KETTLEBELL GLUTE WORKOUT FOR MIGHTY GAINS
If all you have is a kettlebell, you might wonder if you can still work your glutes effectively. Whether you can’t make it to the gym, you’re on vacation, or you’re still building your home gym, don’t worry! You can get a good glute workout with just a kettlebell.
Yes, you might not have access to all the fancy glute machines at the gym, but that’s okay. You can still strengthen and tone your glutes using the right training techniques with a single kettlebell.
Today, we’ll start by discussing the anatomy and function of the glutes so you can understand why we’ve chosen the exercises we have. Then, we’ll outline two challenging glute workouts. Plus, we’ll share essential training and nutrition tips to help you achieve that coveted heart-shaped butt.
THE ANATOMY AND ROLE OF THE GLUTES
Let’s begin with a quick anatomy lesson. Even if you’re familiar with the basics, a refresher always helps.
The glutes, or gluteal muscles, consist of three main muscles.
- First, there’s the Gluteus Maximus. This muscle is the largest in the group and gives your buttocks their shape. Its primary role is hip extension, which helps move your thigh away from your body as you stand up from a squat or deadlift.
- Next, we have the Gluteus Medius. This muscle sits above and to the side of the glute maximus. Its main job is hip abduction, which involves moving your leg outward away from the centre of your body. Additionally, it plays a role in the internal and external rotation of the hip.
- Finally, there’s the Gluteus Minimus. This muscle, although smaller, assists the medius in hip abduction and internal/external rotation. It sits beneath the medius and completes the trio of glute muscles.
Exploring the Best Kettlebell Glute Workouts
Understanding how each muscle contributes can guide our workout focus for achieving a fuller, sculpted booty.
Given that the maximas is the biggest glute muscle, it’s essential to prioritise exercises involving hip extension. However, paying attention to the medius and minimus would mean overlooking the upper glute development, which is crucial for a well-rounded posterior.
Let’s dive into our top kettlebell glute exercises to ensure maximum growth.
- HIP THRUST
Behold the hip thrust, hailed as the queen of glute-building exercises. Popularised by Bret Contreras, also known as “The Glute Guy,” this exercise gained fame in 2006. With its foundation in hip extension, hip thrust has undergone numerous research trials, consistently proving its effectiveness in building glute strength and size.
Today, athletes worldwide swear by the hip thrust to enhance their posterior. It’s a powerhouse exercise that lives up to its reputation.
- Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a fantastic exercise for sculpting your glutes and hamstrings. It involves a dynamic hip-hinging movement that targets glute development and engages the hamstrings.
Lowering the kettlebell towards the ground, your glute maximas undergo a deep stretch. This stretching of the muscle under load has triggered significant muscle growth, leading to remarkable glute gains.
- SUMO SQUATS
When it comes to glute-building exercises, the squat is a top contender. Athletes have relied on squats and their variations for years to enhance their buttocks.
This powerful exercise places a substantial load on the glutes, especially as you descend into a deeper squat position. This depth creates intense muscle tension, which research has identified as a key factor in muscle growth.
Pro Tip – To increase your range of motion, use platforms under each foot to squat deeper without the kettlebell touching the floor.
4. SPLIT SQUATS
The kettlebell split squat is another excellent movement for stimulating glute growth. This unilateral exercise targets muscle development while addressing muscle imbalances by working one leg at a time.
With a focus on hip extension, primarily targeting the glute maximas, this exercise also engages the smaller medius and minimus for stability and balance throughout the movement. As a result, all three glute muscles are activated.
Pro Tip – To intensify the engagement of the glute maximas, lean forward to flex the hips further.
5. Boost Your Glutes with Step Ups
Step-ups are incredibly simple yet highly effective. If you’ve been overlooking them, it’s time to give them a second thought.
Why? A recent study from 2019 compared glute activation across various popular exercises. Guess which exercise came out on top? That’s right—the step up.
It’s not surprising when you think about it. This exercise places your hips in a deep, flexed position, demanding significant work from the glute maximas. The high demand for stability and balance also engages the medius and minimus for support.
6. REVERSE LUNGE
Ah, the reverse lungone of our favorites. Unlike the forward lunge, which can strain the knees, the reverse lunge is gentler on the joints. Including unilateral exercises in your routine is wise to prevent one side of your body from bearing excessive load during bilateral exercises. Thus, the reverse lunge is a valuable addition to any glute workout.
As you lower into the lunge, your glutes experience a deep stretch. This targeted stretch, coupled with the need for stability and balance, boosts glute activation, fostering muscle growth.
Pro Tip: Place a small platform under your front foot to increase your range of motion and perform deficit reverse lunges.
7. KETTLEBELL SWINGS
Unlike the other exercises, kettlebell swings are fast-paced movements that build power and strength in the glutes. The explosive hip-hinging motion activates the glute maximas as the primary mover while also engaging the smaller medius and minimus for hip stabilisation.
