Gear Up For A Perky Bum: A Complete Guide To Doing Squats For Glutes

Are you tired of having a flat bum? Want to trade it in for a perky one that turns heads? Or maybe, just want to make sure your glutes are in their best shape for optimal performance?

Squats are the answer! Squats have been proven time and again to be an effective exercise for building up your glutes. But it’s not just about grabbing a barbell and going to town as there’s more to it than that. 

In this guide, we will show you how to do squats correctly in order to get maximum results from them. We will also discuss some of the common mistakes people make when doing squats and what you can do to avoid them. 

Finally, we will provide tips on how you can incorporate squats into your workout routine for optimal results. So gear up for a perky bum!

How Squats Engage Glutes: The Mechanics

When performing a squat, the main muscles targeted are the glutes. 

Let us break down the mechanics of the exercise to understand how squats engage the glutes:

1. Starting from the bottom of a squat, it is important to keep your back straight and chest up. This allows your glutes to burn and engage properly.
2. The next step is to initiate hip flexion, which involves pushing your hips back while keeping your torso upright. This movement activates the glutes and helps you to maintain proper form and alignment.
3. Next, pushing through your heels allows your glutes to work even harder. This action is important because it helps you to drive your body up and out of the bottom of a squat.

You’ll notice that the entire exercise involves a hinging motion of your hips and knees. While hinging, each muscle involved plays a vital role in helping you to maintain balance and power throughout the movement. As you shift your weight from your heels to your toes, you can feel the glutes working hard to provide stability.

When performing squats correctly, it is very important to control the eccentric and concentric portions of each repetition (1). During the eccentric portion (the downward motion of the squat), it is important to focus on engaging your glutes and controlling the descent. 

During the concentric portion (the upward motion of the squat), ensure that you are pushing through your heels in order to drive your body out of the bottom position.

Read More: 13 Squat Alternatives For When You Want To Switch Things Up

What Squats Are Best For Glutes?

All squats will engage your glutes to some extent; however, certain variations may be more suitable for you than others (2). 

When choosing which squats to add to your routine for a perky bum, consider the following factors:

• Depth: Squats that take you deeper will activate your glutes to a greater degree than those that don’t. Deep squats may include variations like the full barbell squat, overhead squat, or pistol squat.
• Resistance: The amount of weight you use during the squat will also determine how much your glutes are activated. Heavier weights, such as a barbell or kettlebell, will engage your glute muscles more effectively than just using your body weight or light dumbbells.
• Stance: Finally, your stance during the squat can make a big difference. A wider stance can give your glutes more activation, such as with sumo squats or the wide-stance barbell squat.

You may prefer to use a combination of different squats in your routine. This could include deep barbell squats, hip thrusts, and even weighted walking lunges. Try out different variations to find what works best for you!

A Comprehensive List Of The Best Squats For Glutes

Below, we discuss some of the best squats for targeting and toning your glutes:

1. Barbell Squats

Barbell squats are a classic exercise where a barbell is placed on your shoulders, behind your neck, and resting on your traps. Barbell squats target the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Are Barbell Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, barbell squats are a great exercise for the glutes as they target the gluteus maximus and medius muscles. In addition, holding the barbell on your shoulders forces your body to engage your core muscles which can help with overall posture and stability.

How To Do Barbell Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell placed on your shoulders behind your neck, resting on your traps.
2. Keeping your chest and head up, lower yourself into a squat position, keeping your knees in line with your toes.
3. Push yourself back up to a standing position.
4. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

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2. Sumo Squats

Sumo squats are a type of squat where your feet are in a wide stance with your toes pointing slightly outward. Your hands can be at your sides or holding a weight in front of your body. The sumo squat targets your glutes, hamstrings, and inner thigh muscles.

Are Sumo Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, sumo squats are great for glutes as they target the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles. In addition, because of the wider stance, sumo squats help activate and strengthen the inner thigh muscles which can help create a more shapely lower body (2).

How To Do Sumo Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing slightly outward.
2. Lower into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
3. Make sure your knees are in line with your toes.
4. Push up through your heels to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

3. Bulgarian Split Squats

Bulgarian split squats are a single-leg squat variation where one foot is elevated behind you and the other is in front. This squat variation targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps.

Are Bulgarian Split Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, Bulgarian split squats are effective in targeting the glutes. This exercise not only strengthens your glutes but also your core as you need to maintain a stable position throughout the movement.

How To Do Bulgarian Split Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, facing away from a bench or chair.
2. Place one foot on the bench or chair behind you.
3. Keeping your chest up, lower your body towards the ground with the other leg. Your back leg should be elevated behind you.
4. Keep your front knee in line with your toes and lower yourself until your knee forms a 90-degree angle.
5. Push yourself back up to a standing position through your heel.
6. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions on each leg.

