Building the muscles of the bottom, specifically the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, is one of the biggest questions we get from our female trainees at SPC.
Well, luckily for you, you don’t need an abundance of equipment to start seeing changes to your body if you choose the right type of exercises. Here are our 4 favourites that involve nothing but your own bodyweight and a small resistance band, similar to the exercises we use in our Women’s Group Training Programme and Bodyweight Beast Home Workouts. Be prepared for 8 weeks of hard work!
Bodyweight Hip Thrusts
Key Points:
Extend the hips from the floor
Avoid over-arching the lower back
Focus on squeezing the gluteus muscles HARD at the top of each rep
Hold for 2s
Lower slowly under control
Banded Hip Thrusts
Key Points:
Keep your knees pushed outwards – resist the band pulling the legs together
Focus on doing this each repetition
Concentrate on a strong connection with your glute muscles
Squeeze HARD!
Banded Hip Thrust with Abduction
Key Points:
At the top of each rep, drive the legs outwards to create abduction
Pull the band apart with as much range of motion as you’re able to
Repeat at the top of each rep
Single Leg Bodyweight Hip Thrust
Key Points:
Drive through the leg in contact with the floor
Push the foot forcefully into the ground
Squeeze the hamstrings and glute of the working leg
Avoid over-aching the lower back muscles
Ensure your body is in alignment – avoid rotating or losing the correct position of your hips
Sets and Reps
Focusing on progressive overload, we recommend the following (OF EACH EXERCISE):
Beginners to Intermediate:
Week 1: 50 reps
Week 2: 75 reps
Week 3: 100 reps
Week 4: 125 reps
Week 5: 150 reps
Week 6: 200 reps
Week 7: 225 reps
Week 8: 250 reps

Advanced:
Week 1: 300 reps
Week 2: 325 reps
Week 3: 350 reps
Week 4: 375 reps
Week 5: 400 reps
Week 6: 425 reps
Week 7: 450 reps
Week 8: 500 reps
Please note: we recommend performing these amounts of repetitions for each exercise. Complete the reps in as many or as little sets as your require, always focusing on really feeling the gluteals working on every rep.
Perform these exercises 2-3x per week, with at least 24 hours between workouts.
Don’t know where to get a resistance band? Click Here
Want to be accountable? Want expert coaching? Want to see results over a 12 week period? Check out SPC Women
SPC is still open!
Our indoor SPC facility is currently closed due to the Tier 4 restrictions implemented in Sussex.
However, SPC are committed to the continued health and wellbeing of our members and are currently offering personal training services using our outdoor facility only in line with recommended government guidelines regarding Covid-19.
All group training sessions will be held online on January 4th 2021 until we are able to resume back at the SPC facility.