If you aim to fire up your glutes and burn calories simultaneously, kettlebell swings are the way to go.
8. Boost Your Glutes with Side Leg Lifts
Side leg lifts are excellent for targeting the glute medius and minimus, which are responsible for hip abduction the very movement this exercise focuses on. Positioning the kettlebell to the side of your leg creates resistance, requiring both glute muscles to contract forcefully to move the weight.
While the glute medius and minimus play a role in the compound exercises we mentioned earlier, side leg lifts isolate these muscles, directing all attention to them. This makes it an ideal exercise for developing the side glutes.
9. LYING LEG LIFTS
Similar to side leg lifts but performed while lying down, lying leg lifts are essential kettlebell exercises for strengthening and building the glute medius and minimus.
Unlike standing abduction, lying leg lifts have resistance directly opposing the target muscle (thanks to gravity), which can enhance muscle activation and glute growth.
This exercise not only improves strength, size, and athletic performance but also contributes to achieving that coveted heart-shaped butt.
Powerful Kettlebell Glute Routine
The glute maximas, being the largest and strongest of the trio, kicks off our workout with exercises focusing on hip extension. This strategy maximises power output when the muscles are fresh.
Once the glute maximas tires out, we focus on the smaller, crucial glute medius and minimus.
We’ve crafted two workouts for a reason. Research indicates that training a muscle group twice weekly yields better results than training it once or thrice.
So, our glute training plan entails performing Workouts A and B each week, with 2-3 rest days in between to allow ample recovery. You can focus on upper body training or take a well-deserved break on these off days.
A preferred workout split is the upper-lower-upper-lower regimen. This structure allows for two glute/leg days and two upper body days, promoting muscle growth while ensuring adequate rest. Check out our linked article if you’re curious whether this split suits you.
But for now, let’s dive into these two rigorous kettlebell glute routines. While they’re labelled as glute workouts, they target the glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Since the glutes can’t be worked in isolation, this comprehensive approach ensures a well-rounded lower body workout without needing separate sessions for each muscle group.
Glute Blast Workout A
Exercise Sets/Reps
Hip thrust four sets of 8-10 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg
Step Ups three Sets of 10-12 reps on each leg.
Kettlebell Swings 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Side Lying Leg Raise three Sets of 10-12 reps on each leg.
Standing Abduction: Sets of 3 10-12 reps on each leg
Glute Blast Workout B
Exercise Sets/Reps
Goblet Squat 4 sets of 8-10 reps
Romanian Deadlift 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Reverse Lunge 3 sets of 8-10 reps on each leg.
B Stance Hip Thrust 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each leg
Side Lying Leg Raise three Sets of 10-12 reps on each leg.
Standing Abduction: 3 sets of 10-12 reps on each leg
Building Stronger Glutes: A Practical Guide
Understanding the right kettlebell exercises for targeting glutes and incorporating them into a workout routine sets the stage for significant progress in butt size and strength.
But there’s more to it than just exercise.
There are two key principles to keep in mind to ensure muscle growth and strength.
Progressive Overload
The cornerstone of effective training is progressive overload.
The concept is simple: gradually increase the challenge to your muscles over time. When you introduce a new workout routine, your muscles respond by growing stronger to meet the new demands.
However, your progress will only stall if you stick to the same routine, increasing the challenge. To keep growing, you must continually push your muscles with heavier weights, more sets or reps, longer time under tension, shorter rest periods, increased workout frequency, or varied exercises.
Eating for Muscle Growth
Now that we understand how to train for muscle growth, let’s talk about nutrition.
Diet plays a crucial role in muscle building. With proper nutrition, all your hard work in the gym may be well-spent.
To build muscle, you need to consume more calories than your body burns, a concept known as a calorie surplus. But it’s not about eating as much as possible; it’s about eating strategically.
Aim for a calorie surplus of about 10% above your maintenance calories, which is the number of calories you burn daily. This surplus provides the energy needed for muscle growth without leading to excessive fat gain.
Tracking your progress is essential. New lifters may gain muscle faster, while experienced lifters may see slower gains. Monitoring your weight gain helps ensure you’re on track. If you’re gaining too much weight too quickly, adjust your calorie intake to maintain a steady rate of muscle growth.
By combining effective training with proper nutrition, you can build stronger, shapelier glutes.
conclusion
Conclusion
In conclusion, consider the power of a kettlebell for sculpting your glutes.
As mentioned before, muscle growth isn’t dependent on fancy equipment. With proper application of the muscle-building principles we’ve covered, a kettlebell alone can significantly increase your glute strength and size.
Take a screenshot of the workouts we’ve crafted and prepare to experience the satisfying burn in your upcoming kettlebell glute session. Enjoy the journey!
