Top 10 Glute Focused Exercises

This article is property of Chad Rush and Rush Chiropractic Center. 

You are about to get a list of the 10 best glute exercises backed by real live science! This list wasn’t thrown together by accident. The exercises weren’t picked out of a hat. Nothing about this list is willy nilly. These exercises were gathered because they have been studied and are backed by science. They didn’t make the list because they are my favorite exercises or because they happened to be popular at the time. So, continue on and take a look at a completely unbiased list of the top 10 glute exercises. 

The Gluteus Maximus (i.e. your butt) is the largest muscle in the body. It is the most superficial of the gluteal muscles and forms the prominence of the entire gluteal region. For many of you reading this, that may be your main concern! You may only be here to learn the best way to make your gluteal region as prominent as you can! For others, you may be diving a bit deeper into what you can do to not only train your gluteal muscles to look good but to also function well. And, a proper functioning gluteal region is key for not only simple tasks like walking and standing, but can also play a huge role in the stabilization of the pelvis and hips. This stabilization is fundamental for the preservation of the joints of the knees, hips, pelvis, and lower back. And, this is the reason that a properly functioning gluteal region can aid in getting joints of the lower body and back out of pain or even helping them stay pain-free. 

This article is aimed to outline the key functions of the gluteus maximus, the innervation, blood supply, origin and insertion of the muscle, as well as the top glute exercises to strengthen the gluteus maximus for peak performance and function. 

PSA: Skip to the exercises (if the boring sciency stuff isn’t what you’re here for!)

The Gluteus Maximus Muscle

The gluteus maximus muscle belongs to the group of hip muscles and works alongside the gluteus medius, the gluteus minimus, and the tensor fasciae latae. 

Function of the Gluteus Maximus

The gluteus maximus functions to abduct, extend, externally rotate, and adduct the thigh by acting upon the hip joint. When its proximal attachment at the pelvis is fixed the gluteus maximus acts as the main extensor of the hip, pulling the femur backward or posteriorly while simultaneously externally rotating the thigh. However, when its distal attachment at the gluteal tuberosity of the femur is fixed, the muscle acts to pull the pelvis posteriorly with help from the hamstrings. Additionally, when the distal attachment is in a fixed position, the gluteus maximus aids in returning the trunk from a flexed to an upright position as well as helping the body maintain this upright position.

It is very common to hear about the gluteus maximus's role in abduction of the thigh, which is the function performed by the superior portion of the muscle. However, it seems to be often forgotten or ignored, that the gluteus maximus also plays a role in adduction of the thigh as well. This action is played out by the inferior portion of the gluteus maximus. This is also the portion of the muscle that aids in stabilization of the knee joint and can provide prevention or cure for knee pain.

While not active during standing, the gluteus maximus intermittently activates during walking and climbing and remains constantly active during sitting to provide relief of pressure on the ischial tuberosities of the pelvis.

Origin and Insertion of the Gluteus Maximus

• Origin
  • Lateroposterior surface of the sacrum and coccyx
  • Gluteal surface of the ilium 
  • Thoracolumbar fascia
  • Sacrotuberous ligament
• Insertion 
  • Iliotibial tract
  • Gluteal tuberosity of the femur

Innervation and Blood Supply of the Gluteus Maximus

• Innervation
  • Inferior gluteal nerve; L5, S1, S2
• Blood Supply
  • Inferior gluteal artery
  • Superior gluteal artery
    • These are both branches of the internal iliac artery

Top 10 Glue Exercises

Finally! This is what you came here for. Here is the list of the top 10 glute exercises. The exercises were picked because the studies show that they are the top exercises for gluteus maximus activation. These exercises were performed and studied using electromyography to compare gluteus maximus muscle activation during each exercise. Many exercises were studied, however, this list is composed of the exercises that fall within the highest percentile of gluteus maximus activation while at the same time, allowing for a good diversity of exercises. 

