6 Exercises To Build A Better Booty

Tight buns have become the trendiest body part to attain over the past decade. For the last several years women have been flaunting their "assets" all over social media. We can probably thank JLo, Beyoncé and the Kardashians for making “shapelier” buttocks more mainstream. Wanting to get bigger, firmer and more toned gluteal muscles (aka glutes), is a great goal. A true advantage of having a better booty is that it helps to mitigate low back pain that is common with those who sit at a desk or behind the wheel all day.

However, sticking strictly with aesthetic development, like building any muscle, it does require a lot of work, effort and dedication. Even if you’re genetically gifted with a pronounced backside, the muscles need time and consistency to develop and grow. The movements you do have to be done correctly to target the gluteal muscles.

Form is king! The weight/resistance you use must make the exercise challenging to do, but do NOT compromise your form. Take your time working through the fundamentals of the exercises. At the very beginning use just enough resistance to feel the exercise, but shoot for higher reps. For many of you doing these exercises for the first time, the higher reps may cause significant soreness in the muscles. You’ll know the next day if you were able to properly target the glutes.

In addition to resistance training, be sure to take in enough protein with your daily meals and get plenty of rest to allow the muscles to repair and grow. Keep in mind: training is when muscles are damaged; resting is when muscles are developed.

There are three different muscles that make up the glutes: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Each of these muscles has a particular function, and at times, may work in conjunction with each other. That said there are a handful of exercises to work the glutes. The gluteus maximus is the largest single muscle in the body and is capable of a lot of work. It’s the most prominent muscle that gives the booty its shape. It functions to extend the hip joint, and in conjunction with other muscles, it participates in external rotation of the hip joint. The gluteus medius acts to abduct the thigh (kick out to the side) as well as internal rotation of the hip joint. The gluteus minimus is the deepest of the three muscles and, in conjunction with the glute medius, aides in stabilization of the pelvis while standing, walking or running.

So, to stave off a saggy butt and build a firm round booty there are several important movements to activate and stimulate development of glutes.

The following six exercises can help to strengthen, tighten and shape your gluteal muscles (see images below).

• Standard Deadlifts
• Hip thrusts
• Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
• Hip Bridges w/stability ball
• Reverse hyperextensions
• Side bridges

Standard Deadlift

Hip Thrust

Romanian Deadlift

Hip Bridge w/Stability Ball

Reverse Hyperextension w/Stability Ball

Side bridge