How to lift the glutes?
jcf123456
Posts: 22 Member
My glutes have dropped a lot and I've been trying to fix it for 4 months through squats and and other weight training exercises but the sagginess persists. I take in a ton of protein too (140-180 grams and I'm a 124 lb woman). Is it possible to lift it through exercise and if so what am I doing wrong?
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Replies
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I recently hired a trainer who told me I was lifting incorrectly. I use too much of my quads when I squat, deadlift, and hip thrust. We are working on activating/engaging my hamstrings and gllutes. I have lifted for a while now, but did not realize this. It is a struggle and so hard to correct.
I am not saying that is your problem, but it may be worth looking into. Making sure your form is correct and you are engaging the correct muscles during your exercises.2 -
If you are eating in a deficit and losing weight, you will mostly be maintaining the muscle you have.. which can help shape it. Muscle is what gives the glutes their shape though. If you don't have the size or base to begin with, it will be very hard to grow significantly unless you eat at maintenance or above. Also getting enough protein is great, extra won't help you build/maintain more muscle.
Following a program like Strong Curves is also a great idea
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Thanks for the responses
I believe I have been eating in a small surplus. I calculated my TDEE at 1900 and I have been eating 2200-2300 calories the past few months so I'm not sure why I'm not getting results.
I do have the strong curves book and saw most of the exercises were 3x20 non weighted exercises. Is that sufficient for building muscle?0 -
Thanks for the responses
I believe I have been eating in a small surplus. I calculated my TDEE at 1900 and I have been eating 2200-2300 calories the past few months so I'm not sure why I'm not getting results.
I do have the strong curves book and saw most of the exercises were 3x20 non weighted exercises. Is that sufficient for building muscle?
Re. the bold - if your weight has gone up slightly in the last few months you have been in a small surplus, that's how you know.0 -
Thanks for the responses
I believe I have been eating in a small surplus. I calculated my TDEE at 1900 and I have been eating 2200-2300 calories the past few months so I'm not sure why I'm not getting results.
I do have the strong curves book and saw most of the exercises were 3x20 non weighted exercises. Is that sufficient for building muscle?
Re. the bold - if your weight has gone up slightly in the last few months you have been in a small surplus, that's how you know.
It has gone up 3 pounds in 2 months but the glutes are just not improving/lifting.0 -
Thanks for the responses
I believe I have been eating in a small surplus. I calculated my TDEE at 1900 and I have been eating 2200-2300 calories the past few months so I'm not sure why I'm not getting results.
I do have the strong curves book and saw most of the exercises were 3x20 non weighted exercises. Is that sufficient for building muscle?
Re. the bold - if your weight has gone up slightly in the last few months you have been in a small surplus, that's how you know.
It has gone up 3 pounds in 2 months but the glutes are just not improving/lifting.
So you know you have your small surplus nailed down which either leaves your training plan or your technique as the areas to work on. Or both!
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2 months is not a lot of time but you should be seeing some growth and progress if you are doing things right.
Maybe some more information will help. How tall are you? Do you know your approximate bodyfat %? Have you been consistent with the program? Are your glutes properly activating, are you progressing over time and feeling challenged by the exercises? While bodyweight workouts can be effective, you need to be sure you adequately progress over time to build muscle.. this is imperative when bulking.0 -
read Strong Curves2
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Just looking at the exercises isn't enough. Read the entire book. Even the parts that you don't need (I don't follow their nutrition plans but still read it). Then follow the beginner program.
Yes there are a lot of unweighted exercises, but that's because it starts at the beginning. You work up to weighted once you can master activating your glutes in the exercises. Doing the exercises without activating the proper muscles isn't much good.0 -
If you are gaining .25 a week at your weight you won't see alot of change though with the proper training it will show over time. If building mass was easy, everybody would be stacked. Perhaps taking progress pics will help you see the change.
Some people respond to certain training better than others. If you are running SC, it goes without saying you will build slower than if you were strictly barbell training the big 4-5. That doesn't mean SC is lacking, just not as optimal for the time invested. Sometimes people prefer to go a longer route for whatever reason and who is to stop them if they are happy.
The ladies I've put on a NLP program after running SC have had great results.
Of course while eating in a surplus with correct amount if carbs, protien, leucine, and fat relative to the body weight/composition while coaching proper form.
