The gluteus maximus is a muscle group composed of 3 muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. This muscle group is very important because it allows, among other things, to stabilize our pelvis and facilitate our daily movements such as walking, running or even sitting and standing. This is why it is so important to build up the muscles in this area, especially if you want to have a firm and rounded buttocks.
Here are 13 exercises to perform for a shapely and sculpted buttocks
- Hip Lift
Lie on your back and bend your knees
Inhale and exhale as you lift your pelvis to push your hips up. Contract your glutes and abs during the movement and make sure to keep your hips in line with your knees and shoulders.
Then bring your glutes back towards the floor without touching it and repeat the movement.
- Frog pump
As in the previous exercise, lie on your back and bend your knees, except that in this exercise, your knees should be turned outward, and both soles of your feet should not be on the ground, but should come together. That is, toes against toes and heel against heel. Contract your glutes and lift your pelvis.
- Squats
Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Bend your legs and lower your buttocks as if you were going to sit in a chair, while keeping your back straight. Your buttocks should be pushed back slightly. Lower yourself down so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Inhale and return to the starting position. This movement will allow you to work your quadriceps, glutes and adductors at the same time.
- The squat jump
This movement is a combination of the squat and the vertical jump.
Stand with your legs open shoulder-width apart, inhale and flex your thighs, pushing your buttocks back in the same way as the previous exercise. Then exhale and jump as high as you can and land on your forefoot to cushion the impact. Repeat this exercise 15 times.
- Static lunge
Stand with your legs hip-width apart and your hands on your waist. Take a big step forward and bend your knee, making sure it forms a right angle. Keep your back straight and lower your chest slightly to the ground. Your back leg is bent, resting only on your toes. The knee does not touch the ground and also forms a right angle.
Stay in this position for 30 seconds and return to your starting position. Repeat the movement with the other leg and repeat the exercise 15 times for each side.
- Side Lunge
Stand with your legs apart. Keep your right leg fixed on the ground and take a large lateral step to the side with your left foot. Your entire body weight should be transferred to your left leg. Bend it so that your thigh is parallel to the ground. Keep your back straight and your buttocks back and return to your starting position by pushing on your left leg. Repeat the movement and alternate between left and right leg to work both sides.
- Bulgarian split squat
Located between the squat and the lunge, this exercise consists of performing a squat but placing one leg backwards, like in the lunge position. Except that in this exercise, the foot of the back leg is raised on a support placed on the ground.
- Donkey kicks
Get down on all fours on your mat with your arms spread out and your knees positioned under your hips so that your thighs and torso form a right angle. Contract your glutes and lift your right leg, keeping your thigh parallel to the floor and keeping your knee at a right angle. The sole of your foot should be pointing towards the ceiling. Lower your leg without dropping your knee and repeat this movement 10 times, then switch legs.
- Leg pull front
Stand on the floor on your hands, with your pelvis raised and your knees off the ground, keeping only your toes on the floor. Contract your glutes and lift your leg back, keeping it straight. Then bring it back to the starting position, and repeat the movement, alternating with the other leg.
- Bird Dog
Stand on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips at a right angle. Keep your back straight and simultaneously extend your right arm in front of you and your left leg behind, at the same level as your hips. Stay in this position for 3 seconds and repeat this movement 10 times for each side.
11. Clamshell exercise
Lie on your side, place your legs over each other and bend your knees. Keep your lower leg on the ground, raise the knee of your upper leg high, keeping both feet together and not moving your pelvis or hips. Stay in this position for a few seconds and then return your knee to the starting position. Repeat the movement 15 times for each side.
- Dumbbell Lunges
Get into a lunge position as in the previous exercise and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Then push off on your front heel to move forward and bring your back leg forward to do another lunge and repeat.
- Single legged deadlift
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your right support leg slightly bent and lift your other leg off the ground. Tilt your pelvis forward as you lift your left leg until it is parallel to the floor. Repeat 10 times for each side.
These targeted exercises will not only give you a shapely and firm buttock, but will also work and strengthen your glutes. Thus, you will protect yourself from back pain and knee problems.
