My last blog post about getting round buttocks was so well-read that I'm writing a sequel. I'm blessed with a high percentage of fat on my buttocks. A Dexa scan revealed that I have a whopping 33% fat on my buttocks! I got that buttocks from my mother; my father always joked that he was attracted to my mother because of her buttocks. So it's genetic. It's not fair to compare yourself to me if you have a smaller, flatter buttocks yourself.
Yet my butt hasn't always been round. When I started training ten years ago and only ate pink cookies and sour mats, they sagged enormously. If I take a break from training, like I did last January, they quickly sag again. Luckily, I now know how to get them round and bigger quickly. That's why I wrote this blog post for you!
Glutes: What You Need to Know
Your glutes are made up of three major muscles: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. These muscles determine the shape, firmness, and roundness of your glutes. Whether your glutes are big, flat, small, or large is partly determined by genetics. But with the right training and nutrition, you can significantly influence their shape and volume.
What if you have a big buttocks, but they're mostly made of fat?
If your buttocks are naturally a little bigger due to fat, but not as round and tight, then the key is:
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Muscle building: Focus your workout on strengthening and expanding your glutes with exercises like squats, hip thrusts, and lunges. This will give your glutes more shape and firmness.
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Lose fat (optional): A healthy diet and fitness training can help you lose fat, making your muscles more visible.
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Activation: Pay close attention to activating your gluteal muscles properly during exercises, so that other muscles don't take over the work.
What if you have small, flat buttocks with some fat?
Do you have a small, flat buttocks? Then the focus is on:
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Muscle Growth: Build your glutes with heavy strength training focused on hypertrophy (muscle growth). Think hip thrusts, lunges, squats, and deadlifts.
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Calorie surplus: Eat slightly more calories than you burn and get enough protein to stimulate muscle growth.
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Consistency: Building muscle takes time, but you will see improvements after just 4 weeks if you persevere.
Why do you sometimes see the same exercises in different routines?
You might wonder why some exercises appear in both routines, even though they're for different glute types. There's a good reason! There are a few basic exercises that are essential for every glute shape, as they best train the most important glute muscles. Think of squats, hip thrusts, lunges, glute bridges, and deadlifts.
The difference between the schemes is mainly in:
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Intensity and weight: Small, flat glutes often train with heavier weights and fewer repetitions to increase muscle mass. Fat glutes usually do the same exercises with slightly lighter weights and more repetitions.
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Additional exercises: For flat glutes, more isolation and activation exercises are added (such as clamshells, fire hydrants) to better feel and strengthen the gluteal muscles.
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Cardio: For those with a large buttocks containing fat, cardio is added to reduce the body fat percentage and make the muscles more visible. For those with a smaller buttocks, the focus is more on muscle building and less on cardio.
Training schedules
For big buttocks with high fat percentage
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Monday: Squats 3x12, Step-ups 3x12 per leg, Banded Lateral Walks 3x20 steps per side
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Wednesday: Hip Thrusts 4x10, Glute Bridges 3x15, Romanian Deadlifts 3x10
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Friday: Lunges 3x12 per leg, Bulgarian Split Squats 3x10 per leg, Kettlebell Swings 3x15
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Saturday: Glute Bridges 3x15, Donkey Kicks 3x15 per leg, Fire Hydrants 3x15 per side
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Sunday: Rest
For small, flat buttocks
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Monday: Hip Thrusts 4x10 (heavy), Glute Bridge with weight 3x15, Banded Lateral Walks 3x20 steps per side
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Wednesday: Bulgarian Split Squats 3x10 per leg, Step-ups 3x12 per leg, Walking Lunges 3x20 steps
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Friday: Sumo Deadlifts 3x8, Romanian Deadlifts 3x10, Kettlebell Swings 3x15
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Saturday: Glute Kickbacks 3x15 per leg, Donkey Kicks 3x15 per leg, Clamshells 3x20 per side, Fire Hydrants 3x15 per side
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Sunday: Rest
Finally
Whether you have a big, fat-filled butt or a small, flat one, you can make significant progress toward round, toned glutes in just four weeks with the right training and nutrition. Stay consistent and focus on progression. And remember: your glutes are unique and deserve the best care!
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