Four of my Fav Exercises for A Booty Pump and Core Strength
Gluteal muscles are big, so I prefer to train them separately from my full leg day routine. Glute muscles aren’t just for appearance and the consequences of ignoring them can be costly. Having strong glutes protects the lower back, knees, ankles and stabilises the pelvis. While traditional exercises like squats and deadlifts do work the glute muscles to some degree, the below exercises are also needed if you want to build strength and size!
1. Hip Thrust/Glute Bridge (Reps: 10-15)
The hip thrust exercise targets the gluteus maximus, which is the biggest muscle of your butt.
It is also working the hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors, as well as the core muscles.
Hip Thrust Execution:
Begin seated on the ground with a bench behind your back and keep your knees bent. Place a barbell across your hips while supporting it with your hands. With knees bent and feet on the floor, lean back onto the bench so that it’s gently pressing into your upper back. This is your starting position! Push the barbell up and off the floor, while squeezing your glutes. Lower your hips to return to the starting position without resting your glutes on the floor. Do 10-15 repetitions.
Glute Bridge Execution:
Lie down on your mat with your back straight and set your knees about shoulder-width apart. Set your feet flat to the ground and keep your knees bent. Slowly raise your hips up, squeeze your glutes, and engage your abs. Lift your hips as high as possible but try not to over-arch your back.
2. Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts ❤️🔥 (Reps: 10)
The single leg RDL is maybe the best exercise to functionally target the hamstrings. I like to use the SL RDL straight after my Traditional Barbell Deadlifts to totally smash my lower butt and hummies!
It’s an excellent exercise that helps develop balance, stability, and strength in your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The single-leg RDL with bodyweight works the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, back, and calves. Add weight, and you’ll also challenge your lats, traps, and forearms, as well as increase strength in your erectors, scapula stabilisers, and anterior core.
For beginners I recommend a supported SL RDL. This can be a stick on one arm helping you with the balance or support from a wall. This great exercise also works on ankle stability and overall strength!
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift Execution:
The SL RDL is a vertical hip-hinge exercise in which you balance on one leg. Hinge is the movement where you need to push your hips and your butt while you’re lowering your torso until it’s almost parallel with the floor, then reverse the movement to return to your starting position.
Note that both knees (one on the floor and the lifting leg) need to be slightly bent during the movement to avoid lower back stress.
3. Hip Abduction Machine / Seated Banded Abduction (Reps: 15)
The hip abduction machine exercise is an exercise used to strengthen the abductors. The abductors play an important role in core stability and result in better form on the squat and deadlift. From an aesthetic perspective, performing the hip abduction isolation exercise helps in the development of a full pair of glutes and hips. It targets the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae.
Hip Abduction Machine Execution:
Begin seated on the hip abduction machine, push your legs out against the pads while extending your hips and legs as far as you can without overextending. Slowly release the tension and bring your legs back to the starting position.
In case you do not have access to an abduction machine, the seated banded abduction is a great alternative exercise.
Seated Banded Abduction Execution:
Place a band above your knees while seated on a chair with your torso straight. As on the abduction machine, push your legs out so the band is fully extended. Return to the starting position and repeat 15-20 times. Make sure you keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to ensure proper form.
4. Glute Kickback / Donkey Kickback (reps: 10-15)
The glute kickback can be performed either kneeling, or standing and it’s an isolation exercise which works out all three gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus). It helps to deliver all around strength, and build a fuller, more toned bum. It also helps to strengthen your hamstrings, calves, and core, as these three muscles help stabilise the movement. Overall, the glute kickback is a great finisher addition for building strength and the size of the glutes.
Glute Kickback Execution:
The glute kickback is a single leg exercise, that can be performed on the glute machine, or on a cable pulley machine. The only difference between the two is that on the pulley you need to attach the cuff to your ankle, while on the glute machine your leg is placed freely on the machine.
Start by facing the glute machine or cable pulley and hinge your hips forward at about 45 degrees. For support you can hold on to the machine/pulley if needed. Engage your abs, then use your glutes to drive back your leg as far as possible. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and pause for a second before slowly returning back to the starting position. Complete 10-15 reps and switch sides.
If you do not have access to any of the above two machines, then the donkey kick is a great alternative for you. All three exercises work the same muscles but from a slightly different angle.
Donkey Kick Execution:
Start from a kneeling position, with your hands and knees on the mat. Your head should be facing the floor and your spine neutral. Kick back one leg, while keeping your knee at a 90 degree angle. When your thigh is parallel with the floor and the sole of your foot is facing the ceiling, squeeze your glute and hold the position. Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position and withour your knee touching the floor repeat for 15 times, then switch leg. You can make the exercise more challenging if you add a band above your knees.
