In circuits designed to train the buttocks, the so-called bridge is almost never missing. This exercise has the advantage of being able to specifically train only the glute muscles, unlike other movements that often also work the hamstrings, quadriceps, core and back.
Another way to train the buttocks is to also make use of the use of dumbbells.
Great option for training the glutes, including hip thrust and deadlift.
, bend your knees by placing your feet on the ground at a distance equal to that of your pelvis. Place your arms to the sides, palms facing down.
Shutterstock Lie on the ground, supine, with your arms close to the floor, bring your feet close to the pelvis and lift your buttocks off the ground by pushing your pelvis upwards, pause for a few seconds at the highest point (without removing your heels or arching the lumbar area) and contract the buttocks. .
Use your toes instead of your heels
Although you can do the bridge by leveraging your toes, doing so does not get all the benefits possible from this exercise, because the strain is also placed on the quadriceps and calves.
How to avoid it: Concentrate your strength on your heels and push on them to get up. In this way, the effort rests entirely on the buttock muscles.
Do not contract your buttocks when in full extension
Forgetting to contract the muscles when the pelvis is high reduces the time spent with the muscles at work and consequently the benefits. The greater the time under effort, in fact, the greater the intensity of the exercise.
How to avoid it: pause for two seconds when the movement is at its maximum extension, tightening the muscles of the buttocks, so as to obtain a complete contraction. This also helps strengthen the mind-muscle connection so that you truly activate your glutes, without inadvertently moving your hamstrings.
Use your hips and quads instead of your glutes and hamstrings
If, while performing the exercise, you notice that you are using your quadriceps to lift your body, it means that you are not fully engaging the specific muscle groups, namely those of the buttocks and hamstrings, which function as hip extensors. . By shifting the workload to your hips and quads, you reduce the benefits to your butt and sabotage the results.
How to avoid it: Be sure to tilt your pelvis so that the hip bones move more towards the abdomen. This posterior rotation reduces the involvement of the quadriceps and focuses work on the glutes and hamstrings.
Keep your feet too close or too far away from your butt
The position of the feet can make a difference in terms of results. Holding them too close or away from the pelvis works the adductors and hamstrings, instead of the glutes.
How to avoid it: place the heels at a distance of about 30 centimeters from the buttocks, in order to better isolate the muscles and make only them work. Also, make sure your feet are separated by at least 6 inches and your toes pointing slightly outward (approximately 5-10 degrees). Positioning yourself in this way enables your buttocks to perform an optimal contraction.
Don't involve the core
Contrary to popular belief, the core is made up not only of the abs but of many other muscles, including the glutes. If you do not engage it in the right way then, the pelvis also works wrong and the load ends up on the quadriceps and calves.
How to avoid it: Before starting the exercise, strengthen the core by pushing the hip bones upwards and rotating the pelvis slightly.
Bending your chin too much
If you form a 90 degree angle from the chin to the neck, the lower body will not function effectively during the exercise because this posture increases the amount of force on the lower back, taking it away from the buttocks.
How to avoid it: Do not bend your chin excessively, but keep it only slightly tilted downwards.
