Sitting all day can cause your glutes to grow weak and your butt to sag—and that's a turnoff for the ladies. Unfortunately, reshaping your backside isn't as simple as getting out of your chair and squatting more, says Bret Contreras, C.S.C.S., a sports biomechanist known in the fitness industry as the Glute Guy. You need to switch on all of your butt muscles—the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus—if you want to make a big change. Here are three exercises that do just that. Add them to your workout routine during the day for a desirable derrière she'll want to grab at night.
Goblet Reverse Lunge
This exercise targets your gluteus maximus, which is the muscle that gives your rear end it's shape. Done often, it'll help lift your butt so it no longer droops. "Since it's the largest muscle in your backside, targeting it will also help you make greater gains in size and strength," says Contreras.
Do this: Cup the head of a dumbbell in both hands and hold it vertically in front of your chest, elbows pointing down. Step back with your right leg and lower your body until your front knee is bent 90 degrees. Pause, and then push your body back to standing. Do 10 to 12 reps on one side before switching legs and doing the same number on the other side.
Cable Standing Hip Abduction
The gluteus medius and minimus can be the hardest to hit. They assist your gluteus maximus in raising your thigh out to the side, and rotating your thigh outward when your leg is straight and inward when your hip is bent.
"Creating tension in this area is crucial to building muscle because they act as support for the larger gluteus maximus," says Contreras. "The stronger they are, the stronger and more sculpted your backside."
Do this: Lower the arm of a cable machine so it is level with your ankle. Stand with your left side closest to the cable machine and your left foot just behind the cable. Loop your right foot through the handle, and use your glutes, pull your leg out to your right side. Pause, and reverse the movement to the starting position. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps with your right leg before switching legs and performing the same number with your left. If you don't have access to a cable machine, Contreras recommends using a continuous-loop exercise band wrapped around a vertical pole.
Barbell Hip Thrust
It might be tempting to overlook this move because it looks simple. "But it's the best glute-activating exercise known to man," Contreras says. "It works all three glute muscles and just about anyone can do it."
There are thousands of variations of this exercise, but don't be tempted to jump right into an advanced version. "The basic movement is where the big benefits are because it allows for the most muscle recruitment—especially for those guys who don't work their glutes often," he says.
Do this: Place your upper back against a box or bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Put a padded, loaded barbell across your hips so your glutes are near the floor. Then squeeze your glutes and raise your hips until they're in line with your body. Return to the starting position and repeat. If you haven't tried it before, start by performing the move with just your bodyweight for 3 sets of 20 reps. Once you can nail that, add a barbell. Slowly work your way up to 10 reps with 1.5 times your bodyweight on the bar, Contreras recommends.
