Use these glute finishers at the end of your workout to ramp up the intensity! The workout finishers use some of my favorite glute exercises to help you work up a burn. These gluteus maximus burnouts are over in under five minutes but they're extremely effective in building strong glutes!
Build strength in your glutes and develop more power with these glute-based workout finishers.
As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, glute training takes a high priority in my signature workout programs because of all the benefits that come with them.
These gluetues Maximus burnouts are all done in under 5 minutes and use weights to really push your muscles to the next level (learn more about resistance training benefits and what a glute burnout is).
Use these glute finishers at the end of your workout sessions 1-2 times per week and you'll notice more strength and a rounder shape. Plus, you'll be busting through training plateaus to progress your results continuously.
The Benefits Of Strong Glutes
Most people strive to grow glutes because they look good (and they do). However, strong glutes help with so much more day-to-day than aesthetics (read more on why you need strong glutes). Some of the best benefits of glute training are:
Posture: Glutes are one of the biggest pieces of the puzzle when it comes to improving posture.
Back pain: This is multi-faced of course, but gaining hip mobility and strengthening the glutes can help relieve back pain.
Carry kids: Since our glutes help support us as we stand, having a stronger posterior chain helps moms carry kids without all the achy feelings.
Knee pain: Glutes play a key role in preventing knee pain while doing exercises you love.
The Glute Finishers
For many people, the gluteal muscles are under-activated. This leads to a host of problems, one of the most common being back pain (read how to fix back pain here). Learning how to engage the glutes can go a long way and training gluteus maximus exercises can help.
These glute burnouts give the best of both worlds in that they give the glutes a bit of extra attention when you're already in a fatigued state.
These glute burnouts are literally taking everything you have left from your glutes. Plus, the workouts finishers are done in under seven minutes so you're not adding much time to the end of your training sessions.
Hack: Fuel your glute gains with some extra protein from dessert-like snacks! My Strong and Sweet Protein Guide was made to satisfy cravings while giving you 17+ grams of protein in each tasty snack.
Tips To Maximize The Burnouts
Pay attention to the rest times listed in the glute burnouts. Resting too much will detract from the metabolic stress you're striving for.
You need to focus on engagement and contraction first and not just going through the motions. Thus, each and every repetition should be fully engaged. The glutes give immediate feedback when they contract (they change shape) so pay attention.
The glute muscles tend to recover well and respond to high volume nicely. Meaning, you shouldn't be crippled the next day. Use a glute finisher 3-4x per week at the end of a lower body workout if you're really trying to grow your glutes (in addition to other training methods).
The workout finishers should feel intense. They should be hard to finish and you should feel that "burn".
Finisher #1: RKC Plank + Glute Bridge + Sumo Walks
This particular glute burnout kills me every time. By completing the RKC plank first, you're pre-exhausting the glutes. Jumping right into heavy barbell glute bridges gets them really contracting and finishing with the sumo walks will make you shake.
Here are some amazing video demos of the exercises:
You'll want the weight on the barbell glute bridge moderate, ensure you can still lockout in full hip extension at the top. For the sumo walks, experiment with wrapping the mini loop (one of my four favorite pieces of at-home equipment!) below the knees or around the ankles to see which one works best for you.
To perform it:
20s plank + 20 reps bridge + 20 sumo walks
Perform each exercise back to back without rest. After the sumo walks, rest 15 seconds between sets. Then repeat the sequence for a total of three rounds.
At-Home Hack: if you're doing these at home, sub in feet elevated glute bridges for the barbell variation! Still effective and less equipment. Shorten the rest time to ten seconds between sets.
Finisher #2: 21-15-9 Barbell Hip Thrust + Kettlebell Swing
This glute burnout is a superset that challenges both your glute activation but also your power. It's perfect to add to a lower body workout.
Make sure you keep your form on the kettlebell swing especially (no squatting!). Also, learn how to perform a barbell hip thrust properly.
How to perform it:
Without rest, perform 21 reps of each glute burnout exercise back to back. Then 15 and finally 9. Make sure the weight is moderate all the way through (no changing).
At home hack: only have a kettlebell or dumbbell at home? Opt for single-leg dumbbell hip thrusts in place of the barbell version. Perform the repetition count per leg.
Finisher #3: Seated Band Abductions Three Ways
Seated band abductions are a great workout finisher and they definitely hammer your glutes! That said, there's more than one way to do them.
By completing them all three ways you definitely fatigue your glutes!
How to perform it:
Leaning back + Straight Up + Forward Hinge: 20 reps of each glute exercise.
I use a mini green band for these placed under my knees (I sometimes double up).
Add them to your next strength training workout and feel a crazy fire in your outer glutes!
