So you want a strong and firm butt.
Like most fitness enthusiasts, the exercise that comes to mind is the squat, right?
But what if you don’t like to squat? What if you’ve never been taught how to squat properly for your body type? What if squats make your knees, hips, or back ache for days afterwards?
There are so many other exercises you can use to make your glutes stronger and more toned.
Think of it this way: there are different types of screwdrivers with different shaped heads. But they all do the same thing - screw screws.
Think of exercises the same way. There’s a long list of exercises you can do to work your glutes, and they all do the same thing - build strength and tone in your legs and glutes.
So why are squats so popular on social media? Because squats make for great booty shots. It’s a lot easier to make your butt appear bigger in a squat, when you arch your back and stick your butt out. Which by the way, is not good technique and puts lots of pressure on your back.
Image via: www.markpieciak.com
Hip extension and flexion needs to happen for the glutes to get a workout.
When hip flexion happens, meaning your thigh comes towards your torso (like at the bottom of a squat, deadlift, or lunge), your glutes are lengthened. When hip extension happens and your thigh goes back, the glutes contract.
Watch this quick (51 second) glute anatomy video:
Squats are just one of many exercises that we can use to get hip extension and flexion. The list below gives you many more options.
This list of exercises which I've picked up from Bret Contreras, goes from easiest to hardest. One exercise isn't necessarily better than the other. What matters most is that the exercise is challenging enough, but not too hard that you can't maintain proper form and technique. You can also add weight to all of these exercises with a barbell.
Glute Bridge
1-Leg Glute Bridge
Feet Elevated Glute Bridge
1-Foot Elevated Glute Bridge
Bodyweight Hip Thrust
1-Leg Hip Thrust
Split Squats/Split Squats with iso-holds/Deficit Split Squats
Step-Up
So if you want a break from squatting and spice things up, start adding in the exercises above to your workouts.
And if squatting leaves you in some sort of pain, it’s best that you get checked out by a chiropractor, physiotherapist, or another health professional to make sure nothing funky is going on.