Male Butt Exercise

steveko89 wrote: »

Glute bridges and/or weighted hip thrusts provide more glute activation than squats or deadlifts

I agree about glute bridges, recently switched to single-leg with other leg in the air, or they can also be loaded with a dumbbell, etc. set on the lower abdomen. (I've also found bodyweight single-leg squats, in my case holding onto a doorframe for balance, provide a heck of a bun burn without taxing the back like weighted squats or deadlifts. "Bad back" can mean skeletal/connective issues - requiring surgery - or muscle weakness, the latter being curable with effort. Squatting and mobility work helped me resolve long-standing structural lower back muscular lockups, freeing up overall movement after years of off/on trouble, sometimes disabling - it's worth the effort if that's the problem.)

I'm a 45-year old female but just hear to second questioning the bad back and not being able to squat or deadlift. I have what I thought was a "bad back" that involves some bulging discs, disc degneration (which is normal), bone spurs and some spinal canal and neural foramen stenosis. Amazingly, I don't really have any signs of nerve involvement like sciatica, despite the MRI findings.

I squat and deadlift. I obviously am very careful, but by strengthening my glutes with other exercises as well as really making sure I brace my core correctly when doing these have really helped. That's not to say my back doesn't get sore afterwards--but the deadlift and hip thrusts do work the back a bit. I also don't feel it in low back back when performing them but glutes and hamstrings (and quads more so if squatting).

Actually, strengthening your glutes from ALL angles may really help your back. When I had PT the last time for it(I've gone through multiple rounds plus chiro), those are the exercises he focused on as well as something called the McKenzie method. I second the glute bridges and hip thrusts, as well as exercises that target your abductors like clamshells and cable or band abductions.

Have you seen a good PT for your back? If not, I think that would really help, especially if they are more versed in exercise/exercise rehab.

I’m a big fan of weighted hip thrusts. If you feel awkward and stupid sprawled on the floor trying to balance a bar across your hips, I have found that the smith machine is actually useful for one thing - move a bench over to it and it’s great for hip thrusts.

Back extension while holding a plate to the chest also activates the posterior chain when done right but you have to have good form or it becomes a back exercise.

With that information, seems a lot of lifting moves will be too risky, everything should be within medical restrictions and eased into gradually. For years working at a college with no free weights I used cable machines for prone hamstring pulls and seated leg presses - much less taxing than barbell lifts and didn't bother my problem back at some fairly heavy load. You could test limits with some basic bodyweight:

https://www.healthline.com/health/hamstring-curls

ptrckreeves777 wrote: »

I had 2 prolapsed disks...

This is not the original poster, @Davidjohnson9333.

When I added weighted hip thrusts to my routine, my deadlift immediately went up a good fifty pounds due to having a stronger posterior chain. Since that still involves the core (and thus the back), you can also try adjusting foot position on the leg press (feet lower for quads, feet higher for hamstrings and glutes).

I can recommend spinning (indoor cycling). When you get off the seat, you get a good glute workout. Spinning makes my lower back feel better FWIW. (I understand this is not true for everyone!)

Basic spin bikes are amazingly affordable and get the job done (I have one), and there are lots of in-person or online classes. Of course, you can go for Peloton or another of the smart trainers, which lots of people rave about. I've resisted, and just spin on the bike while watching a show (action movie with a car chase is best). I spin standing for 2 minutes and seated for 3 for the entire ride, adjusting the resistance manually to suit. I can easily max out my heart rate this way.