Exercises for deflated underbooty

Hi everyone,

I've noticed that since I've been losing weight my booty is getting flatter. I've lost volume on the upper part and I don't mind that so much but I'd like to have a "lifted" effect on the underside and have more of that smooth transition between the glutes and hamstrings if you can visualize what I mean.

I'm familiar with bridges and the position on all fours where you pump your leg up with your knee bent 90 degrees ( I don't know the name of this exercise) and these are very challenging for me. I have a hard time with doing moves where glute contraction is expected. Good at lunges and squats, though.

I will work on these if that's what you recommend. I've also been doing some gliding videos with some discs.

I have anterior pelvic tilt, and from what I've researched, that means I have weak glutes, weak lower abs, weak lower back, and tight hip flexors. I try to roll out my hip flexors and back with a foam roller but don't get around to it too often because it's painful. I'm also trying a sleeping position that is supposed to help correct this (on your back with a pillow under your knees) but it's so hard to fall asleep that I usually just turn over.

What do you recommend for stronger / smoother underside?

Thank you.
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Replies

  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    Squats , Deadlifts, - there are multiple versions of both - hip thrusts.
    Google Bret Contreras - Strong Curves - His workout programs are glute focused
  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
    Echoing a progressive glute focused lifting program such as Strong Curves by Bret Contreras.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Another vote for Bret Contreras. He has you hitting the glutes from all angles. He has many different programs from bodyweight to full gym, books to subscription programs. I owe my glutes to his programming :)
  • JessBbody
    JessBbody Posts: 523 Member
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

  • Dogmom1978
    Dogmom1978 Posts: 1,580 Member
    You can build muscle while in a deficit although of course it’s easier to do so when not in a deficit. Also, lifting weights is fantastic for overall health (even if body weight or full water bottles are all you have access to). Most people here will agree that they wish they had started lifting sooner rather than later (at least the crowd the lifts weights and enjoys doing so).

  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    Start weight training now ,even if you are still loosing weight.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    I tend to do a lot of Sydney Cummings workouts when at home and need some strength training. Here is her playlist of "butt/booty" workouts that you can do at home with very little equipment.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)

    I'm a rowin' fool, no foolin' - like 17-18 years now, multiple days a week, most of that time. It may just be my body/genetics, but at 5'5", 125 pounds +/- depending on the day, probably under 25% BF (BIA scale says around 23%, but I'm quite skinny up top, more BF around hips/rear/thigh) . . . I've got good firmness in the upper glutes, firm but not voluminous mid, still a little floopy/fatty in the lower glute transition to hammies, OK hammies. Most of my residual BF (post menopausal) is in inner thighs, the glute/hammie transition, and abdomen below belly button. Not massive, but that's where it sits. (Not a complaint: Happy with my body. Just individual true honest facts.)

    I admit, for whatever reason, I seem to build more mass/definition upper vs. lower. (Partly because I dysfunctionally over-use upper, I'd bet, like a lot of male rowers in our learn-to-row classes do.)

    So much of this is individual and situational, but from my own idosyncratic personal experience, I have a hard time endorsing rowing (my one true love!) for lower glutes. Great lower body push exercise, upper body pull - 1000 reps plus per hour, gotta getcha something, y'know? That butt on the seat, though - unless/until you get unweighting - I'm skeptical of lower glute gains, based on experience. And even with unweighting, that's the transition point, IMO, not the power point.

    If others do better, applause from me - and I'll go kick my genetics when it's down, OK? 😉
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)

    I'm a rowin' fool, no foolin' - like 17-18 years now, multiple days a week, most of that time. It may just be my body/genetics, but at 5'5", 125 pounds +/- depending on the day, probably under 25% BF (BIA scale says around 23%, but I'm quite skinny up top, more BF around hips/rear/thigh) . . . I've got good firmness in the upper glutes, firm but not voluminous mid, still a little floopy/fatty in the lower glute transition to hammies, OK hammies. Most of my residual BF (post menopausal) is in inner thighs, the glute/hammie transition, and abdomen below belly button. Not massive, but that's where it sits. (Not a complaint: Happy with my body. Just individual true honest facts.)

    I admit, for whatever reason, I seem to build more mass/definition upper vs. lower. (Partly because I dysfunctionally over-use upper, I'd bet, like a lot of male rowers in our learn-to-row classes do.)

    So much of this is individual and situational, but from my own idosyncratic personal experience, I have a hard time endorsing rowing (my one true love!) for lower glutes. Great lower body push exercise, upper body pull - 1000 reps plus per hour, gotta getcha something, y'know? That butt on the seat, though - unless/until you get unweighting - I'm skeptical of lower glute gains, based on experience. And even with unweighting, that's the transition point, IMO, not the power point.

