How Do You Work Out Your Glutes?

The glutes are the strongest and biggest muscle in the buttock area and comprise three separate muscles

The glutes are the strongest and biggest muscle in the buttock area and comprise three separate muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. These muscles not only provide shape to your buttocks but are also responsible for various functions of the body.

The principal functions of glutes include:

• Maintaining an upright, erect posture.
• Controlling the movement for cycling, hopping, jumping, squatting, and climbing stairs.
• Optimal functioning of athletic performance.
• Providing stability to the hip joints and spine in the body.

However, glutes are prone to weakness, which is responsible for various injury types and chronic pain. Hence, it is important to work out your glutes to help boost the size of these muscles, improve posture athletic performance, reduce knee and back pain, and enhance injury prevention.

Here are some 10-minute workouts for a sturdier butt.

Glute bridges

Targets: Buttocks and lower backs

How to perform this exercise:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, and bring heels close to your bottom.
• Place the feet flat on the floor with a shoulder-distance apart.
• Place the hands to the side of your body.
• Raise your hips to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
• Lower yourself gently to the starting position.
• Repeat 15-20 times.

Squats

Targets: Back and legs

• You can perform a simple and effective squat by:
• Standing with your body facing forward and keeping your feet parallel to your shoulders.
• Keeping the distance between your feet a few inch apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
• Lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Keeping your chest upright with your head and face forward.
• Pausing for a second and then coming back to the original position.
• Repeating this 20 times for effective results.
• Make sure you bend from your butt and not from your knees.

Lunge

Targets: Legs and buttocks

To perform a lunge:

• You need to stand in a ready position with one leg forward and one leg back.
• Place your arms over your waist.
• Slowly bend your knees until both legs are nearly at the right angle.
• Your right knee should not extend over your toes, and your left knee should not touch the floor.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat eight to ten times before switching legs.

One-leg kickbacks or donkey kicks

Targets: Buttocks and lower back

How to perform this exercise:

• Start by placing your hands and knees on the floor.
• Keep your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
• Start with your right leg bent at 90 degrees, raise it behind you as high as you can, squeezing your buttocks.
• Finally, lower to the starting position.
• Repeat eight to ten times with each leg.

Clamshell

Targets: Buttock and hips

How to perform this exercise:

• Lie on your side with your head resting on your arms.
• Bend your hips at 45 degrees and your knees to 90 degrees.
• Keep your hip stacked one above the other.
• Slowly raise your leg but the feet should be in contact with each other.
• It should resemble a clamshell opening, hence the name.
• Now, slowly bring down the raised leg.
• Complete 15-20 repetitions on each side.

The above exercises will definitely strengthen your glutes and help you get the desired shape. However, if you are a beginner, remember to take it slow. If you experience sharp pain while performing any exercise, immediately stop. Also, if the pain remains for a long time, consult your doctor or any physical therapist. Do not hesitate to take help from a physical trainer if you are not sure about the positions.