“Booty, booty, booty, rockin’ everywhere!”
I think this expression accurately sums up what society is all about right now.
Everyone’s all about the booty right now, in every capacity imaginable.
If you don’t believe me, get on your Instagram and tell me what you’re looking it.
I can guarantee you one of the first things you’ll see is some chick posing in a picture that’s focused entirely on her scantily clad bottom half with a caption that reads, “OMG You guys! Check out this amazing new phone case I got!”
And we’re all like, “calm down chick, you just wanna show off those well-developed glutes you got..which are actually quite nice. Damn. Good job.”
The point here is: Butts are big right now. ::Pun intended::
Never before have I seen so many women take an interest in weight lifting to get in shape, become healthy, and acquire a shapely bottom half that brings all the boys to the yard.
And I couldn’t be happier for multiple reasons.
I think this expression accurately sums up what society is all about right now.
Everyone’s all about the booty right now, in every capacity imaginable.
If you don’t believe me, get on your Instagram and tell me what you’re looking it.
I can guarantee you one of the first things you’ll see is some chick posing in a picture that’s focused entirely on her scantily clad bottom half with a caption that reads, “OMG You guys! Check out this amazing new phone case I got!”
And we’re all like, “calm down chick, you just wanna show off those well-developed glutes you got..which are actually quite nice. Damn. Good job.”
The point here is: Butts are big right now. ::Pun intended::
Never before have I seen so many women take an interest in weight lifting to get in shape, become healthy, and acquire a shapely bottom half that brings all the boys to the yard.
And I couldn’t be happier for multiple reasons.
A reason such as…I’m a guy.
A second reason, is I like seeing women take control of their health and fitness by taking to the weights.
Girls are finally understanding the notion that lifting weights won’t make you “bulky, manly, or huge”, but instead will make them leaner, more toned, and help develop a more feminine physique.
I know it’s sometimes hard for women to find accurate and helpful information on weight training.
Women are not just versions of “little men” and therefore should not train like men. Yes, there is some carry-over from men’s training methods, but women are WOMEN, and should be training to accentuate their assets. ::another lame pun::
So for all you ladies taking to the squat racks, and those who want to start developing some glutes you can be proud of, this one’s for you.
This article will be a straight forward, all-you-need-to-know breakdown for building an impressive bottom half and how to make some apple bottom gains in the gym.
A second reason, is I like seeing women take control of their health and fitness by taking to the weights.
Girls are finally understanding the notion that lifting weights won’t make you “bulky, manly, or huge”, but instead will make them leaner, more toned, and help develop a more feminine physique.
I know it’s sometimes hard for women to find accurate and helpful information on weight training.
Women are not just versions of “little men” and therefore should not train like men. Yes, there is some carry-over from men’s training methods, but women are WOMEN, and should be training to accentuate their assets. ::another lame pun::
So for all you ladies taking to the squat racks, and those who want to start developing some glutes you can be proud of, this one’s for you.
This article will be a straight forward, all-you-need-to-know breakdown for building an impressive bottom half and how to make some apple bottom gains in the gym.
GLUTE TRAINING
Weight lifting can seem quite intimidating and challenging at first, especially for those who haven’t spent much time under a barbell doing squats.
Before we get into some of the details, here’s what’s going to be covered.
So let’s get into it.
Weight lifting can seem quite intimidating and challenging at first, especially for those who haven’t spent much time under a barbell doing squats.
Before we get into some of the details, here’s what’s going to be covered.
- Exercise Selction- which exercises work best for developing great glutes
- Exercise Technique-how to perform the movements to get the most out of them
- Rep Ranges- How many reps you should be doing for optimal results
- Volume Ranges- How many sets you should be doing for optimal results
- Frequencies- How often you should train your glutes
- Progression- Increases in strength should be considered
- Prioritizing Glutes
- Nutrition For Glutes
So let’s get into it.
Exercise Selection
I think right now, we all know squats are important. And they are. Almost all of the stimulus needed to develop glutes will come from doing deep squats. Squatting is a very natural movement, but might take some time to fully feel comfortable with added weight. The major key to making sure you’re getting the most out of your squats is to use a weight that’s manageable and go as low as you can to feel a stretch in your glutes.
