Compound Exercises for Glutes: 12 Best Moves for Muscle Growth 

Looking to sculpt strong and shapely glutes? Look no further! Compound glute exercises, such as the back squat, are the secret weapon you need in your workout arsenal.

These powerhouse moves not only target your gluteal muscles, including the gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus, but also engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, maximizing your efforts for optimal results.

Compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges activate not only your gluteus maximus but also your quads, hamstrings, and core. Incorporating these movements into your routine means more bang for your buck and faster progress towards achieving the booty of your dreams.

Don’t forget to include exercises like leg press and barbell hip thrusts to target the gluteus minimus as well.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or a beginner looking to take their training up a notch, compound glute exercises like back squats and barbell hip thrusts should be at the top of your list.

So kick isolation exercises for the gluteal muscles to the curb and embrace the power of compound movements, like the gluteus maximus, for a well-rounded glute workout that delivers serious results.

Let’s dive into some popular compound exercises like the back squat and barbell squat that will help you build strength, boost definition, and unleash the full potential of those glorious glutes! These exercises specifically target the gluteus and gluteal muscles.

The Importance of Compound Exercises for Glute Muscle Size:

Compound exercises like the back squat, leg press, and belt squat are a game-changer for maximizing glute gains. These exercises target multiple muscle groups simultaneously, stimulating more muscle fibers in the gluteus compared to isolation exercises.

Incorporating compound exercises into your training program is crucial for growing those glutes effectively.

Stimulating More Muscle Fibers

When you perform compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, you engage not only your glutes but also other major muscles like the quadriceps and hamstrings. This activation of multiple muscle groups puts greater stress on the gluteus, resulting in a higher recruitment of muscle fibers in the legs.

As a result, your gluteus experience more tension and microtears during these compound movements, which is essential for muscle growth and strengthening the hip joint.

Promoting Greater Hormonal Response

Another reason why compound exercises like the back squat, leg press, and belt squat are invaluable for building larger glutes is their ability to promote a greater hormonal response.

These gluteus-targeting multi-joint movements activate large amounts of muscle mass and require significant effort from your body. As a result, they trigger the release of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone that play a vital role in gluteus muscle growth.

Maximizing Glute Muscle Size

If you want to achieve maximum glute gains, it’s crucial to prioritize compound exercises like the leg press, belt squat, and curtsey squat in your workouts.

While isolation exercises can be helpful for targeting specific areas of the glutes, they simply don’t provide the same overall stimulus as compound movements do.

By consistently incorporating these compound exercises into your routine, you’ll ensure that your glutes receive the necessary workload and stimulation for optimal growth.

To help you get started with some effective compound exercises for training and building bigger glutes, here are a few options: the squat and leg press.

• Squats: This classic deadlift exercise targets not only the glutes but also the quads and hamstrings. Start with bodyweight squats and gradually increase the resistance by adding weights as you progress in your leg press workout training.
• Deadlifts: Deadlifts, along with leg press and squats, are fantastic compound exercises that engage the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Make sure to maintain proper form and start with lighter weights to avoid injury. These exercises are great for strengthening the hip joint.
• Lunges: Lunges are an excellent way to work your glutes while also challenging your balance and stability during a leg workout. You can perform walking lunges or stationary lunges using dumbbells or other weighted objects, which can complement exercises like squats, deadlifts, and leg presses.

Remember, consistency is key in your workout routine. Aim to incorporate exercises like deadlift, squat, and leg press into your routine at least two to three times per week. Gradually increase the intensity and weight over time to achieve those enviable glute gains with dedication and perseverance.

So there you have it! Compound exercises like the leg press, deadlift, and squat are essential for maximizing glute muscle size due to their ability to stimulate more muscle fibers in the glutes compared to isolation exercises. They promote a greater hormonal response, leading to increased muscle growth during your workout.

Top 5 Compound Glute Exercises for Results:

Squats: The King of Glute Builders

Squats are considered the king of glute-building exercises, making them an essential part of any leg workout or training routine. They engage multiple lower body muscles, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, while placing significant emphasis on the glutes.

• To perform a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart,
• lower your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair,
• then drive through your heels to return to a standing position.

For an added challenge, you can try variations such as goblet squats or sumo squats. Incorporating squats into your deadlift training can help strengthen your legs and improve overall performance.

Deadlifts: Unleash Your Glute Power

Deadlifts are an excellent compound exercise for glute training. This workout targets the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core.

• To perform a deadlift, start with a barbell on the floor in front of you.
• Bend at the hips and knees while maintaining a neutral spine to grip the barbell.
• Push through your heels and lift the weight by extending your hips until you’re standing upright.