Finisher #4: Banded Trifecta
This glute burnout seems simple but definitely kicks butt (pun intended!). By using a mini band for all three movements you're providing some resistance to work against. Likewise, keeping the reps high ensures your glutes will fatigue.
Make sure you're maintaining form and feeling each and every rep. Otherwise, you're probably using your low back and have defeated the purpose.
- Banded Quadruped Hip Extension x20 reps/leg
- Banded Quadruped Abductions x20 reps/leg
- Banded Glute Bridges x20 reps
To perform it:
Perform each exercise above back to back without rest. After the banded glute bridges, rest for thirty seconds and then repeat for a total of two rounds. For the bridge you can really use any glute bridge variation.
How To Build Bigger (& Stronger) Glutes With Glute Finishers
These glute burnouts work the glutes in a variety of movements but they don't hit everything! Make sure your glute training programs are well balanced for optimal growth.
A glute finisher is a great addition to your next strength training workout because they help chase that "pump" feeling. However, when it comes to building glutes you need to look at:
- Mechanical tension (think a heavy load through a full range of motion)
- Metabolic stress (that pump feeling)
- Muscle damage (the use of eccentrics)
While mechanical tension is perhaps the biggest factor, you need to incorporate all of these into your training program for growth, along with some effective glute stretches.
And workout finishers are a great way to use metabolic stress without rocking at-home workouts like HIIT sessions. You can find a whole playlist of glute workouts on my workout page.
If you really want to dominate your glute training, get my Strong Glutes For Busy Moms workout guide.
All of these workout finishers can be done at the end of your workout to really hit your glutes or as mini-workouts themselves if you have some spare time. Likewise, you can rarely go wrong with giving your glutes some extra attention!
Stronger glutes = less back pain, better posture, more power.
This no-gym workout plan builds serious strength in just minutes a day.
Other Tips To Grow Your Glutes
- The best weighted glute exercises
- Glute hypertrophy workout
- Upper glute workout
- How to start exercising when you're brand new
- Benefits of strong glutes
- Banded glute workout
- Glute exercises for pregnancy
- The best glute activation exercises
FAQs
Mini band glute exercises are wonderful for growing glutes so long as the exercises are progressive (continually getting harder). The mini band offers a bit of tension to the glute muscles in the hardest part of an exercise which is a great way to grow the glutes and improve glute strength.
Like any other muscle, it doesn’t happen overnight. However, with consistent glute training, you can experience an increase in strength within six to eight weeks. Growing your glutes in size may take a bit longer and depends on more factors like progressive overload and nutrition.
Don't forget to pin these awesome glute finishers!
Karla says
Adding these finishers to my routine has really helped me with glute activation. The seated band abductions three ways are my favorite. I can feel my glutes working hard. Thanks for the great tips!
fitasamamabear says
Yay! Seated abductions burn so nicely lol
Kris says
Loved the RKC plank + glute bridge + sumo walks finisher. It’s quick but my glutes were on fire by the end. Highly recommend.
fitasamamabear says
Yes! it's so speedy but so effective.
Celestia says
This is amazing! The year is coming to an end, and I am still working on my glutes. Thank you for these suggestions; I now know which glute finishers to use. I'll start with finisher #1: RKC Plank = Glute Bridge + Sumo Walks, then proceed with the rest of the phases.
fitasamamabear says
Happy to help!
Daniela says
I need these workouts in my life - and I literally just had a conversation with my friend about how we don't target glutes enough!
fitasamamabear says
Haha yes! Glutes are my all-time favorite thing to train. Plus.. who doesn't love a better booty?!
Jennifer says
This looks like a great challenge! Thank you!
fitasamamabear says
No problem! They're fun ones, I hope you enjoy them!
Virjinia @ With Purpose and Kindness says
That Hip Thrust KB Swing is awesome! I've done something similar and it really gets your glutes burning. I'm also a huge fan of working the glutes and have been known to pop out my resistance bands at work occasionally for an extra burn lol. And of course, LOVE doing heavy deadlifts to work the hammies and glutes!
fitasamamabear says
You are the best person ever haha I love that you bring bands to work?! Haha yea the combo slaughters my glutes.. like I die lol glutes are just so much fun to train!
Nadia says
Love the bridge for glutes! Will have to try these other exercises as well
fitasamamabear says
Yes! Bridges are awesome! And oh so effective
Melissa @Real Nutritious Living says
Love banded exercises and kettle bell swings (they always make my inner thighs sore!) Love the combination moves! Thank you Shelby!
fitasamamabear says
Banded exercises are AMAZING!
Jean says
Thanks for these workouts! It's definitely something I need to work on.
fitasamamabear says
Glutes are sooo much fun!