Work glutes but not quads?

mongoosealamode
mongoosealamode Posts: 112 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
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?

Replies

  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    edited May 2015
    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
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    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
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    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
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    What everyone said above, plus Good Mornings and weighted donkey kicks (straight or bent leg, on hands and knees or in a plank.)
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    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
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    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
    curlyslim Posts: 64 Member
    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
    deceived1 Posts: 281 Member
    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
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    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
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
    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
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    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.


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