Some popular glute exercises promise big results but often fall short. As a seasoned fitness coach with years of experience helping clients build stronger glutes, I've seen these firsthand. Skip these four for better gains.
Rushing through glute bridges with quick pulses might feel intense, but speed sabotages results. Momentum takes over, engaging your legs more than your glutes.
Read also: 'Why it is sometimes better not to train intensively'
Better approach: Perform glute bridges slowly, prioritizing form and muscle contraction. Limit reps to 10 or fewer, squeezing your glutes at the top. Add a resistance band around your thighs or a weight on your hips if bodyweight feels too easy.
How to do it:
1. Lie on your back on a mat, feet hip-width apart, toes slightly out. Keep shoulders glued to the floor, spine neutral, arms relaxed at your sides.
2. Press heels into the floor and lift hips slowly, squeezing glutes. Hold at the top with glutes engaged.
3. Lower hips, relax glutes briefly, then repeat.
Lunges are great for legs, but they're not ideal for glute growth. They don't isolate the glutes effectively.
Better approach: Switch to single-leg deadlifts. They target one side at a time, forcing glutes to stabilize and burn. Start bodyweight, then add dumbbells.
How to do it:
1. Stand feet hip-width apart.
2. Hinge at hips, shift weight to one leg, extend the other behind while keeping it straight.
3. Let arms hang to form a T with your body. Return to start and switch sides.
Donkey kicks are glute staples, but poor form – like arching your back – shifts work away from the target muscles.
Better approach: Try step-ups. They create unilateral imbalance, making glutes work harder for stability. Use bodyweight or add weights.
How to do it:
1. Stand before a plyo box or step, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step one foot onto the box, drive through the back foot to lift up, then bring the other foot up.
3. Pause at top, step down slowly, and alternate.
Standing kickbacks risk back strain if you're unstable, pulling tension away from glutes.
Better approach: Opt for goblet squats. They demand more glute and core activation than standard squats.
How to do it:
1. Stand feet wider than hip-width, toes out. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at chest center.
2. Hinge hips back, squat down with tailbone toward floor, chest up.
3. Drive feet into floor to stand.
