3 Best and Worst Glute Exercises for an Optimized Backside
You’ve already seen the trend: More and more people are focused on developing their backside profile and sculpting their glutes. Similar to having a 6—or 8-pack abs, well-developed glutes also signal dedication and discipline to physical self-improvement, whether you are a man or a woman.
The glutes are an important muscle area not only for aesthetic reasons but also for functional and optimal movements and athletic performance. However, not all glute exercises are efficient, and some can potentially be damaging if done incorrectly.
This article will discuss the best and worst glute exercises so you can make an informed decision in your exercise selection and fitness routine.
Just like the back region, the glutes are composed of different muscle groups that work together to produce movements like squats, hip hinging, stair climbing, lifting heavy weights, and keeping a more balanced posture.
More importantly, healthy gluteal muscles prevent lower back and knee injuries, especially in people who have a sedentary lifestyle or those who are engaged in athletic activities.
The exercises below are designed to target specific muscle groups of the gluteal region. It is important to keep these muscle groups active to avoid muscle imbalance and sleepy or underfiring muscles, which may cause gluteal, hip, knee, or lower back pain.
We categorized the worst exercises based on their limited ability to engage the target muscle, limitation of progressive overload, and increased risk of injury.
We’ve chosen the best exercises based on their ability to carry over their benefits to functional movements and ability to engage the muscle groups effectively, maximize the range of motion, and ability to overload progressively.
The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the glutes. It is the most superficial layer muscle among the gluteal group and is responsible for hip extension, external rotation, and abduction or moving away from the thigh.
If you want to develop a well-defined backside, you should train your gluteus maximus with a well-tailored routine and progressive overloading.
There’s no denying the positive impact of leg press exercises on building overall lower body strength. However, they are not the ideal exercise for targeting the gluteus maximus.
The seated position and fixed range of motion significantly limit glute activation and place more emphasis on your leg muscles, such as the quadriceps (quads).
The barbell hip thrust is one of the most effective exercises for targeting and isolating the gluteus maximus. Its innate motion is designed to emphasize hip extension, which maximizes glute activation and helps build strength and size in the gluteus maximus.
More importantly, since this is done using a barbell, it can easily be progressively overloaded, as you gradually increase the weight to continually challenge your glutes. It also provides a much better range of motion for the hip joint while keeping the knees and ankle in a fixed position.
Other great exercises for the gluteus maximus:
By combining the barbell hip thrust with a selection of these other effective glute exercises, you can create a comprehensive glute training program that targets the gluteus maximus from various angles and promotes optimal strength, size, and shape.
The gluteus medius muscle is located on the outer surface of the pelvis, just below the gluteus maximus. This muscle is typically not as meaty or well-developed as other muscles in your body, which could highlight the appearance of the hip dip.
However, a well-structured gluteus medius exercise routine can improve the size and shape of the hips and lessen the hip dip. Strengthening the gluteus medius is critical for maintaining proper alignment, preventing injuries, and enhancing overall lower body performance.
While the seated hip abduction machine is often used to target the gluteus medius, it may not be the most effective exercise for several reasons.
The seated position can limit the range of motion and reduce the activation of the gluteus medius. Additionally, the machine-based movement may not effectively mimic functional movement patterns, limiting the transfer of strength to daily activities.
The lateral band walk is an excellent exercise for targeting the gluteus medius, as it effectively engages the muscle through a functional movement pattern.
It requires the gluteus medius to stabilize the pelvis during the walking or running motion, allowing you to improve your hip stability and prevent injuries. This exercise also mimics explosive motions that require power and agility during athletic performance and changing directions during running.
Other great exercises for the traps:
- Clamshells
- Side-lying leg raises
- Single leg squats
- Lateral step-ups
- Curtsy lunges
- Fire hydrants
- Cable hip abductions
- Banded glute bridges
- Monster walk
The gluteus minimus is the smallest of the three gluteal muscles, located deep beneath the gluteus medius. Despite its small size, it plays a vital role in hip abduction, internal rotation, and pelvic stabilization.
While this exercise is great and effective for targeting the gluteal region, it is hard to isolate and activate the gluteus minimus effectively in a standing position.
Beginners may often find it hard to maintain a proper form when performing cable exercises due to the consistent tension from the start and top of the motion, which can break their proper form and lead to overcompensation and the use of momentum to complete the set.
Banded clamshells are an excellent exercise for targeting the gluteus minimus. They effectively engage the muscle through a controlled range of motion while adding resistance.
In the side-lying position, the gluteus minimus is placed in a favorable alignment for activation and isolation because it minimizes the involvement of the G max and quadriceps.
More importantly, the banded clamshells allow the gravitational force to be perpendicular to the hip's movement during the exercise, which creates a natural resistance for the gluteus minimus to work against.
Other great exercises for the gluteus minimus:
Here’s a plan that targets the glutes effectively:
And here’s another one that prioritizes your overall lower body development:
When it comes to targeting and developing the glutes, it's crucial to understand the unique functions and characteristics of each muscle within the glute complex. The gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus all play distinct roles in hip movement, stability, and overall lower body performance.
By selecting exercises that effectively isolate and activate each glute muscle, you can create a well-rounded glute training program that promotes balanced strength and development.
Every exercise has its own advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day, it is still about your personal preferences. You are unique. Do what makes you feel better and excited to work on yourself.