Want to get a bigger
butt? Is your booty flat and skinny? Luckily, it's never too late to build head-turning glutes. All it takes is a balanced diet and smart training. Just like any other muscle, your booty is covered with fat. To get a sexy rear, you must lose fat and work your glutes. Squats alone won't give you that round, firm butt you’re after. Here are some tips to help you out:
Have a Training Plan First of all, beware that you can't grow you glutes by targeting that area only. There is no such thing as spot reduction. Even though
training a muscle increases blood flow locally, it's not enough to produce dramatic results. If you want a bigger booty, work your whole body. Emphasize heavy lifts, such as the squat, walking lunges, and deadlifts. Compound exercises should account for about 80 percent of your routine. The remaining 20 percent should consist of isolation work. Donkey kicks, step-ups, glute bridges, and hip thrusts are an excellent choice. Decide whether you'll work your glutes alone or on leg training day. If the butt is your weakest part, double up your glute training. For instance, you can train your legs on Monday and your glutes on Thursday or Friday. Basically, squeeze a "glute day" into your routine.
Choose the Right Exercises Not all glute exercises are created equal. Some movements activate the glute muscles to a greater extent, leading to faster results. These include:
- The goblet squat
- The sumo squat
- Straight leg deadlifts
- Sumo deadlifts
- Romanian deadlifts
- Walking lunges
- Bulgarian split squats
- Weighted bridges
- Barbell hip thrusts
- Reverse hyperextensions
- Skater hops
- Stationary lunges
- Walking lunges
Make sure your workout includes different squat variations, such as the sumo squat, single leg squat, and pistol squat. Vary the width of your feet to hit your glutes from every angle. The further apart your feet are, the more your glutes will work. A narrow stance will put pressure on the quads.
Add Weight Your muscles need to be constantly challenged in order to grow. This concept is known as
progressive overload. If you always use the same weight, you’ll hit a plateau. Regardless of what exercises you do, increase the load gradually. Let's say you're squatting. Start with 50 pounds and go up to 70 or 80 pounds within a week or so. Next week, add another 20 pounds to the bar. If you exercise at home, use a dumbbell or a weight plate for increased resistance.
Tweak Your Diet Crash diets won't help you get a bigger butt. If you want strong glutes, eat for your goals. Load up on protein, increase your carb intake, and add healthy fats to your menu. Consume protein at every meal to speed up muscle growth. Eat complex carbs before exercise and simple carbs post workout. Keep to a minimum before bedtime to prevent weight gain. If you have a hard time meeting your daily protein intake, drink protein shakes. This will maximize your workouts and promote muscle repair. On top of that, your metabolic rate will go up, so you’ll torch more calories and fat. In case you’re overweight, cut back on carbs and add HIIT to your training plan.