Here’s a short list of other glute-oriented exercises that SHOULD be done along with squats.
If you’re unfamiliar with what these exercises are or how to perform them properly, make use of the Google Machines to find out a little bit more.
I think right now, we all know squats are important. And they are. Almost all of the stimulus needed to develop glutes will come from doing deep squats. Squatting is a very natural movement, but might take some time to fully feel comfortable with added weight. The major key to making sure you’re getting the most out of your squats is to use a weight that’s manageable and go as low as you can to feel a stretch in your glutes.
Here’s a short list of other glute-oriented exercises that SHOULD be done along with squats.
If you’re unfamiliar with what these exercises are or how to perform them properly, make use of the Google Machines to find out a little bit more.
Lunges (barbell behind the neck or holding dumbbells to the side)
Glute Bridges
Sumo Squats
Sumo Deadlifts
Glute Machine Kickbacks
Glute-Ham Raises
Images from bodybuilding.com
Exercise Technique
To get the most bang for your buck on these movements, especially squats and deadlifts, you want to go AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. This is because the glutes get the most activation and stimulus at the bottom of the movement. For the other movements mentioned, always be sure to go through the full range of motion and get a good squeeze and contraction at the top for a split second. You really want to feel the glutes working, and not just feel like you’re heaving weight around.
To get the most bang for your buck on these movements, especially squats and deadlifts, you want to go AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. This is because the glutes get the most activation and stimulus at the bottom of the movement. For the other movements mentioned, always be sure to go through the full range of motion and get a good squeeze and contraction at the top for a split second. You really want to feel the glutes working, and not just feel like you’re heaving weight around.
Rep Ranges
6-15 reps per set is going to be your sweet spot. This recommendation is not an absolute, but seems to work best for most trainees. Your heavier sets should be towards the lower end while lighter sets should be towards the higher end. While lifting heavier weights is important, it’s not the end game we’re looking for here. We want to maximize activation in the glutes to get them to grow (known as hypertrophy) and this works best with this rep range.
6-15 reps per set is going to be your sweet spot. This recommendation is not an absolute, but seems to work best for most trainees. Your heavier sets should be towards the lower end while lighter sets should be towards the higher end. While lifting heavier weights is important, it’s not the end game we’re looking for here. We want to maximize activation in the glutes to get them to grow (known as hypertrophy) and this works best with this rep range.
Training Frequency
Your butt is big. Even if it’s not, it is. And what I mean by this is it’s a large muscle group and needs some time to recover between workouts. The glutes comprise a large part of your lower body and are used extensively when you’re not sitting on them. They’re being used with every step you take during the day, as well as being activated in other exercises like when training your back or during other body part sessions. The best recommendation for DIRECT glue training (using the exercises mentioned above) is usually 2 or 3 times a week. But lucky for you ladies- you all seem to respond quite well to leg training and recover quicker than guys, so you all can get away with training them a bit more often.
Your butt is big. Even if it’s not, it is. And what I mean by this is it’s a large muscle group and needs some time to recover between workouts. The glutes comprise a large part of your lower body and are used extensively when you’re not sitting on them. They’re being used with every step you take during the day, as well as being activated in other exercises like when training your back or during other body part sessions. The best recommendation for DIRECT glue training (using the exercises mentioned above) is usually 2 or 3 times a week. But lucky for you ladies- you all seem to respond quite well to leg training and recover quicker than guys, so you all can get away with training them a bit more often.
Total Volume
Your training volume is the total amount of work you’re doing for a body part over the course of time; a week in this instance. 10 to 15 TOTAL sets for EACH exercise will be more than adequate. So if you’re hitting squats 3 times per week, 5 sets of squats per workout would be plenty. So however you choose to split up your workout routine, keep in mind your total overall volume for each exercise. More is not better here. Better is better, so remember to focus on technique and use proper rep ranges.
Your training volume is the total amount of work you’re doing for a body part over the course of time; a week in this instance. 10 to 15 TOTAL sets for EACH exercise will be more than adequate. So if you’re hitting squats 3 times per week, 5 sets of squats per workout would be plenty. So however you choose to split up your workout routine, keep in mind your total overall volume for each exercise. More is not better here. Better is better, so remember to focus on technique and use proper rep ranges.