Read More: 7 Challenging And Creative Barbell Squat Variations For Advanced Lifters

4. Goblet Squats

Goblet squats are a squat variation where you hold a weight at your chest and perform a squat. Usually, a dumbbell or kettlebell is used, hence the name “Goblet” squats. This exercise targets your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps muscles.

Are Goblet Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, goblet squats are effective in targeting the glutes as they require more coordination than traditional squats. 

The additional weight held at your chest increases the amount of activation in the glutes and core muscles, which helps create a stronger, more toned lower body. 

This exercise also helps improve flexibility in the hips, making it easier to access the glute muscles during other exercises.

How To Do Goblet Squats For Glutes?

1. Hold a weight at your chest with both hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your elbows inside your knees and chest up.
3. Push yourself back up to a standing position through your heels.
4. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

5. Pistol Squats

Pistol squats are a single-leg squat variation where you hold one leg off the ground while performing a squat. This move targets the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

Are Pistol Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, pistol squats are effective in targeting the gluteus maximus muscle as well as other leg muscles. This exercise challenges your balance and requires more glute activation than squats done with both legs. In addition, by performing this move with one leg off the ground, you’re able to engage more of your stabilizing muscles which can help create a stronger lower body. 

How To Do Pistol Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and one leg lifted off the ground.
2. Lower your body down into a squat position on one leg, keeping the lifted leg straight.
3. Push yourself back up to a standing position on one leg.
4. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions on each leg.

6. Zercher Squats

Zercher squats are a squat variation where you hold the barbell in the crook of your elbows and perform a squat. This exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and core muscles. 

Are Zercher Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, zercher squats are effective in targeting the glutes. This exercise requires more coordination than traditional squats due to the barbell position and can help increase activation in your glute muscles. 

They require more engagement from your core muscles, making them a great way to strengthen your entire lower body. This exercise also strengthens the upper back muscles, which can help with your overall posture.

How To Do Zercher Squats For Glutes?

1. Place the barbell in the crook of your elbows with your arms tucked in close to your body. 
2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and lower yourself into a squat position.
3. Push yourself back up to the starting position, keeping the barbell secure in the crook of your elbows.
4. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

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7. Jump Squats

Jump squats are a plyometric exercise that involves jumping from a squat position. This move targets the glutes, quads, and calves.

Are Jump Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, jump squats are great for targeting the glutes as they add an explosive component to the exercise that helps activate the glute muscles. This exercise also increases cardiovascular endurance and can help burn fat.

How To Do Jump Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body into a squat position with your knees in line with your toes.
3. Push up explosively through your heels to jump off the ground.
4. Land softly back into the squat position.
5. Repeat for 8-10 repetitions.

8. Plie Squats

Plie squats are a type of squat where your toes are pointed outward and your knees are bent to form a “V” shape. This move particularly targets your inner thighs, quads, and glutes.

Are Plie Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, plie squats are great for toning the glutes, especially the gluteus medius and minimus muscles, which are important for hip and pelvic stability. They also challenge your leg muscles in different ways and help improve your overall lower-body endurance.

How To Do Plie Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointing outwards to a comfortable degree.
2. Place your hands on your hips or hold a weight with both hands in front of you.
3. Bend your knees to about a 90-degree angle, keeping your chest up and back straight.
4. Push up through your heels to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

9. Box Squats

Box squats are a type of squat where a box, bench, or chair is used to control the depth of your squat. This move targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Are Box Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, box squats are a great exercise for developing glute strength and size as they more specifically target the posterior chain muscle groups. They are also good for improving the squatting form as they teach you to hip hinge better, which is important for glute activation.

How To Do Box Squats For Glutes?

1. Place a box or bench behind you and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart in front of it.
2. Position yourself so that your knees are directly above your feet.
3. Lower your body onto the box while keeping your core tight and your chest up.
4. Pause for a second, then push up through your heels to return to the standing position.
5. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

10. Smith Machine Squats

Smith machine squats are a barbell squat variation that locks the bar onto a guided vertical path. These squats target the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Are Smith Machine Squats Good For Glutes?

Yes, Smith machine squats are effective for glute development as they allow you to handle heavier weights safely, which can improve muscle size and strength. They also provide more stability, which allows you to specifically focus on using your glutes for the movement.

How To Do Smith Machine Squats For Glutes?

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with the barbell resting on your shoulders and positioned on the machine’s rails.
2. Lower your body into a squat, keeping your chest up and your back straight.
3. Push up through your heels to return to the standing position.
4. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions.

The Bottom Line 

Squats are an effective exercise for targeting the glutes and developing overall lower body strength. Incorporating different variations of squats into your routine can help improve muscle definition, size, and strength. Be sure to focus on proper form and technique when doing any of the mentioned squats to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise and reduce the risk of injury.