5 Barbell Glute Exercises You Should Be Doing

Best Barbell Glute Workout Routine 

We’ve programmed our barbell glute day routine to include functional compound movements alongside some barbell glute isolation exercises. This means some exercises work multiple muscle groups while others specifically focus on the glute muscles.

The barbell deadlift and barbell front squat utilize strength loading recommendations for strength and power development while improving glute growth. These exercises should be incorporated into a glute and hamstring workout or a dedicated glute session. 

The hip thrusts and split squats implement hypertrophy loading recommendations to ensure sufficient training volume. This means that these barbell exercises for glutes use higher repetitions at a lower training intensity. We’ve described some of the main hip thrust benefits in a separate article.

This workout should be done twice weekly for adequate glute training volume. Some exercises can be switched, but make sure you perform at least 2–3 of the best glute exercises from our list. 

If you’re looking to switch things up, try some of our recommended dumbbell glute exercises. For those without access to equipment, the best bodyweight glute exercises at home are great options. 

We’ve used percentages of your one repetition maximum value to measure training intensity for this barbell glute workout. This refers to the maximum amount you can lift for one repetition. Work this out with the help of a personal trainer or our handy one repetition maximum calculator.

Anatomy Of The Glutes

Gluteus

Large, superficial muscles located at your buttocks just below your lower back area.

The glutes are made up of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. These primarily perform hip extension, hip abduction, and hip rotation. This means bringing the thighs back, bringing the legs away from the midline of the body, and rotating the hips.

Gluteus Maximus

The gluteus maximus muscle is the largest and most superficial of the three glute muscles. It’s closest to the surface of the skin and easy to see. It originates from the back of the pelvis and inserts into the thigh bone.

It brings the thighs backward away from the body. This means it plays an important role during movement and power generation, helping to maintain stability.

The back squat and hip thrust exercises primarily use the glutes to perform hip extension. Research shows that these exercises activate the glute max at 53% and 75% of a muscle contraction, respectively.

Gluteus Medius

The gluteus medius muscle is just underneath the gluteus maximus. It originates from the hip bone and inserts into the thigh bone. However, it’s more lateral to the hip compared to the gluteus maximus.

Its main role is to perform hip abduction, internal rotation, and external rotation. This refers to bringing the legs away from the body’s midline, rotating them inwards, and rotating them outwards, respectively.

The glute medius muscles are crucial for hip stability during movement. They prevent the pelvis from dipping to one side. Gluteus medius exercises can be used for targeted development of these important muscles.

Gluteus Minimus

The gluteus minimus muscle is the smallest and deepest of the three gluteal muscles. It sits underneath the gluteus medius. You can feel it if you press against the glutes, even though you can’t see it against the skin.

It originates from the hip bone and inserts into a different part of the thigh bone. Its primary function is to abduct the hips and internally rotate them. It works with the gluteus medius muscles to ensure pelvic stability during common movements such as walking and running. 

You can use our gluteus minimus exercises if you’re looking to specifically isolate them.

Benefits Of Barbell Glute Exercises

These are the main benefits of using our glute-building workout with a barbell. These should be expected if you perform our best glute exercises consistently. 

Enhanced Glute Strength

Performing heavy barbell lifts for glutes ensures high levels of mechanical loading. In other words, you can put a lot of weight on the bar, ensuring the progressive overload principle is being implemented. 

Exercises such as barbell squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts can be performed using significantly more weight than bodyweight training. This increased muscle tension is vital for glute strength development. Remember, the glutes are large and powerful muscles, meaning they respond best to exercise that allows big external loads.

Improving the strength of your glutes enhances lower-body power and sports performance. Barbell exercises for stronger hips and glutes should be the main priority for recreational gym goers and advanced athletes.

Improved Glute Growth 

Barbell glute exercises allow heavy loading and work the glutes through the full range of motion. Exercises like barbell hip thrusts and deadlifts significantly activate the gluteus maximus muscle when extending the hips.

Training volume is one of the most important factors for muscular hypertrophy. Barbell training for glute hypertrophy works all three glute muscles while using higher loads. Because of this, they’re well-suited for glute hypertrophy. As discussed above, it’s also easier to implement the progressive overload principle, which is key for muscle growth.

Better Movement Efficiency And Sports Performance

Movement efficiency refers to the quality of limb control during exercise and activity. It is a key factor for sports performance as it directly impacts the ability of your lower body to generate strength and power.

The glute muscles are vital for the stability of the hips and pelvis. They play important roles in movement efficiency, posture, and, with it, injury prevention. Poor movement efficiency from underdeveloped glutes can increase injury risk as the rest of the lower body works to compensate. 

Using these barbell glute exercises to improve the strength and function of the glutes ensures better movement efficacy and performance. The lower limbs are better able to move through their intended ranges of motion without additional stress. 

Common Mistakes To Avoid 

Avoid these common mistakes when performing barbell glute exercises. Each reduces potential glute engagement and increases the risk of injury. 

• Poor Spinal Positioning — Overarching your back when performing barbell hip thrusts can increase spinal stress and reduce glute engagement. Ensure you keep a neutral spine at all times to avoid lower back injury.
• Overusing Your Quads And Hamstrings — Focus on engaging your glutes so that they perform most of the movement pattern. Your quads and hamstrings should act as secondary movers. This can be done by ensuring proper form.
• Bad Foot And Knee Positioning — Letting your knees cave in or poor foot positioning increases joint stress and reduces glute activation. Allow your knees to track over your toes when squatting, with your feet in a stable position.
• Neglecting Glute Activation Work — Glute activation exercises, such as banded clamshells and banded bridges, help to ensure efficient movement patterns. Use them to improve your form and to practice recruiting your glute muscles before the main session. You can also use barbell glute activation exercises, such as hip thrusts and glute bridges, with less weight.

Tips To Make The Most Of Barbell Exercises For The Glutes

These are our best tips to make the most out of barbell movements to grow glutes. Take note of each one and apply it to your training.

• Focus On Your Mind-Muscle Connection — Develop your mind-muscle connection by actively thinking about squeezing your glutes during each repetition. This is particularly important for muscle growth.
• Utilize The Full Range Of Motion — Perform each exercise using the full range of motion for most of the training session. This ensures that each muscle group is worked sufficiently through its full movement potential.
• Prioritize Hip Extension Movements — Make sure that each glute session uses hip extension movements such as deadlifts and hip thrusts. These movements are most effective for targeting the glutes.
• Ensure Proper Form — Using the correct resistance exercise technique ensures efficient muscle engagement while limiting potential injury risk.

Conclusion

As the largest and most powerful muscles in the body, your glutes provide the foundation for most movements and activities. Our barbell glute exercises offer several glute benefits when performed correctly. 

Ensure they make up the bulk of your workout routine for maximum glute development. Use our handy tips and take note of the common mistakes to improve the quality of your training. You’ll have a pair of glutes that turn heads in no time!

Frequently Asked Questions