Work glutes but not quads?

mongoosealamode

I have done squats and lunges and bridges to try to work my glutes but I always end up developing massive quads. I have always had muscular legs and don't have too much of a problem with that except I am still over weight and my thighs are larger to begin with. I would rather not make them look bigger than they already are.

Are there any workouts that target glutes and hamstrings but not quads?

alyhuggan

Generally speaking if you are losing weight your quads will not grow, neither will anything else, you can only maintain what muscle you have.

That being said it's up to you how you train.

Here's a couple of exercises that avoid working your quads but hit your glutes.

Hip thrusts
Rack Pulls
Stiff Leg Deadlifts

With the later two keep your glutes engaged throughout the whole motion but really focus on squeezing them on the lockout. That's how I feel them best!

dixiewhiskey

I think squats are your best bet.. squeeze your butt as you come up. Pretty much all the exercises named will work the quads, glutes, lower back or hams. Maybe you need to challenge yourself.. I don't know what kind of squats you have been doing but whenever I added weight, I noticed a considerable difference in my back and bum within a month.

arditarose

alyhuggan wrote: »

Generally speaking if you are losing weight your quads will not grow, neither will anything else, you can only maintain what muscle you have.

That being said it's up to you how you train.

Here's a couple of exercises that avoid working your quads but hit your glutes.

Hip thrusts
Rack Pulls
Stiff Leg Deadlifts

With the later two keep your glutes engaged throughout the whole motion but really focus on squeezing them on the lockout. That's how I feel them best!

This

and this

http://bretcontreras.com/growing-glutes-without-growing-the-legs/

DancingMoosie

What everyone said above, plus Good Mornings and weighted donkey kicks (straight or bent leg, on hands and knees or in a plank.)

rileyes

Try one-leg elevated hip-thrust. I feel this exercise in my hams and glutes most. Also, as @arditarose mentioned, Brett Contreras can help you target the region pretty well.

Cherimoose

Your muscles can't get bigger in a calorie deficit, but they may LOOK bigger as you lose the fat layer covering them. Don't worry about that. I'd follow a standard, full-body strength program, without modifying it. NROL & Stronglifts are 2 popular programs here.

curlyslim

Ooh, I've got this page open, to look through again later, it may help you https://www.t-nation.com/training/dispelling-the-glute-myth

deceived1

Can I piggy-back on what some of you said earlier in this thread about muscle gain while cutting? This has always confused me a bit. If I'm eating at a deficit, and accompany a program like P90x or T25 or Insanity or 5x5 or starting strength, or whatever else, what am I actually gaining during the cut - since it's very hard to gain muscle while cutting.

arditarose

deceived1 wrote: »

Can I piggy-back on what some of you said earlier in this thread about muscle gain while cutting? This has always confused me a bit. If I'm eating at a deficit, and accompany a program like P90x or T25 or Insanity or 5x5 or starting strength, or whatever else, what am I actually gaining during the cut - since it's very hard to gain muscle while cutting.

You're maintaining more LBM than if you have not lifted. When we lose "weight" it is not just fat, it's muscle too. When you resistance train and meet the appropriate macros you can help save more muscle,

lulucitron

I do glute focus on Monday and quad focus on Friday and some exercises do both
Glute focus
Back squats
split lunges
lying leg curls
curtseys
one legged deadlifts with dumbbells or kettle
steps ups
hip thrusts
bent over cable kickbacks
glute/ham machine
good mornings
sumo deads

Chieflrg

Back squats and/or conventional DL are the gold standard.

Good mornings & RDL are probably the most underrated and least preformed but are great if you have form down. Sumo & reverse hacks can be a decent exercise to throw in to the ring as well.