Dr Michaela Peramaki is a natural bodybuilder and former Division I pole-vaulter, and as if her practical experience with exercise is not enough, this buff-beauty is also a highly qualified doctor of physical therapy. When it comes to making gains with our glutes, Peramaki says there’s a split...
Top 10 lists are difficult because so many great options are left out, and this is the case for the 10 top glute exercises. So many great exercises target this vital muscle group that it’s hard to include them all.
But Sir-Mix-A-Lot doesn’t care about the process; he cares about the result, a...
When looking to grow a bigger, stronger backside, the barbell hip thruster is a go-to exercise as it targets the gluteal muscles better than any other lower-body movements.
“The No. 1 reason most lifters perform barbell hip thrust is it builds more gluteal muscle, strength, and power than just...
The gluteus maximus, often termed the body’s powerhouse, serves as a crucial muscle responsible for both form and function. Beyond its role in shaping the buttocks, this robust muscle plays a pivotal part in various movements, from extending the hips to stabilizing the pelvis. While genetics...
By Bret Contreras
Hello fellow lifters, my name is Rob King and I am the owner of a Canadian (Newfoundland) gym called Heavyweights Training Center (HWTC). Bret’s note: I made an exception for Rob and had a unit shipped to him in Canada, we normally only ship to the US and Europe.
At HWTC, we...
Master the Hip Thrust
I’ve made a career out of transforming backsides. My weapon of choice is the hip thrust. While my routines always include a wide variety of glute exercises, including the squat, the focus is always centered on hip thrusts. In my experience, hip thrusts do the best job of...
By Bret Contreras
The hip thrust is likely the most rapidly rising exercise in terms of popularity in strength & conditioning. It is performed by physique athletes, strength athletes, and sport athletes alike. Hip thrusts can be performed with bodyweight, barbell, or resistance band loading...
If you want glutes that look good and make you stronger on and off the field, barbell hip thrusts are your go-to exercise, but you better make sure your hip thrust form is on point. Since Bret Contreras, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., aka “The Glute Guy,” popularized this and invented equipment to do it on...
Many exercises strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back as a unit, but one exercise often gets overlooked: the glutestring ham raise.
The beauty of the glute hamstring raise, aka glute ham raise or GHR, lies in isometric glute contraction and the controlled eccentric muscle...
We've always preferred to read books written by (or about) strongmen and weightlifters from the early 1900s to the '60s. Back then, they didn't have the Internet or any pre-formed lifting dogma; everybody who trained with weights was basically left to themselves.
They found out what worked and...
HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...
Sitting still for too long can start a cascade of physical problems. Sitting can cause postural issues and even a reduced metabolism, making the abs stick out and the glutes go flat.
Over-emphasizing cardio is counterproductive to fat loss. The particular...
There’s a movement term that Tim Anderson of Original Strength came up with: good, better, and best. Even when a movement is performed poorly, it is still “good” because all movement beats sitting on the couch. But the amount of times I’ve seen lifters make back extension mistakes throughout the...
Are gym bros telling you your squats are wrong or that you’re doing a half squat? Our answer to that: it depends! There are plenty of ways to do a squat and each type targets a different body part. While it is true that you might be doing squats incorrectly, there’s also a chance you’re just...
Are gym bros telling you your squats are wrong or that you’re doing a half squat? Our answer to that: it depends! There are plenty of ways to do a squat and each type targets a different body part. While it is true that you might be doing squats incorrectly, there’s also a chance you’re just...
Split squats, lunges, squats, leg presses, and deadlift variations get most of the love in your leg routine because they’re responsible for most of your leg gains. But a neglected exercise often gets overlooked in many lifters’ routines in the step up exercise. It looks so simple because all you...
Inevitably, one of the first questions many individuals will ask themselves shortly before their 1st injection is “where do I inject?” While there is no right or wrong answer, the most commonly injected muscle among first time users are the Glutes. It is a muscle group that's relatively painless...
Sure, glutes are important for aesthetic appeal, but do you know the real purpose behind training them? Find out the benefits & proper ways to train glutes!
For the longest time, training the glutes wasn’t something the average lifter was proud of.
Thanks to scientific advancement and a general...
The strength of the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings form the foundation of lower body movement. These muscles as a unit allow you to run, jump, hinge, and squat like a rockstar. There are plenty of great exercises, like the reverse hyperextension, that train these important muscles but...
A round butt can be one of the most attractive body parts of the female body. Especially since her wider hips, the more acute angle at which her thigh bones attach to the pelvis, create that particular way of walking that singer Tennessee Ernie Ford referred to as having “quite a hitch in her...
We love the barbell hip thrust, but there are other options to build glutes.
The barbell hip thrust is a fantastic exercise popularized by Bret “The Glute Guy” Contreras. It remains the gold standard exercise for strengthening and adding mass to your glutes. Walk into any gym and it’s not...