Strong buttocks are not only beautiful to look at, they are also necessary for proper movement. These muscles help keep the body in balance and protect you from injuries you may suffer in daily activities. Those who spend a lot of time sitting often have weak buttocks. Even then, with the right exercises and the right diet, you can get the muscles of your dreams.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Weight Training
Step 1. Do regular squats
You can't build your glutes with squats alone, but they are still a fundamental exercise, the most effective for the lower body.
- Keep your feet in line with your shoulders, facing slightly outward. Keep your back straight and your gaze forward. If it helps, find a spot on the wall in front of you to focus on. Fix it for the duration of the exercise.
- Inhale and bend at the hips, pushing the buttocks back. Continue to bring your hips back as your knees begin to bend.
- When done correctly, a squat should feel the same as when you sit on your heels. Concentrate on keeping your knees aligned with your feet.
- To squat correctly, make sure your hips drop below knee level. Once you have mastered the technique, try to go deeper to make the exercise more challenging.
- Exhale and push with your feet against the floor to return to a standing position. Contract your glutes and bring your hips forward until you reach the starting position.
- If you've never lifted weights before, try working with just the barbell to learn the correct technique. You can even do bodyweight squats. These exercises are called "air squats" and are perfect for warming up.
- When you start using weights, load the bar so that you can do 5 full reps. Each time you lower yourself and come back to a standing position, you have completed one repetition.
Step 2. Do lunges with weights
As with squats, keep your back straight and fix a point in front of you. Spread your feet shoulder-width apart and relax your shoulders. Find a suitable weight to hold in each hand.
- Step forward with one leg until the knee is bent at a 90 degree angle and is aligned with the ankle. The rear knee should also be bent 90 degrees, but it shouldn't touch the ground.
- Pushing with the heel of the front leg, return to the starting position and repeat the exercise alternating legs.
- Try reverse lunges. Get into the starting position for the lunge. Instead of taking a step forward, take a step back. Keep your back straight, as you would for a front lunge. You will need more balance for this exercise. Make sure you have learned the correct front lunge technique before attempting a reverse lunge.
- Lunges are great exercises for the lower body, but they can put a lot of strain on the knees. Take smaller steps if you feel pain. You will always work to increase your mobility.
Step 3. Take steps with the weights
Find a small platform or step. With a dumbbell in each hand, place one foot on the step keeping your back straight. Push with your front foot and lift the rest of your body onto the platform.
- When you lift your body, exhale.
- Return your dominant leg to the ground. Get off the platform and return to the starting position. As with lunges, you should alternate which leg you start each rep with.
Step 4. Do some deadlifts
These are composite exercises that work the lower body, but also help strengthen the trunk and back.
- Stand with your back straight in front of a barbell loaded with weights. Keep your feet in line with your shoulders and the bar on top of them.
- Keeping your back straight and hips still, lower yourself down and grab the bar. The hands should be slightly wider than the legs. When you have a firm grip on the bar, lower your hips and slightly bend your knees.
- To lift the weight off the ground, push with your feet and pull up until you return to an upright position. Inhale as you lift.
- Contract all the muscles in your body as you lift the weight. Squeeze your glutes, activate your core, and don't arch your back.
- When you've lifted the weight, don't drop the bar. Use the reverse motion to bring him back to the ground. Keeping all muscles contracted, push your hips back and begin bending your knees. Set a point in front of you and move your whole body at the same time. Don't lean forward and don't arch your back.
Part 2 of 4: Bodyweight Training
Step 1. Add bodyweight exercises to your training program
You can do some exercises that normally require weights even without using them. If you don't have time to hit the gym, you can do bodyweight workouts almost anywhere.
- To perform a squat without weights, start as if you are standing in front of the squat support at the gym. Spread your feet slightly beyond your shoulders and keep your toes pointing outward. Using the same technique as in weight squats, lower your hips and push your glutes back. To keep your balance, keep your arms in front of you as you lower yourself down.
- You can easily perform lunges without using weights. The technique is exactly the same.
- To perform a back kick, assume the same starting position as a push-up, but rest your knees on the ground. Lift one leg back until your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your shin perpendicular to the ground and push up. Lower the limb slowly and repeat with the other.
Step 2. Try bridging
To make a short bridge, lie on your back, with the soles of your feet on the ground and your knees at 45 degrees. Keep your shoulders and arms on the floor. Push with your heels and raise your hips as much as possible. Hold the position for two seconds. Slowly bring your body back to the ground.
- When you have mastered the short bridge perfectly, try the straight bridge. This is a very similar exercise to the reverse bend. Sit with your legs straight in front of you and place your hands close to your hips. Push your chest up and contract your glutes. Hold the stretch for a few seconds before returning to the starting position.
