For those who commonly find the time to roll out of bed and crawl to the gym time and again, you know that it’s possible to smell the testosterone boiling over in any section involving weights, dumbbells, or other equipment that involves a lot of unnecessary grunting. Men immediately target their arms, their abs, and their egos when working out, hoping to bulk up fast with aspirations of being similar in size to Bruce Banner after he turns a nice shade of green. Unfortunately, dudes across the globe are forgetting the body’s largest and most powerful muscle – dat ass.
Despite the stigma of glute workout being female-centric, toning your butt is important for men as well to prevent any damage caused from sitting around at your boring ‘9-5.’ Exercising your glutes can help with running, jumping, assist you with weightlifting, and can help to raise your metabolism. Plus, women love something they can grab onto.
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Nov 26, 2015 at 5:54am PST
Fitness expert and personal trainer Don Saladino of Drive495 (the guy who trains Ryan Reynolds and Sebastian Stan, among others) shared his expert tips on why it’s important to tone up your tush, and how to do so. By following his guidelines and expertise, you’ll have Destiny’s Child re-writing their classic hit with you in mind.
“Glute training isn’t only about improving ones look, but improving functionality of ones body. When we sit in a chair our glutes begin to become inhibited. When this happens, our lower back can potentially take over for the job the glutes and hips should be doing. By training the glutes, you are activating one of the strongest areas of the body that plays a roll in so many common activities. When you strengthen the glutes, this will also loosen the hip flexors because of reciprocal inhibition. This means that when muscles on one side of the body contract, the muscles on the other side relax. Pro tip: You’re only as strong as your weakest link. Your glutes matter, and here’s how to make sure they’re up to par with the rest of your body.”
1. Romanian Deadlifts: “This mainly works the glutes, hamstrings and lower back. It’s also a favorite for training the posterior chain.”
2. Squats: “You can get the most bang for your buck with this movement. With an enormous emphasis on the core, it could easily be considered close to a full body exercise. If performed correct, you will create an enormous amount of tension in the body.”
3. Glute Ham Raise: This would be the most difficult of all hamstring movements. If patient, you will gain an enormous amount of strength from this exercise.”
4. 1 Legged Bridges: “This is one of the most versatile of all movements because you need no equipment for it but the floor. It’s also a great warmup to get the glutes activated.”
5. Good Mornings: “This is a very old school movement which has lost a lot of luster throughout the years and shouldn’t be. Mix this one in as well for a tremendous amount of glute, hamstring, and core activation.”
6. Kettlebell Swings: “This one kills 2 birds with one stone because it structures the sets as interval work to become somewhat cardiovascular. You’re receiving strength and cardio in one.”
7. Sled Pushes: “We tend to burn our glutes off with a lot of distance running. The sled push helps build strength and power in the lower body while giving off that cardiovascular effect.”
8. Slide Board: “This probably isn’t that common in most gyms, but when you see one, make it a point to jump on and use it. It’s the only movement on this list that we move laterally on. The body is meant to move from side to side. The problem is we always move in a straight line and lose the ability to move the way the body is meant to move. Add this one in 1-2 days a week and you’ll not only see a well developed booty, but a body that moves better.”
Photos by Michael Svoboda / Getty Images