    If others do better, applause from me - and I'll go kick my genetics when it's down, OK? 😉

    There's a good chance I'm a dysfunctionally lower over-user since I have chronic rotator cuff issues. I kid you not, I feel the most exertion at the glute-hamstring junction. Or maybe I've been doing it all wrong for the past year (this wouldn't surprise me)? :D Even the SO noticed a difference and he's normally pretty oblivious.

    I did a bit of research before deciding on the rowing machine and based my choice mainly on the notion that it was a decent whole-body workout, plus something that "older" individuals could safely do. No one ever mentioned glute gains.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)

    I'm a rowin' fool, no foolin' - like 17-18 years now, multiple days a week, most of that time. It may just be my body/genetics, but at 5'5", 125 pounds +/- depending on the day, probably under 25% BF (BIA scale says around 23%, but I'm quite skinny up top, more BF around hips/rear/thigh) . . . I've got good firmness in the upper glutes, firm but not voluminous mid, still a little floopy/fatty in the lower glute transition to hammies, OK hammies. Most of my residual BF (post menopausal) is in inner thighs, the glute/hammie transition, and abdomen below belly button. Not massive, but that's where it sits. (Not a complaint: Happy with my body. Just individual true honest facts.)

    I admit, for whatever reason, I seem to build more mass/definition upper vs. lower. (Partly because I dysfunctionally over-use upper, I'd bet, like a lot of male rowers in our learn-to-row classes do.)

    So much of this is individual and situational, but from my own idosyncratic personal experience, I have a hard time endorsing rowing (my one true love!) for lower glutes. Great lower body push exercise, upper body pull - 1000 reps plus per hour, gotta getcha something, y'know? That butt on the seat, though - unless/until you get unweighting - I'm skeptical of lower glute gains, based on experience. And even with unweighting, that's the transition point, IMO, not the power point.

    If others do better, applause from me - and I'll go kick my genetics when it's down, OK? 😉

    There's a good chance I'm a dysfunctionally lower over-user since I have chronic rotator cuff issues. I kid you not, I feel the most exertion at the glute-hamstring junction. Or maybe I've been doing it all wrong for the past year (this wouldn't surprise me)? :D Even the SO noticed a difference and he's normally pretty oblivious.

    I did a bit of research before deciding on the rowing machine and based my choice mainly on the notion that it was a decent whole-body workout, plus something that "older" individuals could safely do. No one ever mentioned glute gains.

    It's a good whole-body workout, for sure, but unbalanced (lower push, upper pull). I hope you're doing something for upper push, at least, if you have rotator cuff concerns, because imbalance there can be a potential stressor? If you're getting good lower glute engagement, that's probably a *good* sign about your technique. With poor suspension of weight between foot-stretchers and handle (a common technique deficiency), the mid/lower glute area gets a bit pinned to the seat IMO, reducing the extent to which the lower glutes can contribute power.

    (https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/muscles-used)
  • JessBbody
    JessBbody Posts: 523 Member
    I tend to do a lot of Sydney Cummings workouts when at home and need some strength training. Here is her playlist of "butt/booty" workouts that you can do at home with very little equipment.

    Thank you to those who suggested rowing. I will try the machine when I get back into the gym.

    @DancingMoosie thanks for the yt workout. I only have 2 lb dumbbells at home but I've got my eye on some heavier ones. I need to graduate at some point.



  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    JessBbody wrote: »
    I tend to do a lot of Sydney Cummings workouts when at home and need some strength training. Here is her playlist of "butt/booty" workouts that you can do at home with very little equipment.

    Thank you to those who suggested rowing. I will try the machine when I get back into the gym.

    @DancingMoosie thanks for the yt workout. I only have 2 lb dumbbells at home but I've got my eye on some heavier ones. I need to graduate at some point.

    Try to learn correct form from the start, because it's harder to fix later. Even many gym trainers row poorly, unfortunately, so may not be a good source of "how to" information. It's not an intuitive movement pattern. There are various good sources for basics, but this for sure is one:

    https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/technique-videos/getting-started
  • JessBbody
    JessBbody Posts: 523 Member
    @AnnPT77

    Thank you for taking the time to give me tips about rowing form. I wouldn't have known that I wasn't doing it correctly. I've tried it before and I thought it was just pull and push. I was likely doing it wrong. I will check out your link.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,366 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)

    I'm a rowin' fool, no foolin' - like 17-18 years now, multiple days a week, most of that time. It may just be my body/genetics, but at 5'5", 125 pounds +/- depending on the day, probably under 25% BF (BIA scale says around 23%, but I'm quite skinny up top, more BF around hips/rear/thigh) . . . I've got good firmness in the upper glutes, firm but not voluminous mid, still a little floopy/fatty in the lower glute transition to hammies, OK hammies. Most of my residual BF (post menopausal) is in inner thighs, the glute/hammie transition, and abdomen below belly button. Not massive, but that's where it sits. (Not a complaint: Happy with my body. Just individual true honest facts.)

