Strong and shapely glutes are important for a stable frame, solid upright posture and a pleasing physical aesthetic. We work our glutes regularly in the course of an active lifestyle, but shaping them so they perform and please the eye requires mixing-in dedicated exercise combos to our exercise programme.
To help deliver this outcome below is such an exercise to shape and strengthen those all-important gluteus maximus muscles!
Cross behind lunge
The cross behind lunge exercise is a great version of a lunge that focuses on strengthening your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves. The exercise lets you sink into a deep range of motion to shape your backside and sculpt your thighs. It can also be undertaken with bodyweight alone or with added weights.
As always, the most important tip for practising any type of lunge is to ensure you do so using proper form. So, move slowly and get a full range of motion before you add a barbell or dumbbell to this or similar exercises.
Step by step:
Begin by standing with your feet hip distance apart.
Transfer your body weight onto your left leg and cross your right foot behind your left leg, keeping your hips facing forward as you bend both knees and lower yourself toward the floor in a lunge.
Keep your back straight and your chest lifted to keep your weight on the front leg.
Step back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Perform 8 repetitions on each side.
Step-up with dumbbell
This exercise works your legs and glutes. It is considered to be relatively challenging for those familiar with such exercises and requires dumbbells and a bench or box to undertake fully.
In terms of the weights used, as always, use weights that you can master!
Step by step:
Stand holding dumbbells at your side with your palms facing towards your body.
Place your right foot onto the elevated platform and push up through your heel to lift yourself and place your left foot on the platform.
Step back down with your left foot, concentrating on flexing your hip and the knee of your right leg.
Repeat on the other side.
Perform 8 repetitions on each side.
The glute bridge
Spending all day sitting behind a desk is a surefire shortcut to weak glutes and lower back problems. This because the impulse is often to sit too far forward, which causes the hip flexors to become tight.This exercise can particularly help tackle this issue.
When undertaking it, you should feel the burn in your glutes and your hamstrings if you are undertaking it correctly. The bridge is also great for improving hip mobility and strengthening your lower back, which any desk-bound worker can benefit from.
Step by step:
Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down.
Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
Squeeze your glutes hard and keep your abs drawn in so you don’t overextend your back during the exercise.
Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds before easing back down.
Perform 8 repetitions.
Deadlift with dumbbell
This is a great cornerstone exercise and useful as part of any exercise combo!
Step by step:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing the body.
Engage the core and pull the shoulder blades down and back.
Keeping your arms straight, send your hips back and your bend knees slightly to lower both dumbbells down to the floor in front of your legs.
Continue lowering until your hips are fully pushed back and the weights are as close to the floor.
Keeping the chest up, push through your feet to return to a standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
This is a relatively challenging combo to strengthen and build your glutes (and to a lesser degree your legs) and a good routine to use regularly.
Let me know how you get on with it and, as always, if you have any queries about this particular combo, get in touch.
Julien
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