10 Glute Workout Mistakes To Avoid
Want to grow bigger, stronger glutes? Don't make these mistakes!
Growing glutes is a common goal for many lifters, but some struggle to see progress despite putting in the effort. Often, this is due to common mistakes in their workout routine, form, or overall approach.
In this article, we’ll break down the biggest mistakes lifters make when trying to grow their glutes and how to fix them so you can learn how to workout your glutes for optimal results.
Ignoring the Different Glute Muscles
The glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Many lifters unknowingly train one more due to only focusing on a handful of exercises or one movement pattern. This can lead to muscle imbalances and prevent the full development of your glutes.
How to fix it
Incorporate exercises that target all three glute muscles and in all three movement planes (horizontal, vertical, lateral). That means you have to focus on more than just squats and hip thrusts! Exercise variety is key.
Incorporate glute exercises like lateral lunges, cable lateral leg raises, hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, and more. By including exercises that hit all parts of the glutes, you’ll ensure more balanced and effective growth.
Not Doing Enough Unilateral Work
As mentioned earlier, you need variety in your glute workout routine to see optimal results. So, if you’re not incorporating unilateral (single-leg) exercises into your glute training, you’re missing out on a powerful way to build strength and muscle. Unilateral exercises can help address muscle imbalances and activate the glutes more effectively by forcing each side to work independently.
How to fix it
Add more unilateral exercises to your routine, such as Bulgarian split squats, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, and step-ups. These movements require balance and stability, which helps activate and strengthen the glutes in a way that bilateral exercises (like squats and deadlifts) may not.
Overemphasizing Isolation Exercises
While exercises like glute kickbacks and clamshells are great for targeting the glute muscles, relying too heavily on isolation exercises won't maximize growth. The glutes are a powerful muscle group that responds best to compound movements, which involve multiple muscle groups and allow for heavier loads.
How to fix it
Focus on incorporating more compound movements like squats, lunges, hip thrusts, and deadlifts. These exercises engage the glutes along with other lower body muscles, leading to more effective glute growth.
Isolation exercises should be used as a complement, not the foundation of your workout.
Not Lifting Heavy Enough
Many lifters fall into the trap of using weights that are too light, especially when focusing on glute isolation exercises. Some women may be afraid of getting "too bulky", but this is a common strength training myth!
While form and muscle activation are important, lifting heavy is essential to stimulate muscle growth. The glutes are large, strong muscles that respond well to higher loads, so consistently using light weights won’t challenge them enough to grow.
How to fix it
Don’t be afraid to lift heavy, especially during compound movements. Aim for a weight that challenges you to reach around 8–12 reps while maintaining good form. As you get stronger, progressively increase the weight to ensure you’re continuing to push your muscles. Lifting heavy will help break through plateaus and promote hypertrophy in the glutes.
Tip: Use lifting gear, like a lifting belt or barbell pad for hip thrusts, to help give you the support and comfort you need to power through more reps.
Ignoring Mind-Muscle Connection
It’s easy to go through the motions without actually engaging the muscles you’re targeting. If you’re not actively engaging your glutes during exercises, you might not be working them as effectively as you think. This is where the mind-muscle connection becomes crucial—focusing on contracting and engaging the glutes throughout each movement.
How to fix it
Slow down your reps and focus on the muscle contraction during every phase of the movement. During exercises like hip thrusts, actively squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement to ensure they’re being fully engaged. You can also try adding pauses or tempo variations to reinforce this connection.
Overtraining the Glutes
One of the most popular questions asked is, "Can you workout your glutes everyday?". And the answer is simple, no. Overtraining is very real and can actually hinder your progress. Muscles grow during rest, so if you’re not giving your glutes enough time to recover, you may be doing more harm than good.
How to fix it
Give your glutes at least 48 hours of rest between intense training sessions. Depending on your workout split, training your glutes 2-3 times per week is sufficient to see growth, especially if you’re including a variety of exercises and progressively increasing the intensity.
Not Using Full Range of Motion
Partial reps or shallow movements don’t fully activate the glutes, which can limit growth. When you don’t use the full range of motion, your muscles aren’t going through their complete stretch and contraction cycle, which is key for hypertrophy.
How to fix it
Focus on using the full range of motion in all your exercises. For squats, this means lowering yourself until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. For hip thrusts and glute bridges, make sure to fully extend your hips at the top of the movement. Using a controlled, full range of motion will maximize glute engagement and improve your results.
Neglecting Nutrition
Building muscle, including your glutes, requires more than just working out—it also requires proper nutrition. If you’re not consuming enough calories or protein, your body won’t have the fuel it needs to grow muscle, no matter how hard you train.
How to fix it
Make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet that includes enough protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates to support muscle growth. Aim to consume at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight and include post-workout meals or snacks that are rich in protein to help with recovery.
Take it a step further and calculate your macros to get a better understanding of exactly how many calories, carbs, protein, and fat you should be eating to build muscle (or lose weight, depending on goals).
Inconsistent Training
Glute growth requires consistent effort over time. If you’re skipping workouts, changing your routine too often, or not following a structured plan, you’re not giving your muscles enough consistent stimulus to grow.
How to fix it
Stick to a structured workout plan and stay consistent with your glute training. Set clear goals, track your progress, and commit to your routine. Glute growth doesn’t happen overnight, but with consistent training, you’ll start seeing results.
Poor Form
Form is everything when it comes to building muscle, and glute exercises are no exception. Poor form can not only prevent you from properly activating your glutes, but it can also increase your risk of injury. Common mistakes include letting your knees cave in during squats or lunges, not engaging your core, or relying too much on momentum rather than controlled movements.
How to fix it
Pay attention to your form in every exercise, and consider working with a trainer or recording yourself to check for mistakes. Ensure that your knees stay aligned with your toes during lower-body exercises, your core remains tight, and you’re controlling the movement rather than letting momentum take over.
Growing your glutes takes time, effort, and the right strategy. By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on proper training, nutrition, and recovery, you’ll be able to see better results and build the strong, developed glutes you’re working toward. Remember, consistency is key, and with patience, your hard work will pay off!
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