Trainers often joke about the difference between “show” muscles and “go” muscles — in other words, muscles that look pretty versus muscles that can actually pull their weight when it counts. Whenever you go to the weight room, you usually choose one over the other: pump your pecs or strengthen your lower back. However, there is a middle ground in this Venn diagram, and it is here that you will find the glutes – the most powerful drivers of your body’s athletic performance, and the muscles responsible for making your rear resemble the Venn diagram.
Why should you exercise your glutes?
The glutes play an important role in supporting our day-to-day activities.
“Glute training isn’t just for athletes or bodybuilders; it’s essential for everyone,” says Jenny Lieble, CPT, senior content developer. International Sports Science Association (ISSA) and author of ISSA’s Glute Expert course. “The glute muscles are among the largest and most powerful muscles in the human body, and they play a central role in nearly every fundamental movement pattern. Strong, well-functioning glutes contribute to better posture, reduce injury risk, and enhance athletic performance and daily movement efficiency.”
Which glute muscles should you target during your workout?
Libel says the glutes are made up of three segments, and the key to packing on serious muscle mass is to target a lot of them.
“The gluteus maximus is the big, strong muscle that shapes your rear. It’s the powerhouse behind hip extension and helps you stand up, climb stairs, run fast, and lift things. Then there’s the gluteus medius, which sits more on the side of your hip. It helps with balance and stability, especially during single-leg activities like walking, running or lunges. And finally, the gluteus. The middle one is the shortest and deepest of the group, which works to keep your hips stable and aligned, especially when you’re on one leg.
best glute exercises
Here, expert trainers share their favorite glute exercises—based on both experience and published electromyography (EMG) research that analyzes muscle activation—to help you fill out your shorts while it’s still warm outside.
1. Step-up
“EMG research says that squats, step-ups, lunges, and leg presses are almost identical in terms of recruiting the glutes,” says Luke Carlson, founder and CEO of . discover strength. Emphasize the word “almost.”
Compared to most other lower-body or glute-specific exercises, the step-up brings something unique to the table in that you move around in space while loading the muscles, resulting in more muscle recruitment overall.
“The step-up has one of the highest levels of glute activation due to the stabilization requirements,” personal trainer. Josh Schlottman, CSCSThey say. This means you’ll spend more money and spend less time waiting for a squat rack to open.
how to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and stand facing a sturdy box or bench. Carlson recommends a surface that’s at least the height of your kneecaps.
- Holding the dumbbell at your side, lift your left foot up onto the box.
- Push through your left foot to lift your body onto the box, keeping your back leg loose and relaxed.
- Allow your left leg to fully extend – stopping just before lock-out – and let your right foot lightly touch the top of the box.
- Slowly step back down, reversing the motion with control to maximize the eccentric phase. He is a representative. Repeat on the right leg and continue alternating to complete the desired number of repetitions.
