Do squats really work the butt?

AlongCame_Molly

yes

mathjulz

It's about form. Knees must be over the ankles, not the toes or farther. Your weight should, in general, be more on the heels, too. It's going to feel really weird at first But if you can basically pull your toes off the ground without losing the pose, you're doing it right (there are a few, like Yoga's chair pose, that has you balancing on your toes instead, but that is much harder and works more of the front of the leg). Try Ripped in 30 or No More Trouble Zones, I think they give you a better butt-thigh workout. She also has one just for the tooshie area, but I don't remember what it's called.

Joehenny

Do a heavy set of *kitten* to grass squats one day instead of those sissy sets of 50 non-weighted ones and get back to us the next day LOL. See how those glutes feel then. #wheelchair

oX_Vanessa_Xo

Do a heavy set of *kitten* to grass squats one day instead of those sissy sets of 50 non-weighted ones and get back to us the next day LOL. See how those glutes feel then. #wheelchair

I've been doing them with 5 lbs hand weights! It counts!

rainbowbow

Good Mornings (if you have access to barbells), glute bridges, hip thrusts, hill sprints, deadlifts.

(normally squats would be #1, but those have been discussed)

Good mornings holy mother of god. Or stiff leg deadlifts. Talk about a sore butt

I second the *kitten* to the grass squats with an actual barbell.

ScottysSpeedShop

Check out the Glute Guy.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/dispelling_the_glute_myth

BinaryPulsar

I should have also thrown in the that I have rheumatoid arthritis in my knees. So I can only go so low, and I can only do so heavy, but I do them to the point it burns.

Basically wanna know what are other things I can do that aren't so hard on the knees.

Great replies so far!

I also like the book Strong Curves by Bret Contreras. Deadlifts are sometimes easier on knees than squats. Perhaps you can still do squats, but start with goblet squats. Hip thrusts are good.

Bret Contreras is the Glute guy that everyone is talking about. And he recommends all the same stuff as everyone else here has mentioned.

I also do weighted Glute kickbacks.

astrovivi

Squats are great but there is a lot to recommend hip thrusts and heavy kettlebell swings.
sumo deadlifts are also good.

But i have to say that, in my own personal experience, I've had better faster improvements in both glute strength and shape from hip thrusts and heavy KB swings than from squats (despite variations etc).

Keep squatting because it's an awesome exercise (whatever variation works best for you) but do get onto the Bret Contreras stuff.

It's gold.

Sharkington

I have had an injured knee for a couple months now and have been unable to do squats at the moment (coming back up causes me extreme discomfort), so I have mostly been doing hip thrusts, single leg lifts, as well as a few other exercises that I incorporate into my routines on the days i do Pilates. I also add in weights when I do hip thrusts and that can make a pretty big significance in feeling that burn. Also, the elliptical has helped a lot, but you will need one of the elliptical trainers that allow you to not only set resistance, but incline, as well. The stairmaster and step ups can help, as well.

Joehenny

Do a heavy set of *kitten* to grass squats one day instead of those sissy sets of 50 non-weighted ones and get back to us the next day LOL. See how those glutes feel then. #wheelchair

I've been doing them with 5 lbs hand weights! It counts!

lol when I say heavy I mean weigh that is difficult to get 6-12 reps so like 80 lbs or something depending on your strength.

dbmata

I've been doing squats! And lunges, and a few wall sits in there. Not nearly close to lifting 250 lbs tho!

The ONLY thing that hurts is the side of my thighs.

How much weight are you currently squatting and for how many reps?

If you aren't heavy enough to hit failure after 3-5 reps (and some may say 5 is high), then you aren't actually doing anything that will create the adaptations you desire, which in this case would be increased musculature.

Additionally, I saw a statement about bad knees. How do you get bad knees better? Work them, intelligently, but you work them. Or they'll degrade.

dbmata

Do a heavy set of *kitten* to grass squats one day instead of those sissy sets of 50 non-weighted ones and get back to us the next day LOL. See how those glutes feel then. #wheelchair

I've been doing them with 5 lbs hand weights! It counts!

A gallon of milk weighs 8 pounds.

5lbs doesn't count.

red8424

Go deeper. Squeeze your butt at the top of the squat.

^this. Focus on form and you'll feel it in the right places.
These are good, too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFW_8abqDlo

missADS1981

i've been focusing on heavy weights for lower body for four months now. i see lots of progress but you have to lift with weight, not body weight.

make sure you are doing perfect form too. if you arent pushing through the heel and sitting back you arent targeting the glutes. you need to also do more than just two exercises, the butt is a muscle with various parts. you need to work the outside, inside, upper and lower parts of the butt.

for me, since i dont have much fat on me i have to lift very heavy so i do more sets but low reps on the really compound exercises like squats and dead lifts. are you doing dead lifts? what about kick backs? weighte bridges?

missADS1981

Do a heavy set of *kitten* to grass squats one day instead of those sissy sets of 50 non-weighted ones and get back to us the next day LOL. See how those glutes feel then. #wheelchair

I've been doing them with 5 lbs hand weights! It counts!

A gallon of milk weighs 8 pounds.

5lbs doesn't count.

you def need more weight. i am 105 and squat with 115lb and im still not anywhere near where i want to be yet

missADS1981

Squats are great but there is a lot to recommend hip thrusts and heavy kettlebell swings.
sumo deadlifts are also good.

But i have to say that, in my own personal experience, I've had better faster improvements in both glute strength and shape from hip thrusts and heavy KB swings than from squats (despite variations etc).

Keep squatting because it's an awesome exercise (whatever variation works best for you) but do get onto the Bret Contreras stuff.

It's gold.

i have to agree that hip thrusters/weighted bridges leave me more sore than anything, and i love that. sure it looks awkward doing it but hell i love the feeling the next day

BerryH

Squat low, squat slow, add more weight. Exercise physiology reckons donkey kicks activate your glutes more too, you can add resistance to them with weights or exercise bands.

postrockandcats

Deep squats, deadlifts and lunges OH MY! They will make your legs and bum look great. If *I* can defeat generations of flat butt, there's hope for everyone.

PS- I do my squats and deads at the barbell.

thebigcb

Yes, they do

drefaw

Good Mornings, Dead Lifts, Glute Kick Backs and Hip Abduction will get you going in the direction you want ......