Resistance band exercises and your glutes make a pretty good match. Resistance bands allow you to do all manner of glute-specific exercises that would be virtually impossible with any other type of equipment. In this article, we provide you with an awesome glute shaping workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home with nothing but an inexpensive resistance band.
Resistance Bands vs Resistance Loop Bands
The best type of resistance band to work your glute is a variation called a resistance loop band. A conventional resistance band set consists of a series of tubes that come with foot stirrups and handles. This allows you to simulate traditional barbell and dumbbell exercises like curls and overhead presses. In contrast, resistance loop bands consist of one continuous rubber loop. They come in all sizes. The best ones to use for a glute-specific workout are called mini loop bands. These come in a range of thicknesses and are designed to be fitted over your thighs.
Your Glute Workout Warmup
Many people take warming up too lightly. They are keen to get into the meat of the workout and, so, either ignore the warm-up or do it inadequately.
You cannot afford to do that.
You need to perform a warm to take your body from an inert to an active state, while also reducing your potential injury risk. You need to warm up both your muscular and your cardiovascular systems. Start by warming up your cardio system with 60 seconds of running on the spot. For the first 30 seconds perform high knees and then do butt kicks for the last 30 seconds.
Dynamic stretching moves your muscles through a range of motion. Here are 2 key stretches for you to warm up your lower body for the workout to come:
Squat
With your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outwards, holds your hands in front of your chest. Now drop the hips and buttock to lower into a full squat position (legs slightly below parallel). Drive your heels into the floor to power your way back up.
Perform 15 repetitions.
Glute Bridges
Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent. Place your palms down on the floor at your sides. Now thrust your hips into the air and hold the top position for a 3 count.
Perform 15 reps.
The Glute Resistance Band Workout
| Exercise | Sets & Reps |
| Squat Pulses | 3 x 10 reps |
| Frog Pumps | 3 x 12 reps |
| Banded Reverse Lunge | 3 x 12 |
| Crab Walk (Double) | 5 x sequence |
| Glue Activation | 3 x 12 |
| Thruster + Abduction | 2 x 12 |
| Banded Hip Thrust | 2 x 12 |
Squat Pulses
Position a resistance loop band around your upper thighs. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed forward, with arms out in front of your body. Hinge at the hips to squat to parallel. From the bottom position, start performing short pulses, coming up to a quarter squat position on each pulse. Perform 10 pulses and then return to the start position. That is one rep.
Frog Pumps
Lie face-up on an exercise mat with a resistance loop band positioned around your lower thighs, knees bent and feet together. Place your ams on the floor alongside your body. Now pump through the pelvis to bring the hips as high as you can. Squeeze your glutes in the top position before returning to the start position. That is one rep.
Banded Reverse Lunge
Stand with a looped resistance band under your left foot, both feet together and holding the other end of the band in your left hand. Extend your right foot back to descend into a reverse lunge. Push through the front thigh to return to the start position. That is one rep. Perform all of your reps on one leg before repeating with the other.
Crab Walk (Double)
Stand with a loop resistance band looped around your ankles and feet shoulder-width apart. Clasp your hands together at chin level. Now take a large step forward and to the left. Drop down into a pulse squat, pulsing twice before coming up. Repeat by stepping forward and to the right. Take 3 steps forward and then 3 steps back.
Glute Activation
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and two resistance loop bands around your legs. The first should be around your mid-thighs with the second just above your ankles. Clasp your hands together in front of your chin. Now squeeze your glutes as you take a large step forward with your left foot. Then step the foot backward and then to the side. Repeat with the other side.
Thruster + Abduction
Position yourself on an exercise mat, face-up on all fours with a loop resistance band around the mid-thighs. You should be resting on your palms and your feet, with your knees bent and together. Now lift your hips as high as you can into the air. Then push your thighs apart. Bring your thighs back together and then lower to the start position. That is one rep.
Banded Hip Thrust
Place a thick loop band around your mid-thighs. Now position yourself so that your shoulders and head are resting on a chair with your heels on the floor and your body forming a bridge. Place your hands above your ears (do not clasp your hands together). Thrust your hips into the air, squeezing your glutes as you do so. Lower your hips to the floor and repeat.
Wrap Up
This is an intense glute-focused workout that targets both your gluteus medius and maximus. It should take you about 30 minutes to complete. At the end of it you will definitely know where your glutes are! Perform this workout twice per week with at least two full days rest between sessions (you’ll need them to recover!). Complement this workout with a full-body workout once or twice a week (you can skip your butt on that one!).
Photo by Kelly Sikkema
About the Author/s
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.
