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My go-to glute day staples usually involve 0-2 from each category to stimulate glute growth:
Hip extension:
Glute Bridge
Hip Thrust
Cable Kickbacks
Donkey Kicks
Frog Pumps
Hip Hinge:
Deadlift & Variations (RDL, Stiff-Legged)
Good Mornings
45-degree hyperextension
Cable Pull Through
Squat:
Squat & Variations (BB, Smith Machine, etc)
Leg Press
Lunges
Step Ups/ Step Down
Abduction:
Cable Hip Abduction
Machine Abduction
Standing Band Abduction
Banded Side/lateral Steps
Side-Lying Leg Lift
Fire Hydrant
Clamshell
Cable Hip Rotation
A glute program (for my personal goals) usually looks something like the below,
Day 1:
Hip extension: Hip thrust, Heavy, 3-4 x 6-12 reps
Hip Hinge: Sumo RDL, 3 x 10 reps
Squat: Leg Press, High Foot Placement, 3 x 8-15 reps (depending on program goals)
Abduction: Chest Supported Cable Hip Abduction
Day 2:
Hip extension: Hip Thrust Pause Reps, 3-4 x 8-12 reps
Hip Hinge: BB Good Morning, 2 x 10 reps
Squat: Low-Bar Squat 3 x 8 reps
Abduction: Abduction Machine 3-4 x 25-30 reps
Day 3:
Hip Hinge: Sumo Deadlifts
Hip Hinge V2: Bulgarian Split Squat 3 x 10/side
Squat: Cable Step Downs, 3 x 10 reps/side
Abduction: Mini-Band Clamshells 3 x 30 reps/side
If you look at that and think:
"That’s very basic…"
or maybe even,
"I need more a program more challenging/specialized than this"
That may be where your problem lies.
A lifter who knows how to build muscle knows that more doesn’t mean better, and can make pretty much any session "hard".
In my workouts, I’m not gauging success on:
- How out of breath I get
- How sweaty I am after
- or How many calories my watch says I have burned (which is inaccurate anyway)
What actually matters for building muscle, that I look for in my workouts:
- Selecting exercises to train the function of the target muscle(s)
- Taking the muscle close enough to failure to stimulate growth (0-3 RIR, for more on this check out my blog post on RIR & Training Intensity coming out next week! Subscribe to our Newsletter here)
- Whether I’ve had an appropriate amount of volume to stimulate growth (my trainer does this for me. Yes, even trainers have trainers!)
So, rather than chasing calorie burning sessions & the next "must-try" exercise, ask yourself:
-“Am I truly engaging the target muscle as hard as I can, with great form, at appropriate resistance?” - In your session did you feel a burning or tingling feeling in the muscle during or after exercise? (this is metabolic stress & suggests the activation of muscle fibers and metabolic byproducts like lactic acid accumulating)
- When you finish your session, does your target muscle feel pumped and/or fatigued?
If the answer is no, you likely need to adjust your approach & focus in each session, and not the workout itself.
Don’t know where to start? Book a free call with one of our coaches to see where you can improve your current plan, and if coaching may be helpful for you
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