Glutes.....help!

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dk82
dk82 Posts: 142 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello!!!
When I do squats and lunges I don't feel it in my glutes, I feel it in my hamstrings and quads. I have looked up how to do the form, and mine looks right. What am I doing wrong or is there something I should be doing different?? Any suggestions??

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  • bathori
    bathori Posts: 33
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    You probably have what I call sleepy glutes. You haven't really used them for much besides sitting so your legs take the brunt of the work. Active them by doing a glute-bridge (lie on your back, bend your legs so your feet are flat on the floor, squeeze your but and raise your hips, keeping your shoulders on the ground).

    SQUEEZE YOUR BUTT. If you're not sure if you're squeezing punch yourself in the bum a few times.Do this for 45secs, rest then do it again another 2 times. If your legs or back feel tired you need to punch your butt some more to get it activated. This can take time if your behind is totally lazy (most people's are) but it will come and you will find it very difficult and uncomfortable to keep your bum squeezed.

    As far as squats go, if your form is correct you are sitting back, not just bending your legs. The bend is a the result of your sitting backwards (as if you were trying to sit on a stool that's just a tiny bit too far away). You will feel like you're going to fall over if you havent been doing this properly before. All the weight should be on your heels. When you come back up the movement is of your propelling/thrusting your hips forward and squeezing your glutes, not just standing up.

    You can figure out if you're doing this right by doing a squat with your toes against a wall. If your knees bang into the wall your form is wrong.
  • brujeria48
    brujeria48 Posts: 25
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    I oftentimes don't feel much burn with lunges in my glutes right away, but certainly feel it the next day! With squats, the wider you place your feet, the more it engages the glutes, you may just want to take your legs a bit further apart. Also, with both exercises, the key is to put your weight squarely through your heels and dig in there, not the balls of your feet. If you concentrate on that, it should make a big difference. Good luck!
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    Have you tried sumo squats? Stand with your feet decently far apart past your shoulders, with your toes points to the side. Then slide your back down as if you were sliding against a wall. I definitely feel that one in my glutes, Chalean Extreme uses this move a lot.
  • peck113
    peck113 Posts: 19
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    Try doing your leg ext first. That way your quads will be tired so that your glutes will do more of the work. Also make sure that you are feeling youself push up thru your heel,, don't rock your foot but you should be able to wiggle your toes inside of your shoes. Of course for the squats it will be both heels and make sure you slightly have your toes turned out. For your lunges it is your front heel. You should really be able to tell a difference.
    Let me know if that helps.
    Good luck.
  • dk82
    dk82 Posts: 142 Member
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    Have you tried sumo squats? Stand with your feet decently far apart past your shoulders, with your toes points to the side. Then slide your back down as if you were sliding against a wall. I definitely feel that one in my glutes, Chalean Extreme uses this move a lot.


    Yes, I tried those yesterday, didn't feel it in my glutes and not really feeling any soreness in the glutes today, we will see if it becomes sore tomorrow.
  • dk82
    dk82 Posts: 142 Member
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    Thanks everyone!!

    I am one of those people that have NO butt. I am actually wanting to work it so that maybe I can gain a little bit of shape back there.:smile:
  • glfprncs2
    glfprncs2 Posts: 625 Member
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    Somebody already said...you have to squeeze those butt muscles for all you're worth. To feel it, go to the bottom of your squat, making sure that your knees are NOT over your toes and your butt is pushed backwards. Once you get to the bottom of the squat...stay there...squeeze the butt muscles. Do you feel them? Do a couple pulses with the butt squeezed as hard as you can, then raise back up with the butt still squeezed.

    Same thing with lunges...the key is to make sure you're pushing your hips BACK. Get to the bottom of the lunge, squeeze that glute and pulse again. Then keep the glute tight as you raise back up.
  • slm638
    slm638 Posts: 64
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    Lunges - Make sure you push up through your heels and concentrate on an up and down movement instead of forward or backward...this will isolate glutes more.
  • pfenixa
    pfenixa Posts: 194 Member
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    I never thought I'd get advice to actually punch my butt to make it go away. :laugh:

    I understand the OP, though. I did Self: Your Best Butt Fast yesterday and I mostly felt it (and feel it today! ouch!) in my knees. I do feel it some in my glutes, but it's definitely the knees that I notice. Is that a matter of poor form, or could it just be that I need to work on the strength in my knees? I'd figure after running this long my knees would be stronger than my thighs anywho...

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