Upper Glute Workout (Glute Shelf!)

One of the largest muscle groups in the body the glutes play a variety of roles in keeping you fit and injury free. However, for maximum results, we need to target more than the basic bridge movement.

This upper glute workout focuses on the gluteus medius and will help lift, firm, and tone the area around your hips to create a more sculpted backside (Aka: the glute shelf)

Though many people are starting to place an emphasis on glute training (which is awesome!), there’s more to it than mastering the glute bridge or hip thrusts.

If you want a shapely backside and round glutes, you’ll need to hit all three glute muscles to do so. Check out these glute workouts that get results.

 What Are The Gluteal Muscles (Anatomy)?

The glutes are a series of three muscles that make up the buttocks.

Broken down, these muscles are the gluteus maximus (the largest part of your bum), the gluteus minimus (on your outer hip), and the gluteus medius (just above the hip and is over top of the minimus).

They work together to bring you the functions below (and more):

• Hip extension (think 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)

Learn more about the gluteal muscles and what exactly they do in my blog post: Glute Training 101: everything you need to know.

Tips To Grow Your Glute Shelf

There are a few crucial tips when it comes to growing your glute shelf that you can't ignore.

Tip #1: Eating Enough Calories

If your goals are more aesthetically based and you want to BUILD a rounder booty (learn more about how to grow glutes and go master hip thrusts), don’t overlook this: eating more food.

In order for a muscle to get bigger, you need to give it the nutritional building blocks it needs.

Not eating enough is the most common problem when it comes to building bigger upper glutes.

Tip 2: Learn To Activate Your Glutes

Know that in order for your glutes to grow and get stronger, you need to learn how to engage your glutes first.

As a Certified Strength Coach, I've found that many people fail to fully engage the glutes in a variety of positions and then struggle with growth. 

Tip 3: Progress Your Glute Exercises

Many people fail to thrive and grow their glutes because they stick with the exact same routine, weights, and tension.

In order for you to grow your glute shelf, you need to progress your exercises and make them more challenging. You can learn more about how to increase the intensity of your workouts, but here are a few techniques:

• add more weight
• make use of pause reps
• Amp up the reps
• Add an extra day of training

Challenge your upper glutes in new ways to keep them growing. This glute hypertrophy workout can help with that too.

Upper Glute Workout

The workout below can be done in just 20 minutes and is practical for beginners.

It uses 5 of the best upper glute exercises to strategically target the upper glutes and promote muscle growth.

You will need a mini loop to perform the workout. Adding some resistance to your upper glutes is what will develop them the fastest (though here are the best bodyweight glute exercises if you need them).

Lateral Lunge	10/leg
Quadruped Side Raise	15/leg
Banded Clamshells	20/leg
Curtsy Lunge	10/leg
Rest	60 seconds x 4 sets
Single Leg Bridge	15/leg
Rest	30 seconds x 3 sets

How to perform it:

Perform the first four exercises back to back without rest for the repetitions listed. Rest for 60 seconds at the end of the set and repeat for a total of four rounds.

Then, move on to the single leg bridges and perform them for three sets with 30 seconds of rest between them.

Lateral Lunge

1. Stand upright.
2. Step out to the side with your left foot.
3. Push the hips backward and sink them down while keeping the heel on the floor.
4. Pause briefly.
5. Push up through the foot to extend the hip and bring the foot back into the starting position.
6. Perform all the repetitions on one leg before moving on to the next.

Quadruped Side Raises

1. For this exercise, place the strength band around your ankles.
2. Come into table top position.
3. Engage the core for a stable back and keep the left leg straight, move the foot away from the body at hip height.
4. Pause briefly and return to the center position.

Banded Clamshells

1. Lay on your right side with your legs stacked and knees bent. Make sure your shoulders, hips, and heels are in one line.
2. Place your top hand on your top hip. Keeping your heels together, squeeze your glute while opening up at the knees.
3. Release the squeeze and return the knees to meet each other (the starting position). You should feel the muscles under your hand contract.

Curtsy Lunge

1. Stand upright in a comfortable position. Step the left foot back and across the line of the left leg. Lower the knee toward the floor while hinging slightly at the hips. Keep the foot of the right leg fully on the floor.
2. Push through the right foot and return the left foot back to the standing starting position.

Single Elevated Leg Bridge

1. Lay on the ground with your heels elevated on a couch, stairs or bench.
2. Raise your right foot into the air.
3. Push through the left foot and lift the hips high without excessively arching the low back.
4. Pause and return the hips toward the starting position on the floor.
5. Perform all the repetitions on one leg before moving on to the next.

Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Glutes

Other Glute Resources You’ll Love

• Glute isolation exercises
• Best at home glute exercises
• Best Gluteus Maximus exercises
• Workout finishers for strong glutes
• Lower glute exercises (+ underbutt workout)
• How to do a bench glute bridge
• How glutes help alleviate back pain