With barbell training there isn't the bogus claims you need to activate glutes and that type of buzz words non sense. If you do the lifts correctly, the body has no choice.5 -
While I typically agree with you @Chieflrg .. SC is very focused training. The results yes, will be suboptimal for the entire body... so to build muscle all over, SC does fall short for sure, that I will agree with. Quad growth is even lacking (again though, the program is glute centric). However, it does offer a very specific type of physique training that I just don't see very often from other programs and I would never call the results from SC slower or longer. Of course it ultimately depends on the goals.
And that's the thing... you have to do the lifts correctly. Many people don't, unfortunately. Bret has done quite a bit of research on glute activation though, and some people (as yourself) may not agree, it is worth a consideration.
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Here is the problem Stef. It's more efficient because who wants to work only one area? Or rather is it right?
You yourself recently said you've made the mistake of focusing training on mainly lower half with Strong Curves and are disappointed somewhat that now you need to catch up on top because of neglect.
How many hours/days do you spend working out a week. I hazard you and I are pretty close... (3 days/6 hours), yet I probably get the same if not more muscle stimulas of glutes as you while doing a total body. That is what I mean by efficiency.
*Also in before everybody possibly piles on me for how much Stef has accomplished. I'm very aware and think she is amazing
.
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While SC is glute focused, it's still a great full body workout, unless you're doing the glute only program. I didn't find any issues with my upper body being neglected on the beginner or advanced programs. But I also had to sub out a lot of exercises as I workout at home and don't have cable equipment and have Dr's orders to avoid certain exercises (such as overhead press).0
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I didn't see any changes to my glutes until I added weighted hip thrusts. Glute bridges will work too. I highly recommend Strong Curves. I saw a huge amount of perkiness and even had to adjust the seat in my truck after running the beginner program.1
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I do love this discussion and it is very interesting!
Well... that's the thing. Strong Curves is a full body program, and it doesn't work one area, but it is a focused program so it places a larger emphasis on the glutes.
My mistakes weren't actually a result of the program, but my own mentality holding me back. I ran my first bulk doing the SC lower body only program. Maybe one random (non-programmed) day of upper body. Talk about non-optimal...
Then I had an injury doing a pull-up which set me back at one point.
I am very happy with my upper progress....but now I have come to the point where I would like more upper body size, and it's not because SC is a poor program.
The thing is I want my glutes to grow significantly more than the rest of my muscles... if I was running different programming, I would look more balanced, my legs would be larger, I would probably have insane abs, shoulders, back, which would be awesome....but that is not what I want. That is not what everyone wants.
I 100% get what you are saying about doing a different type of program but the #1 thing that keeps me coming back to this.... adherence. I LOVE this style of training, I love the way Bret designs programs, it works well for me, it keeps me motivated in the gym, keeps me interested... feeling strong but also has helped build my dream physique. I have dabbled in other programs and don't nearly feel as good as I do when I run this style of training.3 -
I didn't need to do the whole SC program for glute growth. Hip thrust twice per week, cable pull throughs, kickbacks, along with my squats did the job. As long as there was progressive overload. Make sure you are activating glutes and adding weight or sets or reps each week.1
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I do love this discussion and it is very interesting!
Well... that's the thing. Strong Curves is a full body program, and it doesn't work one area, but it is a focused program so it places a larger emphasis on the glutes.
My mistakes weren't actually a result of the program, but my own mentality holding me back. I ran my first bulk doing the SC lower body only program. Maybe one random (non-programmed) day of upper body. Talk about non-optimal...
Then I had an injury doing a pull-up which set me back at one point.
I am very happy with my upper progress....but now I have come to the point where I would like more upper body size, and it's not because SC is a poor program.
The thing is I want my glutes to grow significantly more than the rest of my muscles... if I was running different programming, I would look more balanced, my legs would be larger, I would probably have insane abs, shoulders, back, which would be awesome....but that is not what I want. That is not what everyone wants.
I 100% get what you are saying about doing a different type of program but the #1 thing that keeps me coming back to this.... adherence. I LOVE this style of training, I love the way Bret designs programs, it works well for me, it keeps me motivated in the gym, keeps me interested... feeling strong but also has helped build my dream physique. I have dabbled in other programs and don't nearly feel as good as I do when I run this style of training.
I never said it was a poor program. Just I've had better results with those I coach under a NLP and it's less efficient for time invested.
Still curious, how many hours a week do you train?0 -
I do love this discussion and it is very interesting!
Well... that's the thing. Strong Curves is a full body program, and it doesn't work one area, but it is a focused program so it places a larger emphasis on the glutes.
