My glute genetics are PATHETIC...slow progress despite lifting very heavy

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Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    Ugh...... It wasn't fashionable to have a big, round butt when I was growing up.... before Kim Kardashian and J Lo. I wish I had a flat butt like a pancake!! Don't worry about having a round butt. Not everyone thinks they are attractive.

    Do your thing at the gym, keep active. That's what counts.

    Wow shame much? Because everything we do is for someone else. Smh. :noway:
  • janettles
    janettles Posts: 69 Member
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    serapel wrote: »
    let's face it though...I do have poor glute genetics. I can improve it, but I do not carry much fat on my glutes and they are square shaped.

    I'll keep trying and I won't give up. Hopefully in an other 2 months, I can update my picture to show off :)

    I'm going to be gone until Saturday night on a camping trip. Hopefully I don't lose my tiny glute muscles haha.

    I will respond on Saturday night I really appreciate all the help, info and suggestions

    I agree with the others that say it's slow going. Are you trying to lose or gain? I did gain 3 inches in hips that's all in the butt over 3 years, but that was coming from underweight and slowly crawling up to this 20.something BMI. And it came along with bigger legs as well, more muscle all over. A couple of months just isn't long enough to do much. Butts are so strong it seems hard to load up enough weight to build mass, too.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    serapel wrote: »
    let's face it though...I do have poor glute genetics. I can improve it, but I do not carry much fat on my glutes and they are square shaped.

    I'll keep trying and I won't give up. Hopefully in an other 2 months, I can update my picture to show off :)

    I'm going to be gone until Saturday night on a camping trip. Hopefully I don't lose my tiny glute muscles haha.

    I will respond on Saturday night I really appreciate all the help, info and suggestions

    I agree with the others that say it's slow going. Are you trying to lose or gain? I did gain 3 inches in hips that's all in the butt over 3 years, but that was coming from underweight and slowly crawling up to this 20.something BMI. And it came along with bigger legs as well, more muscle all over. A couple of months just isn't long enough to do much. Butts are so strong it seems hard to load up enough weight to build mass, too.

    Thanks. Today I tried to hold at the top for 3 seconds with 155 lbs and I could only manage 6 reps both times before my butt was on fire and I was shaking all over. I dropped the weight to 135 lbs and continued holding 3 seconds at the top. even then, I could only manage 8 reps. I did 4 sets in total holding 3 seconds at the top. Man that is bloody hard!!!

    Then I did 3 sets of single leg hip thrusts with a 15 lb weight on each leg. Goblet squats holding 20 lbs, curtsey squats, reverse lunges, cable donkey kicks...finished with a reverse back extension holding 25 lbs - managed to do 50 reps dropped weight at 30 mark. Was a great work out. Took an hour.

    I'm getting very strong and the results are coming in. The shape of my butt is changed and my underwear fits differently. I just look in the mirror and see a flat butt.

    My goal is to add 2 inches over the next year. I would be happy with those results. I think it's definitely doable.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    All in all, I've put on about 4 lbs since May. I began at 125 lbs or so and I'm about 129 lbs now. It's coming along.

    I am 45 years old. I'm not going to put on muscle like a 20 something. I'm just not willing to put on a lot of fat in the process, so my results may come a little slower. I'm only eating about 200 extra cals a day now.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    My expectations were unrealistic I believe. I just hate my flat *kitten*. :smiley:
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
    One of the things Brett talks a lot about on his site and his social media accounts (particularly Instagram where he posts a ton of cool exercises) is the need to develop your upper glute muscles in order to get that round shape. He recommends a lot of banded exercises for this, lots of abductions, frog pumps, monster walks, etc. I don't see any of these in your program. Maybe have another look at his stuff and see how you can include some of these movements. They can seem like they are less important than the big squat lunge step up deadlift type stuff but they give good results.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,972 Member
    I have 2 female friends who have fabulous bodies from the front, but when they turn sideways or around, you can definitely see they lack round glutes. And we've done days where we just focus strictly on glutes 1-2 times a week. I believe that in some cases, glutes may not be in the cards with those who lack the genetics for it. There are guys who can't build great chests or arms regardless of how well they train them, so I don't see why it couldn't happen to a female who doesn't have great genetics for glutes either.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    serapel wrote: »
    My expectations were unrealistic I believe. I just hate my flat *kitten*. :smiley:

    I belong to the flat *kitten* club. No nice round booty here! LOL If you were stand me and my mother side by side nobody could tell whose *kitten* was whose. Thanks/no thanks mom!! I know I've built up the glutes some, but I still see a spongebob rear in the mirror. Keep at it, maybe it'll change over time!!
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Skimmed through and saw a bunch of good advice.....but didn't see anything mentioned about diet. Not saying it is the issue - but you may want to review it and make sure it isn't contributing to the problem.
  • andylllI
    andylllI Posts: 379 Member
    Coming back to advise doing the banded stuff twice:

    - once at the beginning of the workout to activate your glutes and remind your brain where they are
    - At the end to burn out to create a lot of metabolic damage as simulation for muscle growth.

    Brett explains this in his book. My PT did this with me because my glutes were really weak after pregnancy to the point where I couldn't activate them in plank position. Some acivation work before squats and lunges and deads really helps.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    Genetics DO play a big part but at the most you can make them perky by pushing heavy and trying to do a clean bulk.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    KDar1988 wrote: »
    serapel wrote: »
    My expectations were unrealistic I believe. I just hate my flat *kitten*. :smiley:

    I belong to the flat *kitten* club. No nice round booty here! LOL If you were stand me and my mother side by side nobody could tell whose *kitten* was whose. Thanks/no thanks mom!! I know I've built up the glutes some, but I still see a spongebob rear in the mirror. Keep at it, maybe it'll change over time!!

    @S. LOVE IT
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    andylllI wrote: »
    One of the things Brett talks a lot about on his site and his social media accounts (particularly Instagram where he posts a ton of cool exercises) is the need to develop your upper glute muscles in order to get that round shape. He recommends a lot of banded exercises for this, lots of abductions, frog pumps, monster walks, etc. I don't see any of these in your program. Maybe have another look at his stuff and see how you can include some of these movements. They can seem like they are less important than the big squat lunge step up deadlift type stuff but they give good results.

    Thanks!!! Will look at this!!! I have no upper glutes.
  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    edited August 2016
    Found this workout for upper glutes. Good? Has all the exercises that were mentioned.

    https://youtu.be/FPmpWELc2dY