Progression
Making progress in the gym by adding more weight to your exercises is PARAMOUNT. This is how you’ll start seeing changes in your body. If you start squatting and you never increase your weights or the amount of reps you’re doing, you won’t grow (and if you’re not eating enough). If you’re new to weight training, you’ll be surprised at how fast you make progress. For exercises like squats and deadlifts, you should aim to add 5-20 pounds (depending on your progress) to your exercises each week within the sweet spot rep ranges of 6-15. Don’t be afraid to push yourself here, ladies. I guarantee you’ll surprise yourself at how much you can actually accomplish.
Making progress in the gym by adding more weight to your exercises is PARAMOUNT. This is how you’ll start seeing changes in your body. If you start squatting and you never increase your weights or the amount of reps you’re doing, you won’t grow (and if you’re not eating enough). If you’re new to weight training, you’ll be surprised at how fast you make progress. For exercises like squats and deadlifts, you should aim to add 5-20 pounds (depending on your progress) to your exercises each week within the sweet spot rep ranges of 6-15. Don’t be afraid to push yourself here, ladies. I guarantee you’ll surprise yourself at how much you can actually accomplish.
Prioritizing Glutes
You’re reading this because you want a great butt. You know it. I Know it. Instagram knows it. Be sure to make glutes a high priority muscle part if you haven’t already done so. Everyone is different, so some girls can train glutes once a week and make crazy gains, while others might need to work a little hard and apply some more direct glute work. IF your glutes become too dominant (can this even be a bad thing?) in your physique, reduce the frequency and amount of volume you’re doing in the week and focus more on hamstrings, quads, and your upper body to balance out our physique. Believe me when I say balance is key and you do not want overly dominant glutes that take away from the rest of your lower body. With time you’ll see which approaches work for you to develop a toned, sleek, and developed lower half.
Eating for Booty Gains
You didn’t think I’d wrap this up without a lil’ sum-sum on nutrition, did you? This is where girls tend to run into a lot of confusion, or see stalls in their progress. If you’re someone who is brand new to weight training, your body will respond very quickly and you’ll start seeing gains relatively easily without changes in your diet. For you other girls who have been training for a while and are still looking to improve your booty gains, read this carefully- If you want your butt to grow, you’re going to have to eat. Lean body mass like muscle just doesn’t appear out of nowhere, even if you are working out properly. Gains are built on a calorie surplus. The key here is to keep your surplus light and not go overboard. For most females, eating a bit more protein or supplementing with protein shakes will be extremely beneficial. A few extra Carbohydrates will also be beneficial to fuel your training intensity and fill out of your muscle. If you’re not into tracking macros or counting calories, that’s perfectly fine, as long as you’re not going off the deep end with pizza and margaritas and making smart food choices, your slight calorie surplus should be enough to increase lean muscle mass while minimizing or preventing any increases in body fat. And girls, don’t be scared of a little body fat. If you’re lifting weights, small increases in body fat will add to your curves and accentuate your figure in all the right places ;-)
You didn’t think I’d wrap this up without a lil’ sum-sum on nutrition, did you? This is where girls tend to run into a lot of confusion, or see stalls in their progress. If you’re someone who is brand new to weight training, your body will respond very quickly and you’ll start seeing gains relatively easily without changes in your diet. For you other girls who have been training for a while and are still looking to improve your booty gains, read this carefully- If you want your butt to grow, you’re going to have to eat. Lean body mass like muscle just doesn’t appear out of nowhere, even if you are working out properly. Gains are built on a calorie surplus. The key here is to keep your surplus light and not go overboard. For most females, eating a bit more protein or supplementing with protein shakes will be extremely beneficial. A few extra Carbohydrates will also be beneficial to fuel your training intensity and fill out of your muscle. If you’re not into tracking macros or counting calories, that’s perfectly fine, as long as you’re not going off the deep end with pizza and margaritas and making smart food choices, your slight calorie surplus should be enough to increase lean muscle mass while minimizing or preventing any increases in body fat. And girls, don’t be scared of a little body fat. If you’re lifting weights, small increases in body fat will add to your curves and accentuate your figure in all the right places ;-)