This exercise is great for building strength and improving reps.

Lunges: Step Forward to Stronger Glutes

Lunges are a fantastic workout for targeting each leg individually while engaging the glutes as primary movers. They also effectively work your quads and hamstrings.

• To do lunges correctly in your training, take a step forward with one foot and lower your body until both knees form 90-degree angles.
• Push off with your front foot to return to a standing position before alternating sides.

Incorporating lunges into your squat and deadlift routine can enhance your overall training experience.

Hip Thrusts: Ignite Your Glute Activation

Hip thrusts are a great exercise to target the glutes during your workout.

• This movement isolates the glutes and can be performed by resting your upper back against a bench or elevated surface with knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
• Drive through your heels while squeezing your glutes to lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

This is an effective exercise for training the glutes.

Step-Ups: Elevate Your Glute Strength

Step-ups are an underrated compound exercise that effectively targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps during a workout or training session.

• This exercise mimics climbing stairs and can be performed using a bench or sturdy elevated platform. Step onto the platform with one foot, then drive through your heel to lift your body up onto the platform.
• Lower yourself back down and repeat on the other side, incorporating squats and deadlifts into your routine.

Incorporating these top 5 compound exercises, such as the squat, into your training will yield impressive results for strengthening and shaping your glutes.

To maximize their effectiveness, aim to perform these exercises with proper form and gradually increase weights or resistance over time.

Remember to listen to your body, rest when needed, and consult with a fitness professional if you have any concerns or questions about reps or training tips.

So why wait? Start incorporating leg training exercises like squats, deadlifts, lunges, hip thrusts, and step-ups into your workout routine today to achieve those strong and sculpted glutes you’ve always wanted!

Don’t forget to increase the weight and do enough reps for maximum results.

Exploring the Benefits of Bulgarian Split Squats for Glutes:

Bulgarian split squats are a fantastic compound workout exercise that specifically target and activate your glute muscles.

By incorporating this exercise into your routine, you can achieve balanced development in each leg while enhancing overall lower body strength.

Let’s dive deeper into the many benefits of Bulgarian split squats for your glutes, including tips on reps and weight.

Targeting Each Leg Individually

One of the key advantages of Bulgarian split squats is their ability to effectively target each leg individually. Unlike traditional squats or lunges, which often lead to imbalances between the left and right sides of your body, split squats address this issue head-on. With one foot positioned forward and elevated on a bench or step behind you, you’re able to focus on working each leg independently. This helps ensure that both glute muscles receive equal attention and development. The movement in split squats allows for targeted reps and sets with weights.

Stability and Coordination

Performing Bulgarian split squats requires stability and coordination, making it an excellent exercise for improving balance and control. As you lower yourself down into the squat position with one leg extended backward, you engage your core muscles to maintain stability throughout the movement. This not only strengthens your glutes but also enhances overall lower body stability, reducing the risk of injury during other activities. Adding more reps, weight, and sets can increase the intensity and effectiveness of this exercise.

Isolating and Activating Your Glutes

If you’re looking to isolate and activate your glute muscles effectively, look no further than Bulgarian split squats.

This exercise places significant emphasis on your glutes as they work to stabilize your body during the movement.

The deep stretch and contraction experienced by your glute muscles help build strength while promoting muscle growth over time.

Adding weight to the exercise can increase the intensity, so try incorporating dumbbells or a barbell for added resistance. Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps per leg to maximize results.

To maximize the effectiveness of Bulgarian split squats for targeting your glutes, focus on the number of reps, sets, and leg movement.

• Focus on maintaining proper form throughout each repetition.
• Engage your core muscles by keeping them tight.
• Ensure that you have a wide enough stance to engage both legs fully during your squat, glute kickback, and glute strength workout.
• Gradually increase the resistance or weight used in your squat workout as your glute training strength improves.

Remember, when starting your glute training, it’s important to listen to your body and begin with lighter weights or bodyweight variations for the squat exercise. Gradually increase the reps and progress to heavier loads for an effective glute workout.

Incorporating Bulgarian split squats into your glute workout routine can yield impressive results.

By targeting each leg individually with multiple sets and reps, enhancing stability and coordination, and effectively isolating your glutes, you’ll be well on your way to achieving stronger, more developed glute muscles. So why wait?

Get ready to feel the burn and add Bulgarian split squats to your next lower body workout!

Mastering the Barbell Hip Thrust for Stronger Glutes:

If you’re looking to build stronger and more developed glutes, the barbell hip thrust is a highly effective exercise that specifically targets and strengthens this muscle group.

Unlike other glute-focused movements, the barbell hip thrust allows you to lift heavier weights, promoting greater muscle growth. Incorporating squats into your leg workout can also help you build strength and size in your glutes.

