Squats for the buttocks at home - 7 most effective types, how to do the exercise correctly

We often find a variety of diets, try different sets of exercises in order to lose weight and give the desired shape to the buttocks. But our efforts do not always bring results. Fitness instructors draw our attention to the fact that if we want to lose weight and “tighten up our butt,” we must include squats with an emphasis on the buttocks in our set of exercises.

This method is proven and gives good results , which is why it has so many adherents and admirers. It would seem: a simple strength exercise! And it is very effective because it evenly distributes the load on the hips, legs, abdomen and works the buttock muscles well.

Squats help burn calories, speed up metabolism, and give pleasant muscle fatigue.

What muscles are being worked?

To understand how to properly do squats for the buttocks at home, and to make your exercises as effective as possible, it is advisable to consider the structure of the gluteal muscles.

The gluteal muscles consist of the large, medium and small muscles. The gluteus maximus is the largest muscle, which actually forms the shape of the butt. The middle and small muscles are located under it - they lift and round the buttocks. These muscles are responsible for the following movements:

straighten the body,
pull the hip back
move the thigh to the side.

Carefully! If you have any concerns regarding the health of your knee joints, be sure to consult your doctor before engaging in this type of activity!

The benefits and harms of exercise

Main advantages:

Improved muscle tone;
Improving the shape and definition of the hips;
Ability to perform in any conditions (gym, home, playground, etc.);
Improves the shape of the buttocks, especially the internal roundness;
Development of coordination and balance;
No harmful load on the lower back and joints.

There are no downsides to side lunges. The only drawback is technical errors. Mainly:

Maintaining balance;
Maintaining a straight back position;
“Leg drop” is when the athlete abducts the leg and places the foot not softly, but literally falls on it without any muscle control.

How to do squats correctly?

In order for the exercises to be effective, beneficial and leave behind the so-called “muscle joy” effect (pleasant relaxation and peace after exercise), you need to follow a few simple rules.

In the ranking of the TOP 10 exercises for the buttocks, squats take first place.

Do not lower your buttocks below your knees while squatting. This puts excessive stress on your knee joints. Deep squats can only be done under the supervision of a trainer.
Do not hold your breath while doing the exercise. Muscle tension should be as you exhale, and relaxation as you inhale. Keep your breathing under control at all times until you do it automatically!
smoothly and without jerking . Most injuries, such as sprains, are caused by sudden movements.
Don’t chase results , don’t “rush into battle” right away, increase the load gradually, day after day.
Control the execution of the exercises - the bend should be carried out in the hip joint area, and only then in the knee area.

Be sure to check out our 30-day squat program for girls
. Important! The number of squats to perform is a very individual matter for each person. To get started, consult with an instructor, and, if possible, practice under his guidance in the first stages. Often success depends not on how many approaches you do, but on whether you perform the exercises correctly. At the initial stage, do a couple of exercises in several approaches, gradually increasing the load.

Lateral lunges with barbell

Compared to other options, side lunges with a barbell are less comfortable. Therefore, they are usually used in cases where there is no pair of dumbbells. However, due to the specificity of holding the apparatus on the shoulders (as with regular squats), it becomes much easier for the athlete to maintain the correct position of the back. This is due to the fact that when holding a barbell on your back, your shoulder blades are in a contracted position and your chest is pushed forward.

What is important to pay attention to:

When working with a barbell, more space is required, so make sure that you do not catch foreign objects with the bar.
Working with a large weight will provoke “folding” (when the lower back arches and the athlete leans forward strongly), so control the position of the body.
Hold the bar on your rear delts, not your neck, to reduce stress on your spine.

Top 7 squats for the gluteal muscles and technique for performing them

There are many different sets of squats to form beautiful and elastic buttocks. When choosing a training program for yourself, be sure to pay attention to whether it is right for you. Classes are selected individually for each person . In this case, various factors are taken into account - general health, level of physical development, psycho-emotional state.

Classic

The classic glute squat technique engages all the leg muscles and gluteal muscles.

It is the classic squats that are included in the TOP 7 best exercises for the buttocks, thighs and legs.

Starting position – back straight, feet hip-width apart, arms freely positioned along the body.
As you exhale, move your pelvis back, squat slowly until a right angle is formed. The thighs are parallel to the floor.
We return to the starting position, relax while inhaling.

There is also a static version of this movement - it is called “Chair against the wall”

Watch the video for more details:

Deep

Deep squats for the buttocks are very effective, but place a lot of stress on the knee joints . This exercise lowers your hips below your knees.

For more details, watch the video:

Carefully! It is advisable to perform it under the guidance of an instructor, otherwise you may injure your knees.

With narrow feet

When performing the exercise, the gluteus maximus and quadriceps muscles take on the main load.

Starting position – back straight, feet together, arms down along the body, or in front of you, as shown in the picture.
We perform it like a regular squat.

For detailed techniques, watch the video:

Note! Another very effective exercise is walking on your buttocks. In combination with squats, together they will give incredible results. Besides getting rid of cellulite, butt walking has many other benefits - 9 Incredible Facts About Butt Walking.

