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If you haven’t noticed yet, butts are back! That far-sighted Sir Mix-a-Lot with his ‘Baby Got Back’ really did have it all figured out. From the Kardashians to J.Lo, there is no doubt that bigger and rounder booties are back and here to stay… and I couldn’t be happier!
So, what is all this hype with big buttocks? Well, first of all, we should clear up what we mean by big. Big doesn’t mean fat, that couldn’t be farther from the truth! On the contrary, it is exactly those high-lifted bubble butts that are actually the strongest and least fat butts out there…whaaaat?!
As it is true that there is a genetic variable on how high or low your butt might be, there is definitely a large component of fitness and nutrition that can help shape your behind. I mean do you really want that sad, small, and flat, derriere promoted for so long as the woman’s ideal body type?… Or do you actually want to have a nice healthy juicy strong tushy?? I vote for the bubble butts!
So, before we get into talking about that natural Brazilian butt-lift makeover and exactly how to grow your glutes at home, let’s first talk anatomy and health benefits.
Post Contents
Glute Composition
Everyone knows about the all-too-famous gluteus maximus, but not too many people know about their lesser known siblings, the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. In order to have a strong and round butt it is important to train all three of these muscles, not just the gluteus maximus… GASP!
The Three Glute Muscles: Why Is It Important To Have Strong Glutes?
Besides the obvious aesthetic appeal of having a firm booty, the glutes are the strongest muscle group in the body and as such, are responsible for much of the mobility we have in our lower body. Having strong glutes not only helps our body perform movements (leg extension/rotation, hip extension/abduction, etc.), but also helps to reduce the possibility of injury.
Alignment and Posture
A stabilized pelvis is a key factor to a pain free existence. When your glutes are weak, your body will turn to other muscles for assistance in hip rotation and extension. More often than not this will cause an overexertion on the hips, compression on the lower back and will move on to have an effect on the alignment of your knees and ankles as well! Yikes!
Having strong glutes also immediately helps to improve posture which again, will help to relieve unwanted and unnatural compression on other parts of the body.
Your Glutes Can Determine How Athletic You Are
Given that glutes are the prime muscle group responsible for movement (i.e. whenever you push off of something you are engaging your glutes) they also can determine how powerful and how big of a movement you can make. Think of jumping, or even going up the stairs. The stronger your glutes, the higher and farther you will be able to travel. This is why all those sprinters always have such amazing tight butts… the stronger the butt, the faster the acceleration and longer the strides.
Gluteus Maximus
So, let’s talk about our dear little friend Maximus. The strongest and largest muscle in the entire body, this muscle is responsible for hip extension and external rotation. Any movement that needs “forward thrust,” (walking, running, getting up) is relying on the maximus.
The gluteus maximus is definitely where most of the volume will be happening when growing your glutes. This is also the specific muscle to target if you’re concerned with an underbutt. To try to tone up the lower glutes, (the area where the glutes meet the hamstrings,) the best exercises to perform will be compound exercises (i.e. exercises that target several muscle groups). More specifics on that in the Workout Section.
Gluteus Medius and Minimus
These smaller little guys are responsible for hip abduction and internal rotation. Although they aren’t where most of the mass comes into play, they do play a major role in the shape your butt gets. How high and just how bubble a butt you will get depends on how strong your upper glutes are. Oh…and if you’re flustered with saddlebags that just won’t go away, these are two muscles you will want to focus on.
TAKE AWAY: So as a guideline, the key to killer glutes is working all three muscles! Not only will this allow you to reap the full health benefits, but it will give you the chance to fully take control of the size AND shape of your derriere.
So, what are the steps necessary to start growing your glutes?
Resistance Training: Grow Your Glutes At Home
When we talk about growing your glutes, we obviously mean growing your muscles. As you might know, in order to grow muscle, you must be working your muscle up to a point where it gets little microtears. The subsequent protein that steps in to repair these tears is what develops and builds new muscle making it bigger.
In order to generate these microtears you must be performing exercises that overwork your muscle and ideally bring it to muscular failure (where you are no longer able to perform additional reps). Progressive Overload is the term most often used with hypertrophy training (training that specifically focuses on muscle growth.) For a more advanced read on Hypertrophy Training check out my guide here.
Progressive Overload means you need to consistently “up” the weight you are using to keep your glutes challenged. In the beginning, your bodyweight can be more than sufficient to challenge your muscles. The important thing is that you feel significant resistance while performing the exercises. Gradually, as your muscles start to get stronger, you will have to gradually increase the resistance. Anything from minibands, to dumbbells to ankle weights can work; the important thing is to listen to your body and know what is too easy, what is too hard, and what is just challenging enough.
Generally speaking when doing hypertrophy, a good set will contain about 8-15 reps. If you can do more you are not using enough resistance, if you can’t only get to eight, then maybe you are using too much weight.
How Often Should I Be Working Out My Glutes
As with all other muscle groups, it is fundamental to rest. If you don’t rest, your muscles will not be able to grow. This is one of the most common mistakes in post workout muscle recovery. To really be growing those glutes you should ideally be training them 2-3 times per week (depending on your fitness level) alternating your days with lower body workouts and upper body/HIIT training.
At Home Booty Workout: Equipment Needed
For the following glute exercises, depending on your fitness level you can decide whether or not to use weights. You can totally just use your body-weight- I guarantee that it will still burn! If it’s too easy for you, you can add:
• Minibands
• Dumbbells or Ankle Weights
Grow Glutes At Home Workout
We will be performing 4 supersets, each of two exercises. A superset means you will be performing the two exercises back to back with no rest in between. In between each superset you can rest for 1 minute. Complete the entire circuit 2 to 3 times.