Aim for a higher number of reps and sets to challenge your muscles.

Understanding the Barbell Hip Thrust

The barbell hip thrust is a great exercise for activating and building the glute muscles. It primarily focuses on hip extension, which is essential for glute activation. This exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. You position a barbell across your hips and push through your heels to raise your hips off the ground until your thighs are parallel to the floor. It’s a fantastic addition to your leg workout routine, especially if you’re looking to target and strengthen your glutes. Try incorporating it into your squat sets for maximum results.

Perfecting Your Form

To maximize results and prevent injury during your glute workout, it’s crucial to master proper form when performing compound glute exercises like the barbell hip thrusts, squat, and glute kickback. Here are some tips.

1. Begin by positioning yourself correctly for compound glute exercises: Sit in front of a bench or step with your upper back resting against it and place a padded barbell across your hips. This is a great way to engage your leg muscles, especially when performing squats.
2. Plant both feet firmly on the ground about shoulder-width apart to perform the squat movement. This leg exercise involves multiple sets of repetitions.
3. Engage your core muscles by pulling your belly button towards your spine during compound glute exercises like squats.
4. As you perform the squat movement, focus on driving through your heels rather than pushing with your toes to engage your compound glute and leg muscles.
5. Squeeze your glutes at the top of each squat repetition for an extra contraction in your leg movement.

Progressively Increasing Resistance

As with any leg exercise, progressive overload is essential for continued growth and strength gains in the glutes. Here’s how you can increase resistance over time with the squat movement.

1. Start with bodyweight-only hip thrusts until you have mastered proper form for the squat movement and leg exercises.
2. Gradually add weight plates or resistance bands around your knees to increase difficulty in your squat leg movement.
3. Aim to increase the weight or resistance bands as your strength in squat movement improves.
4. Incorporate variations such as single-leg hip thrusts or elevated hip thrusts for added challenge to your squat movement.

Other Glute-Focused Exercises

While the barbell hip thrust is an excellent compound exercise for targeting the glutes, incorporating other movements like squats and leg exercises can further enhance your results. Consider adding these exercises to your routine.

• Barbell Squats: This compound leg movement engages not only the glutes but also the quadriceps and hamstrings.
• Back Squats: Similar to barbell squats, back squats are effective for overall lower body development, including the leg movement.
• Hip Hinge Exercises: Deadlifts and kettlebell swings are great options for strengthening the glutes through hip extension. These movements also engage the leg muscles, particularly the squat movement.
• Leg Press: This machine-based squat exercise allows you to target the glutes with controlled resistance, promoting effective movement.

Remember, consistency and progressive overload are key in achieving a firmer and more developed posterior chain. By mastering the barbell hip thrust, squat movement, and incorporating other compound exercises into your routine, you’ll be well on your way to success.

Romanian Deadlift Variations for Glute Activation:

If you’re looking to target your glutes and strengthen your lower body, Romanian deadlift variations, such as the squat and leg movement, are a must-try. While these exercises primarily focus on the hamstrings, they also engage the glutes as secondary muscles. By incorporating different variations into your routine, you can further activate and challenge your glutes, leading to enhanced strength and activation. Let’s explore some of the best Romanian deadlift variations for glute activation.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts:

Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are an excellent movement variation that not only engages the glutes but also improves balance and stability. To perform this exercise, focus on the movement.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Lift one leg slightly off the ground while maintaining a slight bend in the knee, to engage in a movement.
3. Hinge forward at the hips, lowering your upper body towards the ground while extending the lifted leg straight back to create a fluid movement.
4. Keep your core and leg engaged and maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
5. Return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and pushing through your standing foot, ensuring a smooth and controlled movement. Activate your leg muscles to maintain stability throughout the exercise.

Sumo Romanian Deadlifts:

Sumo Romanian deadlifts are another effective leg movement variation that targets both the hamstrings and glutes from a wider stance position. Here’s how to do it.

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your legs spread and toes pointed outwards to promote proper leg movement.
2. Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of you with an overhand grip to engage your leg muscles and promote movement.
3. Hinge forward at the hips while keeping a slight bend in your knees, allowing the weight to lower towards the ground, engaging the leg movement.
4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings as you return to an upright position in the movement.

Incorporating these movement variations into your routine will not only increase glute activation but also provide variety to keep your workouts interesting and challenging.

Remember, proper form is crucial when performing any exercise, especially compound movements like Romanian deadlifts. Ensure that you maintain a neutral spine, engage your core, and focus on the mind-muscle connection with your glutes throughout each repetition.

