Many fitness enthusiasts know that the glutes are some of the most important muscles in the lower body. They are, by mass, the largest muscles in the body, and yet we still want them to be bigger.
They aid in some of the biggest lifts, such as deadlifts and squats. While they do play a crucial role in these workouts, deadlifts and squats actually aren’t the best ways to work out your glutes.
There are a number of bodyweight exercises that can be done to work your glutes, but sometimes you just want to use a machine. That’s why we have put together this guide to help you get the most out of your machines when training your glutes.
Why It’s Important to do Glute Workouts
A large number of day-to-day activities require us to sit down for extended periods, so much so that our glutes begin to basically ‘turn off.’ What this actually means is that they no longer fire as effectively or efficiently as they once did.
Once this happens, the muscles that pull your thighs forwards, which are also called the hip flexors, become tight. This usually leads to some injuries but can be prevented if you exercise your glutes.
Having strong glutes also greatly improves your athletic ability. Strengthened glutes help your agility, speed, and jumping ability, as well as rapid side-to-side movements.
Your glute supports your pelvis and sacroiliac joint for added stability every time you take a step. This becomes essential when running, as the impact on the ground from your feet becomes significantly increased during this activity.
Working on your glutes can also help relieve back pains. As we mentioned above, your glutes help stabilize your pelvis and keep the consistency of your hip joint’s movement.
When your glutes are strong, your back does not need to withstand the brunt of your movements.
Finally, having strong glutes can prevent knee pain, as they stop your pelvis from moving side to side. When the pelvis is unstable, your knees fall under a lot of pressure, and your ankles have to compensate.
A strong backside helps to prevent this naturally, keeping you injury-free. For a truly comprehensive glute exercise, check out the Unlock My Glutes site.
Best Machines for Glutes Workouts
Cable Hip External Rotation
Essentially, external hip rotation is your ability to rotate your legs away from you in clockwise and counterclockwise motions. It is not the most flattering glute exercise, but it is one of the most effective.
The cable cylinder is a great choice for those who are looking for a way to train their glute’s ability to rotate externally. To do this exercise, you will need to adjust a cable machine to the height of your shoulders and attach a handle.
Walk about a meter away, and get into an athletic position. Extend your arms in front of your chest, grab the handle with both hands, and rotate your spine, shoulders, and pelvis cylindrically away from the anchor point.
Be sure to keep both of your heels on the ground and maintain an upright spinal posture.
Hip Abduction Machine
Hip abduction is your ability to push your leg outwards to the side. Using a hip abduction machine is the best and easiest way to train your abductors, and most gyms have them.
The hip abduction machine is also sometimes called the thigh abductor, and it looks similar to the chairs found in a doctor’s office. To start this exercise, sit down on the abduction machine and hold the handles.
Only your lower body should move; everything else should be completely stationary. Press the padding slowly with your thighs, moving them away.
Push your legs as far as they will go before returning them to the position they started in. This should feel more like you are gently putting the weight down rather than simply dropping it.
Leg Press
The leg press is one of the most common machines found in the gym and is great for exercising your glutes. To start, position yourself in the leg press machine, with your feet on the platform and your hips against the backrest.
Ensure that your toes and knees point in the same direction and that your knees are not extended past your toes. Walk your feet slightly higher up the machine, involving more of your glutes.
Move the platform away from you by pressing it smoothly with your foot. This motion should be controlled and smooth as the platform is lowered to about the right angle.
More Exercises for Toning Your Butt
While using machines to exercise your glutes can be rewarding and fun, but sometimes, you do not have access to any. Here are a few exercises you can do to work on your glutes without any machine:
Elevated Dynamic Hip Thrust
For this exercise, you will need to lay flat on the ground with your legs elevated on a platform in such a way that your knees are at a 90° angle. Place your palms on the ground to help maintain balance.
Then, squeeze your glutes and core and lift your hips directly upwards, forming a straight line with your torso. Lower yourself back down by hinging your hips and repeat as necessary.
Butterfly Hip Thrust Situp
Again, you’ll need to lay on the ground for this one, but you do not need a platform this time. Have your palms resting flat on the ground, and bring your feet in front of your pelvis and press your soles together.
Squeeze your core and glutes and lift your hips upwards, while maintaining the rest of your body position. Lower your hips again and repeat.
Shoulders Elevated Plyo Hip Thrust
You will need to perform this movement very carefully in order to avoid injury. Start by putting your upper back against a bench or box, bending your knees at 90° with your feet flat on the floor.
Squeeze your glutes and push yourself off of the floor with your feet, pressing your hips upward, hopping up a few inches. Make sure that your back stays anchored to the bench during this entire movement.
The Unlock Your Glutes manual has some great exercises using both machines and your bodyweight to help ‘wake up’ your dormant glutes.