    I admit, for whatever reason, I seem to build more mass/definition upper vs. lower. (Partly because I dysfunctionally over-use upper, I'd bet, like a lot of male rowers in our learn-to-row classes do.)

    So much of this is individual and situational, but from my own idosyncratic personal experience, I have a hard time endorsing rowing (my one true love!) for lower glutes. Great lower body push exercise, upper body pull - 1000 reps plus per hour, gotta getcha something, y'know? That butt on the seat, though - unless/until you get unweighting - I'm skeptical of lower glute gains, based on experience. And even with unweighting, that's the transition point, IMO, not the power point.

    If others do better, applause from me - and I'll go kick my genetics when it's down, OK? 😉

    There's a good chance I'm a dysfunctionally lower over-user since I have chronic rotator cuff issues. I kid you not, I feel the most exertion at the glute-hamstring junction. Or maybe I've been doing it all wrong for the past year (this wouldn't surprise me)? :D Even the SO noticed a difference and he's normally pretty oblivious.

    I did a bit of research before deciding on the rowing machine and based my choice mainly on the notion that it was a decent whole-body workout, plus something that "older" individuals could safely do. No one ever mentioned glute gains.

    It's a good whole-body workout, for sure, but unbalanced (lower push, upper pull). I hope you're doing something for upper push, at least, if you have rotator cuff concerns, because imbalance there can be a potential stressor? If you're getting good lower glute engagement, that's probably a *good* sign about your technique. With poor suspension of weight between foot-stretchers and handle (a common technique deficiency), the mid/lower glute area gets a bit pinned to the seat IMO, reducing the extent to which the lower glutes can contribute power.

    (https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/muscles-used)

    Oh good, I was starting to think I was using an incorrect position! For many years my cardio was a stair machine so I figured this was an improvement and ellipticals are just... weird.

    I am very lucky to have a physiotherapist who has worked with me to modify my lifts where necessary, and I have additional Theraband exercises for the shoulders. Barbell bench press had to be eliminated entirely but I can perform the same movement with a band. She also taught me to keep my shoulder blades down and back so I'm very careful to keep a good straight alignment. (Back story is that I have hyperextensive joints and have stretched the rotator cuff tendons so badly that I now have subluxation in the right shoulder and the left is almost as unstable.)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,717 Member
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    JessBbody wrote: »
    Dogmom1978 wrote: »
    How long have you been trying to build booty muscle? How often do you work out? What routine are you utilizing currently? You mention squats which are great for your booty. Are you doing body weight? Some sort of resistance bands? Weights?

    To be honest I haven't started yet. I'm still doing calorie deficit to lose weight / fat. I'm doing mostly cardio and my most difficult workout of the week has a little bodyweight training. I workout 4-6 times a week but haven't concentrated on muscle building thus far. I'm aware that the consensus here is that it's hard to build muscle while in a deficit. I'm also going to need to work on my protein intake when it's time to recomp.

    I've got no weights or resistance bands at home and I'm doing everything on YouTube right now as I'm not ready to go back to the gym, although I'd love to get back to lifting. Willing to get some resistance bands if that will help.

    Thank you to everyone who recommended Bret Contreras. I will check him out.

    Are you also aware of "the consensus" that waiting to start strength/resistance training until you get to goal is a huge mistake?
    A high protein intake is more important while cutting than while maintaining (muscle sparing).
    You can also make a case the appropriate training is more important / beneficial while cutting as it sends a strong message that your muscles need to be preserved. (Again muscle sparing.)
    The third factor is not having an excessive deficit. (Shall I say it again? Muscle sparing.)

    It's a long slow process to build muscle, preserving what you have is far more efficient than losing and regaining.

    Suggest you do as much as you can now (bodyweight and improvised weights for example) - do not wait and be disappointed that you look like a smaller/deflated version of the current you when you get to goal as opposed to being in the best shape possible. Also look at the other two factors NOW.

    Getting to goal weight shouldn't involve regretting the choices you made while losing.

    PS - not all cardio is the same, cycling, rowing, (and some others) have a significant strength element that can help your glutes.

    Good advice!

    Addendum: Rowing is good for glutes, but mostly upper. Hammies, yes, and a little lower glute if you learn good enough technique to get a tiny lift (unweighting) off the seat on the drive - most people don't.