"Sumo"

The muscles of the legs and buttocks are well worked out, and fat is removed from the inner thigh. We perform it in the same way as a regular squat.

The difference is that the stance of the legs is wider, and the arms are usually weighed down with dumbbells.

Shown more clearly below:

"Plie"

The gluteal muscles and quadriceps femoris are worked.

Starting position – back straight, feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned outward, hands on the belt.
We carry out according to the standard scheme.

"Curtsy"

All three gluteal muscles are involved in the exercise; this type of squat contributes to their good development. Effectively removes “ears” on the thighs.

We stand straight, back straight. One leg is in front, the other is behind, resting on the toe.
We squat smoothly, bending our knees. We keep the body weight on the front leg. Slowly return to the starting position.

Using weights

As you adapt to the loads, all types of glute squats can be done with different loads. These can be dumbbells, barbells, or, at home, plastic bottles filled with water.

Be sure to watch: 4 of the most effective types of squats with dumbbells for the buttocks

Starting position - stand straight, do not slouch, feet shoulder-width apart.
We hold a kettlebell or dumbbells with both hands, bent at the elbow joints. Elbows pressed to the sides.
Smoothly squat using any technology described above.

You can use water bottles or dumbbells. Feet shoulder-width apart, heels firmly on the floor. Your arms can be extended in front of you or lowered down.

Carefully! Contraindications to exercise are some heart and vascular diseases, arthritis, fever, high blood pressure. It is best to consult a doctor.

Features of side lunges

Lunges are considered the most varied and beneficial exercise for the lower body (they are the main competitor to squats in terms of benefits). It is for this that there are the greatest number of execution variations. Side lunges are one of the types that, among other areas, actively load the hip adductors. It is the internal part that is considered the most lagging behind and requires increased load. Therefore, it is necessary for both men and women to lunge to the side.

How effective are they?

Simple squats, which we did back in school during physical education lessons, are the most effective in terms of forming a beautiful buttock shape. How are they useful?

The shape of the buttocks is influenced by the following factors:

shape of the pelvic bone,
volume of adipose tissue,
muscle condition.

Of course, you cannot change the size of your bones, but you can remove fat deposits and work your muscles with the power of squats! Remember that it is impossible to “pump up your butt” in ten days, as some people think. The first positive changes in this area will be noticeable after two months of regular training.

Be sure to include in your training other exercises that have shown maximum effectiveness for working the gluteal muscles:

Scissors
Bike
Stepping onto the platform
Different types of lunges

So are squats effective for your butt? They form slender legs, create beautiful, firm buttocks, and have a beneficial effect on overall health. These elementary exercises, accessible to everyone, can work real miracles.

But there is one important condition - when performing them, you need to use certain recommendations:

Maintain proper squat technique. This point is especially important for those who have never done gymnastic exercises. In this case, it would be better to consult an experienced instructor.
Prepare your muscles for the load . Do a warm-up, this will help avoid injuries, and your muscles will hurt less after training.
Motivation is one of the main components of your success. Set a goal for yourself, exercise with joy, then your training will be more effective!
Eat right. The basis of your diet should be certain foods - boiled chicken, fish, eggs, stewed and raw vegetables, for example, in the form of salads. Try not to eat anything fried, exclude salty and canned foods, sweets, and cookies. If you want something sweet, you can eat a spoonful of honey.

If after training your muscles hurt, you can do a light massage, take a bath with sea salt and rub well with a terry towel.
Thus, you will improve blood circulation and metabolism, and the process of adaptation to stress will be more gentle. Remember! System first! If you are short on time, do two or three exercises in several approaches; you don’t need to do the whole complex in a hurry or skip the lesson altogether.

Side lunges with dumbbells

When working with dumbbells, there are no changes in terms of leg work. That is, the motor pattern remains unchanged. However, the need to hold dumbbells in your hands introduces additional conditions:

Bring your shoulder blades together and push your chest forward - this will help maintain a straight body position.
Don't round your shoulders forward; over time, this can lead to poor posture.
Hold the weight on your free hands so that the dumbbells do not interfere with the movement of your legs.

Select the weight so that the last 2-3 approaches (out of 10-12) are given with great difficulty.

Recommendations

Despite its visual simplicity, this is a complex exercise. Therefore, to avoid injury, you need to learn how to lunge to the side correctly. To do this, you need to remember a number of key rules:

A straight back throughout the entire exercise is the main condition for correct execution (with a rounded back, it is technically impossible to perform the movement correctly).
You only need to place your foot on the full foot (attempts to facilitate movement by placing emphasis on the toe or heel sooner or later end in injury).
Do side lunges only in shoes with non-slip soles and on a stable surface.
You should proceed to the exercise only after a thorough warm-up (with special emphasis on the adductor muscles).

Basic recommendations for girls

Breathing should always be controlled. Especially when performing high-repetition sets (25-50 repetitions). Lowering your legs while inhaling, lifting from a sitting position while exhaling.
It is optimal to perform a series of 4-5 sets of 12-20 repetitions without weight (or 12 repetitions with small dumbbells). Working in a strength format (8-10 with increased) weight is recommended only if the main goal is muscle gain.