BOOTY, BOOTY, BOOTY, BOOTY
Build your butt from every angle!!
Did you know that different exercises will hit your glutes at different angles? Well, it’s true, each exercise is unique and will create a slightly different result. Some exercises are focused more on ‘the shelf’ or the top of the glutes and lower back. Some will focus more on the sides of the glutes known as the abductors. Others work more at the bottom of the glutes as they tie into the hamstrings and some are great for adding overall size. It’s important to incorporate a good combination of glute exercises into your leg days for optimal results.
Below I’m going to show you my favorite exercise for each angle of the glutes in a gym and home version. Please note, I’m a big believer in resistance training (using weights) to add size as you’ll see in the gym versions. For the home versions, I also like to choose small equipment that you could store in a corner of the house on under the bed. Bodyweight only exercises is not an ideal way to add size for lower body.
I included two of my recent challenge winners in the shoot to show you these exercises. Check out their smokin’ hot 🔥 Hourglass transformations below:
Ada @dimples2887 (on instagram)
3-month transformation (using Lyzabeth’s Hourglass Shaping techniques & eating plan).
Sadé @sademartin (on instagram)
6-month transformation using Lyzabeth’s Hourglass Shaping techniques & eating plan.
Now Let’s get down to business and learn how Ada & Sadé built those booties! 🍑🍑
Best Exercises for Under-Bum (glute/hamstring tie-in)
AT THE GYM – SMITH MACHINE REVERSE LUNGE
Tips from Lyzabeth:
The smith machine reverse lunge is a more advanced movement. If you’re at the gym, but you’re more of a beginner, you can do the home version as it’s more of a beg-adv movement.
To set up this exercise correctly, you need to put your step in the right place to ensure a safe angle at the knee. It should be placed towards the front of the machine. test the movement without weight to ensure it’s in the right spot before attempting the weighted movement.
Once you’re ready, add weights, no need to go too heavy on this as it’s a very challenging exercise. My weight suggestions would be: Beginner: 0-5lbs per side | Intermediate: 5-15lbs per side | Advanced: 20-45lbs per side.
How to:
To begin the movement, start standing on the step with the bar across your back unlocked. Next, perform a reverse lunge off the step bringing your knee towards the ground with your back leg as your front leg hits a minimum of a 90-degree angle at the knee. Next, drive your back leg up and through and flex the glute of your standing leg. Repeat this movement for 8-10 repetitions
Tips from Lyzabeth:
The step-up is a classic movement that is great for hitting the glute-hamstring tie-in area (as well as the quads). Here’s the trick, to work more posterior chain (glute-hammie tie in… aka under-bum) and less quadriceps (front of the upper leg), the step needs to be high enough that your knee is closer to a 45-degree angle. You will have to use a lighter weight in order to go higher. If you want to work more of your entire leg evenly, you can do a lower step (knee around 90-degree angle) with a heavier weight. Little adjustments like this do matter. Sades step in the gif below is closer to a whole leg version (just above 90-degree angle at the knee). When I do this movement personally, I’ll generally add 9-10 risers per side under the step and I’m 5’4 tall.
How to:
To begin the movement, start with one foot on the step and the other foot on the floor. Be sure that your entire foot is on the step and that your heel is not hanging off. Drive through the heel of your standing leg and drive your opposite leg up while keeping your chest lifted. If your chest dips as you step up, generally either the weight is too heavy or the step is too high and this will not be an effective movement. If your chest stays lifted, you’re good. You can either step down on the step with your opposite leg (beginner) or if you’re more advanced, you can drive your knee through and flex the glute of your standing leg. Bring the same leg back down and repeat for 8-12 repetitions and then repeat on the other leg.
Best Exercises for Side-Bum (abductors)
AT THE GYM: ABDUCTOR MACHINE
Tips from Lyzabeth:
I’m a big fan of the abductor machine for hitting the side of the butt. The beauty of it is that it can be done at a variety of angles. As you can see in the gif of Sade below, she is showing three different angles that you can try. You wouldn’t just go from one to the other though, rather choose one and do it for an entire set either leaned back, sitting upright or leaned forward. I have a youtube video showing around seven awesome ways to use the machine if you need even more variety. The most important thing you can do when using this machine though is to flex at the top of the movement and control the way back.
How to:
Start in your chosen start position (leaned back, upright or leaned forward). Inhale and then exhale to open (abduct) at the hips. At the top of the movement flex until you feel your glutes squeeze and then slowly release back to start and inhale. Don’t let the plates touch until you have completed the movement.
AT HOME: BOOTY BAND CLAMSHELLS
Tips from Lyzabeth:
When this exercise is performed correctly, you should be able to feel it even without booty bands on. I generally suggest people try it without booty bands first to ensure they are using correct form. Booty bands can be added above the knee (or one below and one above the knee if you’re more advanced) once you have correct form to add intensity.
How to:
Lying on your side, ensure your hips are stacked one on top of the other. Be sure that you are not leaning back, (leaning back can cause you to use more of your hip flexors than your glutes). It’s actually okay to lean forward a bit if you like. Drive your top food into your bottom foot and drive your top knee open using the glute of your top leg. Stop and intensity the flex at the top of the movement and exhale. Inhale and you return to start. I recommend trying this with no booty bands to ensure you can ‘find your flex’ or ‘find your glutes’ before adding your booty bands. This move is best done pre-leg workout in order to activate your glutes for the upcoming workout. I generally perform two sets of 20 per leg but I do mix it up.
Best Exercises for the Shelf (glutes & lower back)
AT THE GYM: CABLE KICK BACK (kneeling or standing)
Tips from Lyzabeth:
This is my favorite move for shaping the upper glutes area, also known as ‘the shelf’ in popular media. The cable kickback as seen in our gif with Ada below can be done kneeling or standing. I feel the kneeling position hits more full posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes and lower back), while the standing version targets the glutes and low back with less hamstring emphasis. It’s very important to keep the core strong and solid, not arching or rounding in order to protect the lower back during this move. Finally, of course, ensuring to flex at the top of the movement before returning to start is the most important part of the puzzle.
How to:
Start in kneeling position. I like to put one hand on the machine and one on the bench (Ada has both on the machine). The reason I do this with my hands is to stabilize my core so I can focus only on my working glute and not on my core to steady myself.
I bring my leg back to flex the glute while exhaling and inhale as I bring the leg back to start position ensuring my spine stays in neutral throughout.
AT HOME: ANKLE WEIGHT DONKEY KICKS
Tips from Lyzabeth:
This is an excellent move to target the glutes when performed correctly. This is another move that when performed correctly you should be able to complete a very challenging set even without any weights at all. To get the most out of this move, be sure to keep your core engaged and maintain a neutral spine throughout and keep all focus on the glute contraction at the top of the movement.
How to:
Start in a quadruped position with core engaged and spine in neutral position. Drive your heel towards the ceiling and flex your glute (be sure that you are not arching your back). Once you’ve felt the flex of the movement, bring your knee own about half way and repeat. Complete 10-20 repetitions on each leg.
You can find all of these exercises, and all the perfectly combined workouts to ‘build that booty from every angle’ on my online program! Click HERE for the full program including the workout calendar below and start building that butt!
