The major muscles that add shape, roundness and lift to the glutes are the gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and the piriformis. For muscle growth and hypertrophy, the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends doing three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Choose exercises and weights that will exhaust the muscle by 12 repetitions. If you do not feel the burn, add more weight. If you are a beginner, start with body weight exercises, and progress to holding dumbbells or barbells or using cables for added resistance.
Pre-Exhaustive Conditioning
A problem some people face when working out is that they do not feel it in their glutes because their quads dominate the exercise. Lee Hayward, professional bodybuilder and fitness expert, recommends a technique called pre-exhaustive conditioning. This training involves doing an exercise that works only the targeted muscle before the actual workout to stimulate it to become more active in subsequent exercises, thus improving the quality of your workout.
Glute Bridges
This is a pre-exhaustive exercise. Start lying on your back with knees bent about 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands at your side, palms down on the floor. Lift your glutes as high as you can while digging your heels into the floor. For advanced exercisers, do this exercise with one leg on the floor, and the other straight up in the air. For added difficulty, place the bottom foot on a BOSU Ball or medicine ball.
Cable Kickbacks
This is another pre-exhaustive exercise. Use an ankle attachment on a cable machine with the pulley all the way down to the ground. Face the cable machine and kick your leg straight behind you, squeezing your glutes as you lift your leg. Keep your back leg straight during the duration of the exercise. This specifically targets the gluteus medius, maximus, and piriformis, the muscles responsible for the rounded "shelf" appearance.
Smith Machine Reverse Lunges
Stand in the Smith machine with the bar on the back of your shoulders. Step with your right leg out behind you so your left front leg bends to about 90 degrees with your knee behind your toes. Squeeze your glutes and stand back up, keeping your weight on your heels and bringing your right leg up in front so you remain balanced on your left leg. Repeat 10 times with the same leg, then switch.
Step Ups
Stand in front of a 12- to 24-inch step. Step your right leg up so the entire foot is on the step. Push off the right leg, keeping the majority of your weight on your heel. Stand up straight and balance on your right leg. Bend the right knee and slowly with control, lower your body so your left foot touches back onto the ground. For added resistance, hold a barbell or body bar on the back of the shoulders. Do this 10 times and switch legs.
References
- Lee Hayward: How to Build and Bigger Butt
- Exercise Prescription: Gluteus Maximus
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association: Baechel, Thomas R. and Earle, Roger W. 2008.
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