The glutes are one of the largest muscle groups in the body and play an important role in moving and stabilizing the body during exercise , helping to keep you upright and moving powerfully throughout the day. Like the biceps, you can get a worked gluteus in a short time and tone this part of your body thanks to effective training.
Being one of the largest muscle groups in the body, effective glute activation and proper training will help you burn a lot of calories in a short space of time and increase your ability to become physically stronger.
If getting a worked glute in a short time is one of your fitness goals, keep in mind what we will tell you about in this article.
What are the glutes?
The glutes are a group of muscles that can be divided into three main muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, and six supporting muscles that lie below these muscles, known as rotator muscles.
The glutes help stabilize your body when you stand, walk, or run and keep you balanced when you twist your body.
The size and position of the glutes mean that they play an integral role in many functional movements , movements that your body does every day in and out of the gym.
How the gluteal muscles work
The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in your body that works against gravity, helping to keep your torso upright . The lower section of the gluteus maximus helps drive hip extension (moving the leg backwards) and transverse abduction (turning the leg to the side in the horizontal plane).
The superior gluteus maximus helps drive hip extension, hip abduction, and external rotation .
The gluteus medius is the muscle that helps with side steps , external rotation of the leg when it’s extended behind you, or internal rotation of the leg when it’s flexed in front of you.
The gluteus minimus helps abduct the hip for stepping to the side or any outward movement of the hip . This muscle is also activated when you make circular movements with your thigh.
How do the gluteal rotator muscles work?
Beneath these three main gluteal muscles are six smaller muscles often referred to as the rotator muscles . They work to externally rotate the femur (thigh bone) at the hip joint.
These muscles are: the obturator internus, quadratus femoris, obturator externus, gemellus superioris, gemellus inferioris, and piriformis .
Where are the buttocks?
The gluteal muscles are located in the buttocks , and the gluteus maximus gives shape to this area of the body.
The other eight gluteal muscles lie below the gluteus maximus , connecting the hip bone to the femur (thigh bone) and to the base of the spine at the coccyx and sacrum.
Exercises to get a worked gluteus in a short time
Before starting any workout to get a worked glute in a short time, it is important to properly warm up and activate the muscles you want to train .
When the glutes are not activated properly during exercise, other muscles can compensate and this can lead to pain in the lower back, quads, or hamstrings . An activation session done before your workout can help prevent injury and maximize results .
Warming up all eight gluteal muscles promotes blood flow and increases your range of motion . It also helps activate these muscles so the target muscles work properly during key exercises.
Gluteal activation is important before running, jumping, squatting, or doing other lower-body focused exercises .
Start your workout to get a worked glute in no time by doing a few minutes of cardio to get your blood flowing , then continue with these exercises to activate your glutes.
crab ride
Stepping out against the resistance of the band engages the gluteus medius. You can work the gluteus maximus by keeping your knees externally rotated.
When you hold the resistance band under tension during this exercise, the glutes of both legs work the entire time .
The lateral band walk is a very similar exercise that activates the gluteus medius in preparation for your workout . These exercises can also promote stability in the knee, foot, and ankle, which directly affect the hips.
Lateral glute fly
This exercise activates your gluteus medius. It also helps balance muscular effort between the inner and outer thighs .
glute bridge
This exercise activates the three main muscles of the glutes. Focus on pushing up through your hips instead of down through your heels. This exercise is particularly beneficial for anyone who spends most of the day sitting.
kick back
This exercise works both the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus. When doing this exercise, make sure to focus the movement on your glutes and not arch your back .
Resistance Band Squats
This exercise intensely activates the glutes. Just remember to keep your knees in line with your toes when you squat down.
Learn how to get a worked buttock in a short time
To build your glutes, you can combine heavier, lower-rep lifting exercises with higher-rep exercises that use bodyweight, resistance bands, or lighter weights.
The glutes are made up of fast and slow twitch muscle fibers: fast twitch muscle fibers react and adapt better to heavier and more intense loads, and are activated when you run; slow-twitch muscle fibers are better adapted to volume and overload. They are used in long distance running and other endurance exercises.
By combining both types of exercise, you work all the muscle fibers within your gluteal muscles to maximize your results.
