Top 7 Moves for Gorgeous Glutes
Summer is around the corner and it’s time to boost that backside. (Photos by Travis McCoy/travismccoy.com)
Booty, junk in the trunk, heinie, butt, glutes. The list of names for your backside goes on and on. There are so many names for the gluteus maximus because it is such a wonderful muscle (or muscle group if you include the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius and other supporting muscles). As the powerhouse of the body, it’s no wonder that athletes worldwide focus a lot of attention on training their glutes. Here are seven moves to tone, strengthen and activate the body’s largest muscle. (As an added benefit, these moves will also help you fill out those jeans in all the right places!)
1. Banded Side Lunges
Building off the basic lunge, add resistance bands around your upper thighs to amp up the difficulty. HOW TO DO IT: Wrap a band around your knees with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down a quarter of the way and send your butt back so that you feel your glutes engage. Then step to the side while staying in a semi-squat position. Repeat this movement on the other side and feel the burn!
2. Lunges
Lunges are a wonderful move for the glutes because there are so many variations. Start with this basic version and add weight as you get stronger. To add difficulty, place a barbell across your back or hold dumbbells in your hands.
HOW TO DO IT: To start, stand with both feet underneath your shoulders. Step forward with one leg and bend both knees so that your back knee touches the floor and your front shin is completely perpendicular to the floor. Your front knee should be directly over your ankle and never track over your foot. You can alternate doing lunges in place, walk forward while doing lunges, walk backwards while doing lunges or do side lunges.
Related: A 20-Minute Metabolism-Boosting, Official Tabata Workout
3. Banded Front & Back Walks
Another banded movement that builds strength in your hips and glutes, you can place one band around the knees with your feet shoulder-width apart. Or to make this more challenging add another band around your ankles. HOW TO DO IT: Squat down into an athletic stance (about a quarter of the way down). Then, with control, step forward while keeping your feet facing forward, imagining that your feet have to stay parallel like train tracks. Walk forward for a few steps before repeating this movement and walking backwards.
4. One-Legged Bridge
The one-legged bridge is a great way to isolate your glutes. HOW TO DO IT: Lie on your back with one foot firmly planted on the floor with your knee bent. The free leg should point straight out at a 45-degree angle to the floor with your free leg’s thigh staying in line with the planted leg’s thigh. Squeeze the glutes and thrust up to the sky, hold and slowly lower back down.
5. Single-Leg Deadlift
The single-leg deadlift is a wonderful move that isolates the glutes and posterior chain. If you need assistance, you can hold on to something stable. HOW TO DO IT: Begin by balancing on one leg with a weight or kettlebell in the opposite hand. Keeping your standing knee slightly bent, bend at the hip and extend your free leg behind you for balance. Lower the weight toward the ground until your torso is parallel to the ground. Then return to the upright position. Make sure to keep your hips closed and your back in a stable-spine position. Do not round your back!
6. Bulgarian Split Squat
Once you master the basic form of this move, you can add difficulty by placing a barbell on your back or dumbbells in your hands. HOW TO DO IT: Using a stable weight bench or raised platform, place one foot on the platform behind you. Your front leg should be far enough in front of you so that your knee never passes over your ankle when you squat down. Slowly and with control, lower your body in a straight line so that you’re in a lunge position with your back foot still raised. Make sure that your front knee is at a 90-degree angle.
7. Stability Ball Hamstring Curl
This is a challenging move that works not only your glutes, but also your entire posterior chain (think hips to ankles). HOW TO DO IT: Lie on the ground on your back. Place your ankles on top of a stability ball. Bridge your butt up to the sky with your arms and hands placed firmly on the floor. With control, roll your feet in toward your butt and back out again, all while keeping your hips thrusting to the sky.
The original article “The Top 15 Moves to Tone Your Glutes“ appeared on LIVESTRONG.COM.
By Collette Stohler
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