By incorporating these Romanian deadlift variations into your lower body workouts, you’ll enhance your movement, build stronger glutes, and improve overall lower body strength. So grab those weights and get ready to activate those glutes like never before!

Cable Pull Throughs: A Compound Exercise for Glute Engagement

If you’re looking to target your glutes, hamstrings, and core all at once, cable pull throughs are the perfect compound exercise to add to your routine. This exercise not only promotes muscle growth but also provides constant tension on the glutes throughout the movement. Let’s dive into why cable pull throughs should be a staple in your lower body workouts.

1. Glute Activation and Muscle Growth

Cable pull throughs are fantastic for engaging your glutes. As you perform the movement, you’ll feel a deep burn in your posterior chain, especially in the glute muscles. The horizontal resistance provided by the cable ensures that your glutes are constantly working against external load, promoting muscle growth over time.

2. Engagement of Hamstrings and Core

While primarily targeting the glutes, cable pull throughs also engage other important muscle groups such as the hamstrings and core. As you hinge at the hips and extend backward, your hamstrings are activated to assist in hip extension. Your core muscles work hard to stabilize your spine throughout the movement.

3. Improved Lower Body Strength

By incorporating cable pull throughs into your workouts, you can significantly improve lower body strength and enhance athletic performance. This compound exercise challenges multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to overall strength gains in both the glutes and hamstrings. Strengthening these areas can reduce the risk of injuries related to weak lower body muscles and promote movement.

4. How to Perform Cable Pull Throughs

To perform cable pull throughs correctly:

1. Attach a rope handle or ankle attachment to a low pulley machine for a movement.
2. Stand facing away from the machine, ensuring proper movement, with feet shoulder-width apart.
3. Hinge at the hips while keeping a slight bend in your knees to maintain proper movement.
4. Grab onto the handles with an overhand grip.
5. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
6. Drive your hips forward, extending them until you are standing tall in a powerful movement.
7. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
8. Slowly reverse the movement, pushing your hips back and returning to the starting position.

5. Variations and Progressions

Once you have mastered the basic cable pull throughs, you can try different variations to further challenge your muscles:

• Single-leg cable pull throughs: Perform the exercise with one leg lifted off the ground, alternating between legs.
• Banded cable pull throughs: Add a resistance band around your thighs to increase lateral resistance and target the gluteus medius muscles.
• Sumo stance cable pull throughs: Widen your stance to a sumo squat position for an increased emphasis on inner thigh and glute activation.

Incorporate these variations into your workouts to keep challenging your muscles and avoid plateaus.

Cable pull throughs are an effective compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in one movement. By adding this exercise to your routine, you’ll experience improved glute engagement, enhanced lower body strength, and overall muscle growth.

Conclusion

Incorporating compound exercises into your glute training routine can be a game-changer. By engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously, compound exercises maximize the effectiveness of your workouts and stimulate greater muscle growth.

Throughout this article, we have discussed the importance of compound exercises for glute muscle size. We have explored various exercises that specifically target the glutes while also involving other muscles in the lower body. From Bulgarian split squats to barbell hip thrusts and Romanian deadlift variations, these compound movements provide a comprehensive approach to developing your glutes.

One standout exercise we highlighted is the Bulgarian split squat, which offers numerous benefits for glute activation. This unilateral exercise helps to correct imbalances between both sides of your body while effectively targeting the glute muscles.

We emphasized the significance of mastering the barbell hip thrust for stronger glutes. This exercise allows you to lift heavier weights and activate more muscle fibers in your glutes, leading to better overall strength and development.

Furthermore, we discussed how Romanian deadlift variations can effectively engage your glutes. These exercises not only target the posterior chain but also improve hip mobility and stability.

Lastly, cable pull-throughs were introduced as another compound exercise option for optimal glute engagement. This movement involves pulling a cable through your legs while maintaining tension on your glutes throughout the entire range of motion.

To achieve maximum results from compound exercises for your glutes, consistency is key. Incorporate these exercises into your regular workout routine and gradually increase weights or repetitions as you progress. Remember to focus on proper form and technique to prevent injury and ensure effective muscle activation.

Now that you understand the benefits of compound exercises for building bigger glutes, it’s time to take action! Start incorporating these exercises into your workouts today and watch as your glute muscles grow stronger over time.

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Rakesh S

👋 I am Rakesh Sonawane, a personal trainer with around half a decade of working experience. I have been fortunate enough to have trained people from all walks of life.

I created this site to simplify the path of getting fit and healthy as the internet is filled with too complex and useless info.

My website content is well-planned, thought, and well-researched before being published on the site for you to read. Hopefully, you will enjoy my helpful, practical content.