Building Better Glutes: My Personal Journey
Right, let’s have a chat about something I never thought I’d be discussing so openly – my disappearing butt! After finishing my recent cut, I caught sight of myself in the mirror and thought “Eesh, where did my glutes go?” It’s mad how fat loss can leave you feeling like you’ve lost all your shape.
So here I am, embarking on a proper glute-building mission, and I thought why not bring you along for the ride?
The Reality Check
Building a decent set of glutes isn’t just about filling out your jeans – or leggings in my case (though that’s definitely a perk). Strong glutes are absolutely essential for everything – from walking up stairs without your knees complaining to lifting heavy things without your back giving you grief. Plus, let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to feel confident in their own skin? I tell my girls all the time… I don’t care if you’re young, old or anything in between – every woman wants a nice ass!
My Attack Plan
I’ve got nine exercises that are going to be my best mates over the next few months. Hip thrusts are the absolute queen here – nothing beats them for building that peachy shape. Romanian deadlifts are brilliant too, working both glutes and hamstrings in one go.
Then there’s all the single-leg stuff: step-ups, curtsy lunges, Bulgarian split squats, and reverse lunges. The trick with step-ups and Bulgarians is leaning forward slightly – it makes all the difference for glute activation rather than just hammering your quads.
I’m throwing in abductor side raises because the sides of your glutes matter just as much as the back, and regular squats with that forward lean will round things out. Cable kickbacks at an angle finish things off nicely – you really feel these ones working.
How I’m Tackling Training
Most of the time I’m going heavy – 6-8 reps for 3-4 sets. This is the sweet spot for building both size and strength. But I’m no robot, so I’ll mix in some lighter, higher-rep sessions when I fancy really feeling the burn.
Two to three glute sessions per week gives me enough stimulus without overdoing it. Your muscles grow when you’re resting, not when you’re training, so recovery is just as important as the work itself.
The Food (Best) Bit
Here’s the thing everyone forgets when they want to build muscle – you’ve got to eat for it. After months of being in a deficit, I need to flip the switch and eat about 10% more than my body needs each day. I am so happy! I get to eat more and get a nice booty in the process? Heck yeah!
Eating more after a period of being in a calorie deficit can feel scary. But a small surplus is non-negotiable if you want to build muscle. We’re not talking about going mental with the food, just enough extra fuel to support growth.
Keeping It Real
I’m giving myself 8-12 weeks to see some visible changes, but I’m trying to stay realistic here. Muscle building takes time, and some weeks will feel better than others. I’m watching for strength gains, how my clothes fit, and how I feel moving around – not just what the mirror shows me.
The best part about this whole journey? Remembering that fitness isn’t about being perfect all the time. Sometimes you need to rebuild, sometimes you’re starting fresh, and that’s completely normal. We’re all just figuring it out as we go.
Fancy joining me on this glute-building adventure? Let’s see what we can achieve together!