**Comparison of Gluteus Maximus activation classification

• Low (0-20% MVIC(maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage))
• Moderate (21-40% MVIC)
• High (41-60% MVIC)
• Very High (>60% MVIC)

10th Best of Glute Exercises: Parallel Back Squats

• Level of activation 
  • High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 59.76 ± 22.52

• Place a barbell in the squat rack just below shoulder height.
• Crouch under the bar to place it just behind the neck and across the upper portion of the shoulders.
• Grip the bar with your hands wider than your shoulders in a position that is comfortable.
• Lift your chest upward and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
• Maintain a neutral spine during the entirety of the exercise. 
• Stand up, lifting the bar upward, and take a step back away from the rack.
• Place feet at least shoulder-width apart with your toes angled slightly outward. 
• Sit back into your hips, keeping back straight and your chest up.
• Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor. 
• Now, begin your upward push at this time.
• Push your feet into the floor and drive your hips up and forward. 
• Returning to a standing position to finish the repetition.

9th Best of Glute Exercises: Traditional Deadlifts

• Level of activation 
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 64.50 ± 41.72

• Begin with a barbell on the floor and by standing in front of the barbell.
• Feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
• Hold barbell with both hands just wider than shoulder width apart and just outside of knee distance. 
• Drive feet into the floor while creating tension in your arms.
• Begin pulling the bar off the floor, keeping it as close to your shins and thighs as possible on its way up.
• Lift until you are in an upright and standing position.
• Begin lowering the barbell by pushing your hips backward.
• Maintain tension in the arms and legs. 
• When your barbell is back in the starting position, the repetition is complete. 
• Maintain a neutral spine for the entirety of the lift.

8th Best of Glute Exercises: Modified Single-Leg Squat

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 65.6 ± 15.1
• Begin the exercise by standing just in front of a box or bench that is about knee height or a touch lower. 
• Plant one foot firmly on the ground while lifting the other foot off the floor. 
• Begin lowering your hips of down toward the box by bending your knee of the foot that is grounded.
• Control your descent until your butt has reached the box.
• At this point, drive your foot into the ground as if to push the floor away from you, lifting your butt off the box.
• When you have reached the standing position your repetition is complete.

7th Best of Glute Exercises: In-Line Lunges

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 67 ± 11

• Stand with feet shoulder-width or hip-width apart.
• Step/lunge forward with Foot A while keeping the torso upright and spine neutral. 
• When Foot A hits the floor, begin lowering the opposite knee towards the floor until it touches the ground.
• Your descent ends when your knee has reached the ground.
• Now, begin your ascent by pushing the forward Foot A downward into the floor to drive your body back up.
• During this drive, bring the forward Foot A back to the starting position, next to the backward Foot B that remained stationary. 
• When both feet are back to the starting position and you are standing upright, the repetition is done. 

6th Best of Glute Exercises: Split Squats

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 70 ± 15

• Start with Foot A forward and foot B placed behind your body on a bench or box.
• Keep your spine neutral.
• Begin by bending your leg that is planted on the floor (Foot A), which in turn will lower the knee of the backward leg (Foot B) toward the floor. 
• When your forward thigh is about parallel, begin pushing that Foot A into the floor to return to the starting position next to Foot B. 

5th Best of Glute Exercises: Belt Squats

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 71.34 ± 29.42

4th Best of Glute ExercisesL Rotation Barbell Hip Thrusts

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 86.18 ± 34.3

3rd Best of Glute Exercises: Hex-Bar Deadlifts

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 88 ± 16

2nd Best of Glute Exercises: Lateral Step-Ups

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 114.25 ± 54.74

Sciences #1 Glute Exercises: Step-Ups

• Level of activation
  • Very High
• Maximum voluntary isometric contraction percentage (%MVIC)
  • 169.22 ± 101.47

• Stand in front of a bench or box that is about knee height.
• Begin by stepping up onto the bench with foot A.
• Keep your spine neutral and straight. 
• Drive your foot A downward into the bench to begin lifting your body and opposite foot B upward. 
• Lift your body and foot B upward onto the bench.
• Keep your body weight on the original stepping foot A.
• Start your descent with the foot B that isn’t holding your body weight. 
• When your foot breaches the floor, place your body weight onto that foot B.
• Now, lower the opposite foot A down to the floor. 

Citations

• Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7039033/
• Electromyographic activity in the deadlift and its variants. A systematic review
  • https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0229507#sec002
• Kenhub – Gluteus Maximus Muscle
  • https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/gluteus-maximus-muscle