My mistakes weren't actually a result of the program, but my own mentality holding me back. I ran my first bulk doing the SC lower body only program. Maybe one random (non-programmed) day of upper body. Talk about non-optimal...
Then I had an injury doing a pull-up which set me back at one point.
I am very happy with my upper progress....but now I have come to the point where I would like more upper body size, and it's not because SC is a poor program.
The thing is I want my glutes to grow significantly more than the rest of my muscles... if I was running different programming, I would look more balanced, my legs would be larger, I would probably have insane abs, shoulders, back, which would be awesome....but that is not what I want. That is not what everyone wants.
I 100% get what you are saying about doing a different type of program but the #1 thing that keeps me coming back to this.... adherence. I LOVE this style of training, I love the way Bret designs programs, it works well for me, it keeps me motivated in the gym, keeps me interested... feeling strong but also has helped build my dream physique. I have dabbled in other programs and don't nearly feel as good as I do when I run this style of training.
I never said it was a poor program. Just I've had better results with those I coach under a NLP and it's less efficient for time invested.
Still curious, how many hours a week do you train?
Ok but what kind of results are we talking about here?
I would say 5 hours or less. And that includes distractions and selfie-taking lol0 -
I do love this discussion and it is very interesting!
Well... that's the thing. Strong Curves is a full body program, and it doesn't work one area, but it is a focused program so it places a larger emphasis on the glutes.
My mistakes weren't actually a result of the program, but my own mentality holding me back. I ran my first bulk doing the SC lower body only program. Maybe one random (non-programmed) day of upper body. Talk about non-optimal...
Then I had an injury doing a pull-up which set me back at one point.
I am very happy with my upper progress....but now I have come to the point where I would like more upper body size, and it's not because SC is a poor program.
The thing is I want my glutes to grow significantly more than the rest of my muscles... if I was running different programming, I would look more balanced, my legs would be larger, I would probably have insane abs, shoulders, back, which would be awesome....but that is not what I want. That is not what everyone wants.
I 100% get what you are saying about doing a different type of program but the #1 thing that keeps me coming back to this.... adherence. I LOVE this style of training, I love the way Bret designs programs, it works well for me, it keeps me motivated in the gym, keeps me interested... feeling strong but also has helped build my dream physique. I have dabbled in other programs and don't nearly feel as good as I do when I run this style of training.
I never said it was a poor program. Just I've had better results with those I coach under a NLP and it's less efficient for time invested.
Still curious, how many hours a week do you train?
Ok but what kind of results are we talking about here?
I would say 5 hours or less. And that includes distractions and selfie-taking lol
Inches added along with desired aesthetics. Most of the ladies are in there 30-40s. The younger ones I coach already have a solid base of compound lifts from strength training and never tried SC or mentioned it before, so it's more cueing their lifts at first. Of course everybody benefits from getting stronger.
Most of mine is waiting for next set or BS'n with the peeps.0 -
Yea that makes sense, you definitely don't need SC to see glute progress. And everyone is different, not all women like his programming... not all of them want to do his programs or like the end goal. That is ok too.
But as a mother of two... who works out in her home gym with limited equipment, doesn't have a lot of time, doesn't have aspirations to be a bodybuilder or powerlifter... the program is pretty dang efficient for me
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Yea that makes sense, you definitely don't need SC to see glute progress. And everyone is different, not all women like his programming... not all of them want to do his programs or like the end goal. That is ok too.
But as a mother of two... who works out in her home gym with limited equipment, doesn't have a lot of time, doesn't have aspirations to be a bodybuilder or powerlifter... the program is pretty dang efficient for me
That's the great thing about strength training, it's doesn't have to sport specific. It can help everybody, even a old geezer like me who struggles at normal life things.1 -
2 months is not a lot of time but you should be seeing some growth and progress if you are doing things right.
Maybe some more information will help. How tall are you? Do you know your approximate bodyfat %? Have you been consistent with the program? Are your glutes properly activating, are you progressing over time and feeling challenged by the exercises? While bodyweight workouts can be effective, you need to be sure you adequately progress over time to build muscle.. this is imperative when bulking.
I'm 5'6" and 20.7% BF. I've been working on it in total for 4 months consistently (2 months is just when I started measuring/weighing). I'm not doing the SC program right now. I'm not on any specific program. I was doing leg/glute workouts 3x a week for the first two months and the second two months I've cut back to once a week because I was told 3x is way too much. My squat weight has increased and I've started to add some heavier hip thrusts too.
