough on the other glutes. Likewise, to build glutes you need to us a progressive overload approach to your glute training.
Jhicel says
Finally, a clear guide for growing glutes at home! I'm working at home and sitting at a desk all day has left my glutes neglected. Started doing these steps every 4 hours, and it's making a difference!
fitasamamabear says
Way to go stepping up your glute game!
Michelle says
Oh my gosh, thank you! Even just after three weeks my glutes are more shapely and rounded. I realized that I wasn't fully engaging them in each movement, and your picture showing what to do vs what not to do made all the difference. I can now focus on activating them during hinges and band-work.
I purchased your ebook and I'm really excited to get started!!! I'll check back in after the 4 weeks 🙂
fitasamamabear says
Super happy that you're seeing growth!! Engagement is key! reach out if you have questions.