Glute targeted exercises

[Andrew Long]

Hej everyone,

I'm looking for exercises that target the glutes as much as possible while minimizing involvement from the legs to gain some strength and size. I figure foundation will give me most of the leg strength I want but I've noticed that it is easy to not activate the glutes properly so I'm am focusing on them a bit. ATM I have started incorporating weighted hip thrusts which seem to work pretty well but if anyone has better ideas or other exercises that will be more efficient in achieving what I want that's be awesome. I'm going to use a foundation style approach as far as reps sets and rest goes and try build up from easier stuff to harder exercises.

Cheers

[Alan Tseng]

I find that perform properly, Foundation gives tons of glute activation.

[Mats Trane]

Have you tried SLS/se4 and SLS/se5 IM's . They kill my glutes!

[Brian Li]

The weighted barbell hip thrusts are probably by far the best glute exercise without as much emphasis from the other muscles.

[Jaros?aw Ruszkowski]

Kettlebell Swing

 

and a great one i've found working on my squat - squat down, place your arms on the outside part of the knees and then:

- push with the elbows, like you would like to connect them,

- spread the legs, and push outside.

- feel the glutes (you'll lift a little) and be awesome!

 

With this little exercise i'm warming up for my squat training, feeling glutes at the bottom of the squat is great

[Jon Douglas]

If F is not giving you glute activation then I would double check your spl IM angles first

The biggest thing for me was the sls work Mats mentioned, but the spl Ims should be definitely waking your rear bits up.

[Chris Hansen]

I have back problems due to poor glute activation. While F does work your glutes, it kind of depends on your being able to activate your glutes during the exercises.

 

As a supplement, I've started working with barbell glute bridges and they have been great. The first day after trying them my back hurt less. I asked my physical therapist about it he told me to keep doing them.

 

Deadlifts are also great for glutes but they don't really isolate anything.

[Jan Reipert]

The weighted barbell hip thrusts are probably by far the best glute exercise without as much emphasis from the other muscles.

exactly my experience

[ASNB]

Very hard to isolate glutes. Try shrimp squat variations if the pistols dont hit them. Straight bridges also may work well and have an added benefit of hitting the hamstrings hard. In fact it is very similar to a straight leg deadlift. If it becomes easy try single leg variations. If all else fails you may consider barbell squats if u r so inclined, but they don't mix well with gst as they tend to add mass quickly depending on ur genetics. Also consider mind body connection, concentrate on feeling a strong contraction in all exercises.

[Christian Nogueira]

If you have foundation, the sPL iMs done correctly are also a pita.

[Blairbob]

 

 

Try shrimp squat variations if the pistols dont hit them.

Shrimp squats would be even more quad centric than pistols.

Barbell hip thrusts work well. Glute bridges ( 1 leg as well ) would be another and they are basically BW hip thrusts without using a bar.

Another would be single leg DL. Not pure glute but that's ok.

[ASNB]

Quote

 

 

Try shrimp squat variations if the pistols dont hit them.

Shrimp squats would be even more quad centric than pistols.  

 

I agree that they are one of the most quad dominant exercises, especially the vastus medialis, aka teardrop.  The thing is when I first started throwing them in the mix my glutes got fried.   Similarly, I get enormous pectoral stimulation from the bench press, my buddy almost none but he rocks his delts and and tris.  I could proceed with similar examples.  Point being there is huge variation in muscular/skeletal structure because of genetics and exercise history, and you never know all the ways a particular exercise is going to affect you.  Go figure.

 

Anyway,my glutes get hit from another quad dominant exercise, lunges. Also, Bulgarian squats are worth a shot.

 

If I were faced with a problem like the OP I would try every exercise I could think of and observe carefully the affect.  

[Chris Hansen]

It seems that any exercise with a large hip motion, like squats and lunges, would have to involve the glutes. The glutes (and hamstringes) are what extends the hip.

[Travis Widmann]

 

Quote

 

Anyway,my glutes get hit from another quad dominant exercise, lunges. Also, Bulgarian squats are worth a shot.

 

 

Coach has said elsewhere that in his experience no exercise has worked as effectively as lunges to activate dormant glutes.

 

EDIT: Okay, I rechecked Coach's statement about lunges. It's in the F3 forum. Let me revise, he did not explicitly say most effective, don't want to put any words in his mouth, but still very effective. Weighted lunges, specifically.

[Afiya Zia]

Hip Thrusts, Glute Bridges, Quadruped Hip Extensions, Quadruped Hip Circles, Bird-Dogs, Bird-Dog Supermans, RLL, AU, Bulgarian Split Squats and single-leg RDLs are good for me. Thank you, Bret Conteras, thank you.