In my past I've lost 20 pounds so I don't known if the weight loss from awhile ago caused the sagginess but I'm starting to feel like it can't be changed.0 -
If you are gaining .25 a week at your weight you won't see alot of change though with the proper training it will show over time. If building mass was easy, everybody would be stacked. Perhaps taking progress pics will help you see the change.
Some people respond to certain training better than others. If you are running SC, it goes without saying you will build slower than if you were strictly barbell training the big 4-5. That doesn't mean SC is lacking, just not as optimal for the time invested. Sometimes people prefer to go a longer route for whatever reason and who is to stop them if they are happy.
The ladies I've put on a NLP program after running SC have had great results.
Of course while eating in a surplus with correct amount if carbs, protien, leucine, and fat relative to the body weight/composition while coaching proper form.
With barbell training there isn't the bogus claims you need to activate glutes and that type of buzz words non sense. If you do the lifts correctly, the body has no choice.
What is a NLP program?
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My glutes have dropped a lot and I've been trying to fix it for 4 months through squats and and other weight training exercises but the sagginess persists. I take in a ton of protein too (140-180 grams and I'm a 124 lb woman). Is it possible to lift it through exercise and if so what am I doing wrong?
Do you do glute activation?0 -
flowerhorsey wrote: »My glutes have dropped a lot and I've been trying to fix it for 4 months through squats and and other weight training exercises but the sagginess persists. I take in a ton of protein too (140-180 grams and I'm a 124 lb woman). Is it possible to lift it through exercise and if so what am I doing wrong?
Do you do glute activation?
Once a week I will do some bodyweight bridges but that's mainly it0 -
flowerhorsey wrote: »My glutes have dropped a lot and I've been trying to fix it for 4 months through squats and and other weight training exercises but the sagginess persists. I take in a ton of protein too (140-180 grams and I'm a 124 lb woman). Is it possible to lift it through exercise and if so what am I doing wrong?
Do you do glute activation?
Once a week I will do some bodyweight bridges but that's mainly it
If you have access to a gym I've found spending 5 minutes on incline treadmill doing banded side squat walk, then like just five minutes using banded either kickbacks, Bridges,etc really wake up the booty. I think sc had specific activation based on what the program is for that day.0 -
2 months is not a lot of time but you should be seeing some growth and progress if you are doing things right.
Maybe some more information will help. How tall are you? Do you know your approximate bodyfat %? Have you been consistent with the program? Are your glutes properly activating, are you progressing over time and feeling challenged by the exercises? While bodyweight workouts can be effective, you need to be sure you adequately progress over time to build muscle.. this is imperative when bulking.
I'm 5'6" and 20.7% BF. I've been working on it in total for 4 months consistently (2 months is just when I started measuring/weighing). I'm not doing the SC program right now. I'm not on any specific program. I was doing leg/glute workouts 3x a week for the first two months and the second two months I've cut back to once a week because I was told 3x is way too much. My squat weight has increased and I've started to add some heavier hip thrusts too.
In my past I've lost 20 pounds so I don't known if the weight loss from awhile ago caused the sagginess but I'm starting to feel like it can't be changed.
I would definitely start following a program. I recommend SC but there are many out there that will work well.
Here is a list of programs to check out
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Also 3x is not too much with proper programming. I've done glute work 5-6x per week with fantastic results.
In all honesty, if you are gaining.. you really want to think about joining a gym or using some equipment. Like I said bodyweight programs are great.. for beginners typically in a deficit, maybe in maintenance. But for bulking it can be a different ball game... it can be difficult to add sufficient progressive overload.. and for some it may not be enough to add adequate muscle in a surplus. Especially if you aren't seeing results at this point.0 -
Thanks everyone for the help.
Sardelsa- I will check out that list of programs. I do have a gym membership and have been doing heavy barbell squats, heavy leg presses, and have recently started adding weighted hip thrusts. This is why I'm getting frustrated because I feel like I'm doing the right stuffl0 -
Thanks everyone for the help.
Sardelsa- I will check out that list of programs. I do have a gym membership and have been doing heavy barbell squats, heavy leg presses, and have recently started adding weighted hip thrusts. This is why I'm getting frustrated because I feel like I'm doing the right stuffl
It could be a result of not following a proper program (not enough frequency, volume, intensity), poor form, not enough progession to cause significant muscle damage/stress and therefore growth. Or there is a possibility you could be a slower glute responder which is down to genetics.0
This discussion has been closed.
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