Sculpt That Booty - National Women’s Health & Fitness Day
It would be unreasonable of us to let National Women’s Health & Fitness Day pass by without sharing our favorite booty sculpting tips. And hey, if you’re a guy who wants to build a booty, then this one’s for you too! Booty exercises come in all different forms, so we’re going to share some you can do at home without any specialist gear and others where you’ll need some equipment: a barbell, a bench, and a treadmill. We’re all about keeping workouts fun, so don’t forget to exercise out of love for yourself regardless of where you work out. To nurture your body, give it all the tools it needs to be as healthy (and sexy) as possible!
What is the best exercise for building glutes?
The best exercises will depend on what you’re trying to achieve, so we’ve split them into volume-building exercises and lifting activities. With that in mind, if you’re looking to grow mass, why not try these:
Glute Bridge (no equipment)
Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet hip-width apart. Place your arms by your side, and push your hips up toward the ceiling. Don’t forget to engage your core and focus on the sensation in your glute muscles. If you want to make things a little more difficult, place a weight on your lower stomach. Repeat the move ten times per set.
Walking Lunge (no equipment)
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Take a large step forward, and drop your back knee toward the ground. By doing so, your front knee will bend too. Make sure your knee doesn’t go further forward than your toes. Focus on the glute of your back leg when rising up again. Take a large step forward with your back foot, and repeat the knee drop sequence. You can hold weights in both hands to increase the intensity or do static lunges to decrease the difficulty level (just do the first part of the exercise and alternate your leg each time). Complete ten lunges on each side per set.
Donkey Kicks (no equipment)
Start on all fours on a yoga mat or a towel. Make sure your knees are square under your hips and your hands are straight under your shoulders. Engage your core. Focus on your glute muscles as you lift one leg up, keeping your knee at a 90-degree angle, with the sole of your foot facing the ceiling. Try putting your hands on a balance ball or adding weights to your ankles to increase the difficulty. Complete ten kicks on each side per set.
If you’re looking to give your butt more bounce, then try these booty lifting exercises:
Hip Thrusts
Pick a barbell weight that you are comfortable with, and find a bench for you to start your exercise. Sit on the floor, with your back against the bench. With the barbell over your hips, bend your knees. Lean back, and thrust your hips up, bringing your knees to a 90-degree angle. Pause, then lower your hips down again. Focus on your glute muscles and engage your core throughout the movement. Repeat ten times per set.
Frog Pumps (no equipment)
Lay on your back on a yoga mat. Place your feet together so your knees form a diamond shape. Thrust your hips toward the ceiling and hold for a second. Then slowly lower your booty back to the ground. You can make the exercise harder by adding weight to your lower stomach. Repeat ten times per set.
Standing Kickbacks (no equipment)
Start by placing a resistance band around your legs at the level of your ankles. Then, stand with your feet around hip-width apart. Focusing on your glute, pull one leg backward. Hold. And gently bring it back to the starting position. To make the exercise more challenging, use a stronger resistance band. Repeat ten times on each side per set.
And finally, if you’ve ever asked yourself whether squeezing your glutes builds muscle? The truth is it can help! The mind-muscle connection is super important when working your glutes to get full benefits.
What is the fastest way to build glutes?
Use weights
Glute expert Bret Contreras, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., aka “The Glute Guy,” told SHAPE:
“My top three exercises for growing the glutes are the barbell hip thrust, B-stance hip thrust, and dumbbell frog pump because they are easy to learn, easy to progressively overload over time, and they elicit the highest levels of glute activity.”
Add cardio to your workouts
Adding cardio training into your fitness routine is essential. A 2014 study found that most people need to complete cardio exercise to gain muscle mass. The research found that adding cardio exercise four times per week and for 30 to 45 minutes each time-optimal muscle mass gains. The study found cardio exercise at 70 to 80 percent of their heart rate reserves to be most beneficial. Why not try the infamous TikTok workout, set the treadmill to a 12% incline, and walk for half an hour at 3mph. Your booty will be on fire (in the best way). So… we’ll be right back; we’re going to hit up the treadmill.
Focus on eating well too
Eating well is crucial to muscle growth, and growing a peachy booty is no different. Focus on a balanced diet, and look to include a source of protein in each meal. Some protein-rich foods include tofu, almonds, brown rice, buckwheat, and chickpeas. Other options include eggs, red meats, and tuna fish.
Can I train glutes every day?
You might be wondering what the fastest way to build glutes is? Well, training every day likely isn’t it. You could work on your glutes seven days a week, but you probably don’t need to. Building muscle relies on rest as much as actually doing the exercises themselves. That being said, exercising other parts of your body can make your booty look more toned too. Working on your hips, thighs, stomach, and back will all help to make your booty look as fine as possible. There’s plenty to keep you busy! Trainers usually recommend working out a single area 3 times per week is enough. Like most things in life, it’s all about balance.
The bottom line
Glute workouts (aka exercises to make your booty bigger) are the best way to have fun while sculpting your body. There’s so much variety to keep things fun, and you’ll get to see results quickly if you stick with it. Remember to keep goals that don’t only revolve around improving your figure or changing weight, though. An exercise is a fantastic act of self-love. It can be a fantastic way to connect with your body and get to know it better. So, in short, how long does it take to build your glutes? Well, it comes down to how you eat, how you exercise, and how kind your genes are, so just enjoy the ride!