Remember this is just a guide, if you can’t keep up and need more rest or need to do less reps that is absolutely fine!
Superset 1: Glute Bridge and Donkey Kicks
1. Glute Bridge x 30
- Lie down on the floor with knees bent, feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
- Drive your hips up until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line.
- Squeeze those glutes as hard as you can at the top and hold for 5 seconds.
- Lower back down slowly.
**FORM: Keep the pelvis tucked in and the abs engaged in order to not strain and overextend your lower back.
Compound Exercise: works various muscle groups
Exercise Works: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Adductors (inner thigh), Core
2. Donkey Kicks x 30
- Start on all fours with hips over knees and hands over shoulders.
- Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees, kick back your leg towards the ceiling.
- You know you have reached the top before your back starts arching.
- Squeeze at the top and lower down without touching the ground.
**FORM: Keep your abs engaged and make sure to maintain a flat back and neutral head.
Isolated Exercise: works mainly one muscle group
Exercise Works: Gluteus Maximus, Core
Superset 2: Bulgarian Split Squats and Single-Leg Chair Squats
3. Bulgarian Split Squats X 15 each leg
You will need a chair, couch, or bench to elevate your back leg on. (Should be about knee height)
- Begin standing with one leg bent behind.
- You should be standing a couple feet away (so far away from the chair so as when you sit back into your lunge, your standing knee is right over your standing foot). Don’t let your knee go beyond the toes.
- Sit back into a lunge. You want your knee to lower and almost touch the couch forming an almost perpendicular line with the ground.
- Push back up through your heel.
**FORM: If you feel the strain too much in your quad, you are not sitting back enough in your squat.
Compound Exercise Works: Gluteus Maximus, Hamstrings, Quads, Core
4. Single Leg Chair Squat x 15 each leg
You will need a chair/bench for this exercise.
- Begin sitting in a chair.
- Prepare to get up with only one leg, planting your heal firmly into the ground.
- Make sure you shift your glutes backward and stand up (don’t lock knees at the top).
- Remember to never let your knee go beyond your toes.
- Sit back down slowly with glutes always engaged.
**FORM: You don’t have to keep the unengaged leg straight. If it strains your quad too much you can totally keep the leg bent just as long as it doesn’t touch the floor.
Compound Exercise Works: Gluteus Maximus, Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
Superset 3: Fire Hydrants and Clamshells
5. Fire Hydrants x 15 each leg
- Start on all fours with hips over knees and hands over shoulders.
- Maintaining your leg bent at a 90-degree angle, lift your leg up to the right until it reaches about hip height.
- Lower back down without touching the floor.
**FORM: Keep your abs engaged and make sure to maintain a flat back and neutral head.
Isolated Exercise Works: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Core
6. Clamshells x 30 each side
- Begin lying down on your side with your feet and hips stacked and knees bent 90 degrees.
- Your feet should be in line with your butt.
- Raise your knee as far as you can without rotating your hip.
- Squeeze at the top and come back down.
**FORM: Keep your back straight, your core engaged, and make sure you don’t rotate the hips.
Isolated Exercise Works: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Core
Superset 4: Crab Walks & Lateral Leg Raises to Squat
7. Crab Walks x 60 secs
- Start in a half-squat position with feet hip width apart.
- Start walking sideways maintaining the half-squat position. No bobbing up and down.
**FORM: Make sure your back remains straight and doesn’t curve forward. Keep your hips level.
Compound Exercise Works: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Quads, Hamstrings, Core
8. Lateral Leg Raises to Squat x 15 each side
- Begin standing with feet spread out shoulder-width.
- Sit back into a squat until your knees form a 90-degree angle with floor. Make sure you are sitting back into your squat to work those glutes and to make sure those knees are not moving beyond the toes.
- Slowly stand back up and lift leg to the side as high as you can go without rotating your hip.
- Lower back down slowly, repeat squat and then change leg.
**FORM: Make sure your supporting leg always stays slightly bent!
Compound Exercise Works: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Quads, Hamstrings, Core
Finish-Line
So that’s it! Congratulations, you’ve just completed your first Butt-lifting Grow Glutes at Home Workout! Cool down, make sure to stretch, and make sure to get your protein post-workout! Try these great post workout snacks to help meet your protein goals. (Remember, not enough protein means no buns of steel!)
Also, consistency is the number one key to seeing results. To start seeing a change in your butt shape and volume you should ideally perform this workout two times per week, gradually increasing the resistance used. Have fun and take before and after pictures! A lot of times without pictures you might not be able to detect initial results, but they are there- I promise!
Happy Booty Lifting!
This blog post is intended for general informational and educational purposes only. Please read my full disclosure for further information.
**I am NOT a certified/licensed fitness instructor. Always consult a qualified medical professional before beginning any nutritional program or exercise program. The exercise and nutritional suggestions here are not intended to substitute for proper medical advice. La Dolce Fit Vita assumes no responsibility for injuries suffered while practicing any exercise or nutritional program.
Amanda Kerr says
This is such a great post girl! Since COVID I’ve been noticing more changes in my booty with more time under tension banded workouts. Muscle-mind connection is always key!
Linda Faison says
Yes exactly! And there are sooo many exercises, rest intervals, and etc. variables to switch up to keep your booty challenged ! 🙂