Tips for emphasizing glutes (without deadlifts-variants)

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hi everyone!

I’m looking for effective tips to emphasize glute development. My aesthetic goal is to have athletic-looking legs without excessive growth while achieving well-developed and prominent glutes.

I’m specifically interested in exercise selection, execution tips and general advice.

A few things to note about my training approach:

  • I do not include deadlifts-variants or good mornings in my program. This is a personal choice based on my view of their injury risk (I don’t want to debate this, just working around it). I understand this may mean missing out on some glute gains, but I want to optimize my training within these constraints.
  • I follow an upper/lower 4 days split.
  • Currently, my lower body days follow the Westside for Skinny Bastards template.

I’d love some guidance on structuring my lower body days and tips for exercise execution for the best glute emphasis. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

2

Are you male or female?
What does your training currently look like?

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Full ROM leg press and/or back squats.

My taste in glutes and thighs requires balance whether you are male or female. The bigger the glutes, the bigger the thighs (and visa versa.)

2 Likes
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With no further info, an easy place to start would be:

  • Banded X-walks: 3 x 20m each way
  • Hip thrusts: 3 x 10
  • Wideish squats: Work up to a hard 6
  • Long-step walking lunge superset with:
  • GHRs: 3 x 10 or whatever each
3 Likes
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Male.

MONDAY:

  • Incline 30º Bench Press
  • Parallel Bar Dips
  • Wide Grip Rows
  • Machine Reverse Fly
  • EZ Bar Curl

FRIDAY:

  • Standing OHP
  • Pull Up
  • Face Pull
  • Lateral Raises
  • Triceps Extension

WEDNESDAY:

  • Back Squat
  • DB Bulgarian Split Squat
  • Glute Ham Raises
  • Ab Work

SATURDAY:

  • Hip Thrust
  • DB Bulgarin Split Squat Front Feet Elevated
  • Leg Curl
  • Leg Press (glute emphasis)
1 Like
6

Your workout has good glute focus.
Might you be in the small percentage of people who are hamstrings dominate? That is, your hamstrings are taking most of the load that most people have their glutes doing.

2 Likes
7

Or how long have you been doing this, OP? Maybe it just needs some time to work.

1 Like
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No matter what exercise you choose go from high reps to low reps and you will see results . Don’t stay with same thing . Front squats that’s been mentioned is awesome . And even squats for 30 reps is best for legs . Extensions . I mean not enough info here . Super sets and drop sets just burn them out