So, you want to build strong, sculpted glutes? Good news—you don’t need magic, just smart training, consistency, and the right tools. Whether you're chasing that perfect peach for strength, aesthetics, or both, here’s everything you need to know about how to grow glutes the right way.
Tips for Growing Your Glutes
If you’re wondering how to grow glutes effectively, these tips will set you on the right path:
1. Perform Glute Activation Exercises
Your glutes are a large muscle group, but they can be stubborn to fully engage during workouts. Since you use them daily for standing, sitting, and walking, they’re often tight and underactive.
Before your glute workouts, incorporate 2-3 glute activation exercises into your warm-up. Focus on lateral (sideways) and sagittal (forward and backward) movements. Examples include resistance band sidewalks and glute bridges. These exercises “wake up” your glutes, ensuring they’re ready to work hard during your session.
2. Use Lifting Gear to Support Heavy Lifts
Progressive overload—gradually increasing resistance—is key to building muscle. However, grip strength, knee pain, or back discomfort can hinder your progress. That’s where lifting gear comes in!
Here’s how the right gear can help:
- Barbell Pad: Protects your hips, shoulders, and neck during hip thrusts and squats, allowing you to lift heavier without discomfort.
- Knee Sleeves: Provide compression and warmth to improve blood flow, reduce strain, and enhance stability during squats and lunges.
- Lifting Belt: Offers core and lower back support, helping you maintain proper form and lift heavier weights safely.
- Lifting Straps: Improve grip strength, allowing you to pull heavier weights during deadlifts and other pulling exercises.
3. Follow the Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a popular training technique for glute growth. It involves training your glutes three times a week with a mix of exercises that target different movement patterns:
- Horizontal Path: Hip thrusts, cable kickbacks
- Vertical Path: Squats, lunges
- Lateral/Rotary Path: Fire hydrants, lateral band walks
Additionally, vary your resistance and rep ranges:
- One-third of your exercises should use heavy weights and low reps.
- One-third should use moderate weights and medium reps.
- One-third should use light weights and high reps.
This approach ensures you’re challenging your glutes from all angles and maximizing growth.
4. Master the Correct Form
Proper form is non-negotiable when it comes to glute growth. Performing exercises with bad form not only increases your risk of injury but also reduces the effectiveness of your workout.
Focus on going through the full range of motion for each exercise. This ensures your glutes are doing the work instead of compensating with other muscles. Whether you’re doing squats, deadlifts, or hip thrusts, prioritize quality over quantity.
5. Allow for Proper Recovery
Muscle growth happens during recovery, not in the gym. Overtraining your glutes can lead to strain and hinder progress. Make sure to:
- Rest for at least 48 hours between glute-focused workouts.
- Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
- Fuel your body with nutrient-dense foods to support muscle repair and growth.
Best Glute Exercises to Add to Your Leg Day
Here are some of the most effective glute exercises to incorporate into your leg days. Pair them with the right gear to maximize your results:
1. Cable Glute Kickback
- Target: All gluteal muscles
- Gear: Ankle strap attachment
How to do it:
- Place an ankle strap attachment on a low pulley, then stand in front of the machine and wrap the attachment around your left ankle.
- Hold onto the machine, bending your right knee for stability, and begin the movement by lifting your left foot off the floor as you extend your left leg behind you as far as you can.
- Hold the top position while you squeeze your glutes, then lower your foot and repeat.
- Finish your reps and switch to the opposite side.
2. Sumo Squat
- Target: Glutes, quads, and inner thighs
- Gear: Lifting belt (for heavy sets)
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointing out while holding a kettlebell with both hands close to your chest.
- Begin the movement by squatting down as you bend your knees and push your hips back until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Pause for a second to squeeze your glutes while you keep your back straight, then go back to the standing position and repeat.
3. Barbell Hip Thrust
- Target: Glutes and hamstrings
- Gear: Barbell pad
How to do it:
- Get on the floor and place your upper back and shoulder blades along the edge of the bench, with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Have a spotter place the barbell on your hips.
- Engage your core and begin the movement by thrusting your hips up until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Hold the position for a moment while you squeeze your glutes, then lower your hips and repeat.
4. Romanian Deadlift
- Target: Glutes and hamstrings
- Gear: Lifting belt and lifting straps
How to do it:
- Place a loaded bar on the floor and stand in front of it with your feet hip-width apart, then bend at the hips to grab the bar with an overhand grip just outside of your thighs. Your upper body should be near parallel to the floor.
- Keeping a slight bend on your knees, begin the movement by lifting the bar along your thighs until you're standing straight.
- Pause for a moment while you squeeze your glutes, then lower the bar and repeat.
5. Bulgarian Split Squat
- Target: Glutes and quads
- Gear: None (bodyweight or add dumbbells for extra resistance)
How to do it:
- Stand about two feet in front of a bench or stable surface (facing away from it) with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Place your right foot on the bench behind you and place the top of your non-working foot on the bench so the ankle is hanging off the edge.
- Check to make sure that your feet are roughly hip-distance apart or slightly wider. Being directly behind your front foot will make balancing difficult, so you may need to hop or move your front foot to find a well-balanced foot placement.
- Once you found your ideal foot placement, engage your core, keep your chest high, take a deep breath, and begin to bend your left knee so that your right knee and ankle naturally bend as you move down. You should feel a stretch in the front of your back-facing leg and in the glutes of your front-facing leg.
- Once your left quad is roughly parallel to the ground, use the back foot for balance and drive through your front foot to raise your torso back to the starting position. Focus on using your left quad and glute to power back up.
How Long Does It Take to Grow Glutes?
Growing your glutes is a long-term commitment. Depending on your genetics, diet, and training consistency, it can take months or even years to see significant results. The key is to stay patient, follow the right tips, and perform effective exercises consistently.
Grow Your Glutes with UPPPER’s Essential Bundle
Ready to take your glute growth to the next level? UPPPER’s Essential Bundle is the perfect addition to your gym bag. Designed to support your heaviest lifts and enhance your performance, this bundle includes:
- Ankle Straps: A pair of comfortable, durable Ankle Strap attachments for cable machine exercises, like cable glute kickbacks and more!
- Barbell Pad: Protect your hips and shoulders during hip thrusts and squats.
- Lifting Belt: Support your core and lower back for heavier lifts.
- Lifting Straps: Boost your grip strength for deadlifts and pulling exercises.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned lifter, UPPPER’s high-quality, durable, and stylish gear will help you maximize your glute gains.
>> SHOP UPPPER BUNDLES <<