- To perform a full bridge, lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your hands close to your head. Lift your entire body off the ground and arch your back. Push your hips into the air and squeeze your legs, glutes, and core. Take a deep breath and be sure to stretch all the muscles. Hold the position for 1 or 2 seconds, then return to the ground.
Step 3. Do leg raises
Lie on your side and rest your head on your lower arm. Keep your other arm in front of your body, palm down. Extend both legs and raise the front one about 30 cm from the lower one. Lift your lower leg to reach the higher one. Slowly lower both and bring them back to the ground.
Another variation is to lie down with your back flat and legs straight in front of you. Slowly raise your legs to a 90 degree angle. Hold for a second, then lower your legs without touching the floor
Step 4. Go for a run
Running is a great workout for your glutes and legs. Any type of running can strengthen the lower body, but sprinting is the best exercise.
- For a bigger challenge, run uphill. The uphill sprints strengthen the glutes more, because they make the hip flexors work to the maximum.
- Running is a high impact activity and can have negative effects on your joints. If you can't run, try using an elliptical or stationary bike.
Step 5. Experiment with other exercises
There are many exercises that work the glutes and lower body. Do your research and find the ones you like best to integrate them into your training program. For some people, changing exercises often is a way to keep motivation high.
You can also try signing up for a yoga class. This is a great workout for strengthening muscles, improving flexibility and toning the body
Part 3 of 4: Maintain a Proper Diet
Step 1. Pay attention to what you eat
Diet plays a very important role in strengthening the buttocks and, in general, in caring for the body. If you don't combine exercises with a healthy diet, you won't get good results.
For best results, calculate your recommended calorie needs. You will need a lot of energy to train. If you want to lose weight, take in fewer calories than you burn. If you want to gain weight, do the opposite. Either way, make sure you balance your workouts with the calories you eat
Step 2. Eat balanced meals
You need protein to build muscle, but you need carbohydrates for energy. Don't focus too much on a single nutrient. To get the most out of your diet, find out for sure what your calorie needs are.
- About 15% of your diet should be made up of proteins and about 55% of carbohydrates.
- Lean proteins, like chicken and fish, are better than red meat. Prepare a vegetarian meal two or three times a week to vary your diet.
- Eat whole grains, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat bread for healthy energy gain.
Step 3. Eat the right fats
To stay healthy, your body needs a certain amount of healthy fats. You can recognize them because they are usually liquid at room temperature. Fats like olive oil, flaxseed oil, and safflower oil are good for you. If a fat is solid at room temperature, such as butter, avoid it.
Step 4. Drink lots of water
Water is essential for keeping the body hydrated. Try to drink a glass of water for every 20 minutes of physical activity.
Part 4 of 4: Learning to Know the Glutes
Step 1. Develop the right muscles
If you are looking for a more beautiful butt, remember that it is made up of three main muscles. Consider them all when creating your training program.
- The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in this area and one of the largest in the whole body. When you get up from the squat position or straighten your thigh, you use that muscle.
- The gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus have similar functions. During the run, they stabilize the leg after impact with the ground. They also help rotate the thigh.
Step 2. Discover your natural shape
Don't focus too much on one specific butt type. As with the rest of the body, your shapes are largely due to genetics.
If you have large or small buttocks, this is probably a hereditary factor. You will still be able to work on those muscles and make them stronger, but you may not be able to change their shape
Step 3. Vary your training
The best way to get better looking glutes is to work all three muscles in that group with many different exercises. Don't rely on squats alone to tone your glutes.
- The glutes respond to strength training and endurance training. Some of their fibers are fast-twitch, meaning they respond to explosive movements and are enhanced during exercises such as squats.
- The glutes also contain "slow twitch" muscles, which react to aerobic exercise and running.
Advice
- Exercise with weights that make you difficult only once or twice a week to allow your glutes to recover.
- Contract your glutes every time you push through squats, leg exercises, or bodyweight stretching.
- Be sure to stretch before doing these exercises, especially if you use weights.
Warnings
- Alternate exercises to avoid over-training certain specific muscles.
- When lifting weights with the barbell, use a "power rack" or "squat rack". Thanks to this equipment you can lift more weight without risking an injury if you lose your muscles before the end of the exercise.
- Pay attention to exercises that strain the joints and lower back. If you have had previous injuries, consult a doctor before starting an exercise program.
- Warm up for a few minutes with cardiovascular exercises, such as walking or cycling, before moving on to strength exercises. Dynamic stretching can also help you. Spend a few minutes doing static stretching (stretches held for more than a few seconds) after your workout.