    Contreras will get you cuter glutes overall than rowing, way faster, and I say that as a full-bore, dedicated, long-term rower (on-water and machine . . . assuming we're talking machine, in this case). I don't Contreras, because I don't care about cute, not even a little. It's still the better answer, for glute development. Rowing might be a good adjunct cardio, if you manage the timing/recovery well. In that sense, sijomial is right.

    I'll concur on the benefits of rowing. And I'm not even going to pretend I have good technique, I just watched a bunch of Youtube videos when I got the machine.

    Genetically, I was given a pancake derriere. Thirty years of desk jobs sitting on the thing sure didn't help matters. Four years of barbell squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts gave me a firmer and maybe just slightly perkier pancake. I didn't see any actual growth until I switched to rowing for my cardio... wasn't my original intent, but it was a nice bonus. (Okay, it's still not Instagram-worthy, but it's an improvement nonetheless)

    I'm a rowin' fool, no foolin' - like 17-18 years now, multiple days a week, most of that time. It may just be my body/genetics, but at 5'5", 125 pounds +/- depending on the day, probably under 25% BF (BIA scale says around 23%, but I'm quite skinny up top, more BF around hips/rear/thigh) . . . I've got good firmness in the upper glutes, firm but not voluminous mid, still a little floopy/fatty in the lower glute transition to hammies, OK hammies. Most of my residual BF (post menopausal) is in inner thighs, the glute/hammie transition, and abdomen below belly button. Not massive, but that's where it sits. (Not a complaint: Happy with my body. Just individual true honest facts.)

    I admit, for whatever reason, I seem to build more mass/definition upper vs. lower. (Partly because I dysfunctionally over-use upper, I'd bet, like a lot of male rowers in our learn-to-row classes do.)

    So much of this is individual and situational, but from my own idosyncratic personal experience, I have a hard time endorsing rowing (my one true love!) for lower glutes. Great lower body push exercise, upper body pull - 1000 reps plus per hour, gotta getcha something, y'know? That butt on the seat, though - unless/until you get unweighting - I'm skeptical of lower glute gains, based on experience. And even with unweighting, that's the transition point, IMO, not the power point.

    If others do better, applause from me - and I'll go kick my genetics when it's down, OK? 😉

    There's a good chance I'm a dysfunctionally lower over-user since I have chronic rotator cuff issues. I kid you not, I feel the most exertion at the glute-hamstring junction. Or maybe I've been doing it all wrong for the past year (this wouldn't surprise me)? :D Even the SO noticed a difference and he's normally pretty oblivious.

    I did a bit of research before deciding on the rowing machine and based my choice mainly on the notion that it was a decent whole-body workout, plus something that "older" individuals could safely do. No one ever mentioned glute gains.

    It's a good whole-body workout, for sure, but unbalanced (lower push, upper pull). I hope you're doing something for upper push, at least, if you have rotator cuff concerns, because imbalance there can be a potential stressor? If you're getting good lower glute engagement, that's probably a *good* sign about your technique. With poor suspension of weight between foot-stretchers and handle (a common technique deficiency), the mid/lower glute area gets a bit pinned to the seat IMO, reducing the extent to which the lower glutes can contribute power.

    (https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/muscles-used)

    Oh good, I was starting to think I was using an incorrect position! For many years my cardio was a stair machine so I figured this was an improvement and ellipticals are just... weird.

    I am very lucky to have a physiotherapist who has worked with me to modify my lifts where necessary, and I have additional Theraband exercises for the shoulders. Barbell bench press had to be eliminated entirely but I can perform the same movement with a band. She also taught me to keep my shoulder blades down and back so I'm very careful to keep a good straight alignment. (Back story is that I have hyperextensive joints and have stretched the rotator cuff tendons so badly that I now have subluxation in the right shoulder and the left is almost as unstable.)

    Sounds like you've covered the bases then - good show!

    I love rowing so much, and it's great exercise, but it gives me the heebie jeebies a little bit when people talk about it being "whole body", as if it may do everything that needs to be done. Not a big deal for the occasional rower, but if someone does volume, the risk for long-term imbalance injuries is very real, because there are muscle groups that don't participate very much at all. (The machine-only rowers don't even get the tiny amount of added upper body variety we on-water people get from lifting & carrying boats, not that that's enough either.😐 )
  • KickassAmazon76
    KickassAmazon76 Posts: 4,511 Member
    edited November 2020
    Barbell squats and deads, and Bulgarian split squats were amazing for my butt and thighs.

    If you're doing it from home for the time being, then the split squats give one heluva burn for the amount of extra weight you use. (10 - 25lb dumbbells last a long time, and may not even be needed at first).

    If squatting try doing it with a dumbbell or weight plate held to your chest. Or even a sack of potatoes, or dog food tossed across your shoulders might do in a pinch.

    Good luck!