Everyone wants a toned, round, and well-shaped bum. Whether you’re working out for aesthetics or to improve strength and function, targeting the glutes is essential. Your gluteal muscles not only enhance your appearance but also support your core, stabilise your hips, and power your movements. The good news? With the right exercises, you can transform your backside into a stronger, rounder version of itself. So, if you’re ready to give your glutes the attention they deserve, here are the top 5 exercises to get a rounder butt.
The Importance of Targeting Your Glutes
Before we jump into the exercises, it’s worth understanding why the glutes are so important. Your glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. These muscles play a key role in everything from walking to running to climbing stairs. Strengthening them isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about improving your overall body mechanics, preventing injury, and enhancing athletic performance.
How to Get Better Glutes in 22 Days
1. Squats
Squats are the king of glute exercises. They target the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your body, and provide a great foundation for building a rounder, stronger bum.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your hips as if you’re sitting back into a chair, keeping your knees in line with your toes.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
To make this exercise more challenging and effective for building glute shape, you can add weights like dumbbells or a barbell. Make sure to lower yourself deeply enough so that your glutes are fully engaged. The deeper the squat, the more you target the glutes, helping to round out your backside.
Variations:
- Sumo squats (wide stance squats)
- Jump squats (plyometric squat to build power)
2. Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are an excellent exercise for isolating the glutes and activating both the gluteus maximus and medius. They are particularly effective if you want to avoid putting pressure on your knees.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips towards the ceiling.
- Hold for a second at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down.
For an added challenge, place a weight like a dumbbell or barbell across your hips or try single-leg glute bridges to further isolate each side.
Variations:
- Single-leg glute bridge (lifting one leg off the floor while performing the bridge)
- Elevated glute bridge (placing your feet on an elevated surface like a bench)
3. Lunges
Lunges are a versatile lower body exercise that targets not only the glutes but also your quads and hamstrings. They help sculpt the entire lower half and create more rounded glutes by working the muscles from different angles.
- Start standing tall with your feet hip-width apart.
- Step forward with one foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Push back up to the starting position through the heel of your front foot.
Lunges are particularly effective because they work the glutes in a split stance, which is key for promoting muscular balance and avoiding over-reliance on one side.
Variations:
- Reverse lunges (stepping back instead of forward)
- Walking lunges (continuous forward-stepping lunges)
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4. Step-ups
Step-ups are a powerful exercise that primarily targets the glutes, especially the gluteus maximus, while also working the hamstrings and quads. They mimic the movement of climbing stairs, making them a functional exercise.
- Stand in front of a bench or sturdy platform.
- Step up onto the bench with one foot, driving through the heel to lift yourself up.
- Step back down with control, then repeat on the other side.
To enhance this exercise for glute building, ensure the bench is high enough to challenge your muscles and focus on pushing through your heel as you lift yourself up. You can also hold dumbbells for added resistance.
Variations:
- Weighted step-ups (holding weights in each hand)
- Lateral step-ups (stepping up sideways)
5. Hip Thrusts
If you want to grow a rounder, fuller bum, hip thrusts should be your go-to move. This exercise primarily targets the glutes, with an emphasis on maximising the contraction and range of motion for full muscle engagement.
- Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench and a barbell (or weight plate) across your hips.
- Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground.
- Squeeze your glutes as you thrust your hips towards the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Lower your hips back down and repeat.
Unlike squats, which engage the quads and hamstrings along with the glutes, hip thrusts focus intensely on the glutes, making them one of the most effective exercises for glute hypertrophy (muscle growth).
Variations:
- Single-leg hip thrusts (perform the exercise on one leg for more isolation)
- Banded hip thrusts (adding resistance bands around your thighs for extra tension)
How to Maximise Your Glute Workouts
To truly build a rounder bum, consistency is key. But beyond that, there are a few additional tips that can help you see faster and better results.
1. Progressive Overload
This principle means gradually increasing the weight or resistance of your exercises. As your glutes get stronger, you need to challenge them more to continue seeing growth.
2. Mind-Muscle Connection
Source: Your House FitnessFocus on squeezing your glutes during every repetition. This will help ensure you’re engaging the right muscles, especially in exercises like squats and lunges, where it’s easy to let your quads take over.
3. Rest and Recovery
Your muscles grow when they are resting, not during the workout itself. Make sure you’re getting adequate rest between workouts and not overtraining the same muscle group on consecutive days.
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4. Balanced Nutrition
If you want to build muscle, eating enough protein is critical. Aim for a balanced diet rich in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates to fuel your workouts and recovery.
5. Stretch and Mobilise
Tight hip flexors can limit your range of motion in exercises like squats and lunges, making it harder to fully engage your glutes. Incorporate regular stretching and mobility exercises into your routine.
Conclusion
Building a rounder bum takes time, dedication, and the right combination of exercises. Squats, lunges, glute bridges, step-ups, and hip thrusts are all incredibly effective moves that target the glutes from different angles, ensuring a well-rounded workout. Pair these exercises with a solid fitness plan, proper nutrition, and a commitment to progressive overload, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving the shape you desire.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to enhance your appearance – strong glutes provide functional benefits that improve your overall fitness, reduce injury risk, and boost your athletic performance. So, whether you’re in the gym or working out at home, these exercises will help you build stronger, rounder glutes that power you through life.
Key Takeaways Table
| Key Point | Details |
|---|---|
| Top Exercises | Squats, glute bridges, lunges, step-ups, hip thrusts |
| Glute Muscles | Gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus |
| Progressive Overload | Gradually increase weights or resistance for continued growth |
| Mind-Muscle Connection | Focus on engaging your glutes during each rep |
| Balanced Diet | A diet rich in protein supports muscle growth |
| Rest and Recovery | Allow for recovery days to let muscles repair and grow |
| Stretching | Incorporate stretches to enhance mobility and range of motion |
Bibliography
- Contreras, B., Schoenfeld, B.J., 2011. “To Squat or Not to Squat? A Biomechanical and EMG Analysis.” Strength & Conditioning Journal, 33(5), pp.28-32.
- Swinton, P.A., Lloyd, R., Agouris, I., Stewart, A., Keogh, J.W., 2012. “A Biomechanical Comparison of the Traditional Squat, Powerlifting Squat, and Box Squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(7), pp.1805-1816.
- Boren, K., Conrey, C., Le Coguic, J., 2011. “The Glute Bridge: Effects on Gluteus Maximus Activation.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 23(5), pp.803-808.
- Fry, A.C., Smith, J.C., Schilling, B.K., 2003. “Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 17(4), pp.629-633.
- Schoenfeld, B.J., 2010. “The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(10), pp.2857-2872.
