Big, rounded gluteal muscles enlarge your buttocks, improving the appearance of your back side, especially if your butt is flat. Building your glutes takes moderate to heavy weights using primarily barbells and dumbbells. Many hamstring exercises performed with your feet fixed on the ground engage your gluteal muscles. Ensure you focus on contracting your glutes during these exercises to build your butt. You should only train your legs and butt one day per week because it is quite an intense workout.
Dead Lifts
Step 1
Remove the safety bars in a squat rack. Position the barbell in the squat rack so the bar is just above your knees.
Step 2
Stand at the center of the bar with the bar touching your thighs. Bend your knees slightly to grasp the bar with your left palm facing forward and your right palm facing backward; your hands should be immediately adjacent to the side of each thigh. Straighten your legs to lift the bar off of the barbell pegs, stepping backward about 8 inches.
Step 3
Keep your feet within 2 to 3 inches of each other and slightly bend both knees. Stick your buttocks out behind you as you lower the bar past your knees until you feel a stretch along the back of your legs; the barbell should stay very close to your legs. Maintain a flat back by keeping your eyes leveled with the wall or mirror in front of you.
Step 4
Contract your gluteus muscles to lift the bar up, straightening your body. Stick your chest out by pushing both hips forward at the very top of the movement. Repeat for four to six sets of six to 12 repetitions.
Weighted Hyperextensions
Step 1
Adjust the hyperextension machine so that your hips are slightly beyond the hip pads. Grab a 5 lb. plate, then place it on the floor directly below the hip pads.
Step 2
Position your body in the hyperextension machine so that your heels are against the heel supports and your thighs are along the hip pads.
Step 3
Bend your hips to lower your trunk toward the floor. Grab the weight plate, then crisscross your arms in front of you, hugging the plate against your chest.
Step 4
Contract your gluteal muscles to lift your trunk upward so it is in a straight line with your legs. Bend your hips to lower your trunk toward the floor, keeping your eyes leveled with the wall or mirror in front of you. Contract your gluteals again, lifting your trunk to make your butt larger.
Step 5
Repeat for four to six sets of six to 12 repetitions. Place the weight on the floor with your hips in the bent position before you get out of the hyperextension machine.
Tips and Warnings
- Gradually increase the weight you use, ensuring that it is heavy enough so you can only do six to 12 repetitions per set.
Things You'll Need
- Squat rack
- Barbell
- Hyperextension machine
- Weight plates
References
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- American College of Sports Medicine: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Adults; Joseph Donnelly; 2009
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