The 5 Best Glute Exercises for a Strong Butt — what the article says and how to do two high-value moves

The useful part

Whenever you walk into the weight room, you're usually choosing one over the other: pump up your pecs or bolster your lower back. "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 risk of injury, and enhance athletic performance and daily movement efficiency." Which Glute Muscles Should You Target During Your Workout?

How it works

• Step-Up "The EMG research says a squat, a step-up, a lunge, and a leg press are all almost the exact same in terms of recruiting the glutes," says Luke Carlson, founder and CEO of Discover Strength.
• Trainer tip: "There's a lot written about how far forward that lead foot should be to really maximize glute recruitment, but the reality is the EMG studies say it probably doesn't matter," Carlson says.
• "There's just no way you're working that musculature without it," Carlson says.
• "If you don't have much equipment, that's the way to do it, and that will work for sure." 4.
• The 5 Best Glute Exercises for a Strong Butt | GQ Skip to main content Save this story Save this story Trainers often joke about the difference between "show" muscles and "go" muscles —in other words,...

What to take from it

Engage the muscles in your extended leg, release the safety latch, and slowly draw your knee in towards your chest. Hip Thrust If you've recently noticed more guys doing hip thrusts at the gym, that's because this exercise is widely considered to be the most effective glute exercise out there. The glutes are made up of three sections, and the key to packing on serious muscle mass is to target the lot, Liebl says.

Example or evidence

• Single-Leg Leg Press During his time training top-flight football players, Carlson relied heavily on what he calls "the ultimate glute exercise" to help his athletes build robust glutes.
• It's the powerhouse behind hip extension and helps you stand up, climb stairs, sprint, and lift things.
• This one helps with balance and stability, especially during single-leg movements like walking, running, or lunging.
• "Step-ups have one of the highest levels of glute activation, due to the stabilization requirements," personal trainer Josh Schlottman, CSCS, says.

Details worth keeping

However, there is a middle ground in this Venn diagram, and that's where you'll find the glutes —your body's most powerful drivers of athletic performance, and the muscles responsible for getting your rear to resemble, incidentally, a Venn diagram. Glutes play an important role in supporting our day-to-day activities. Then there's the gluteus medius, which sits more on the side of your hip.

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