Glute training: see 5 exercises analyzed by experts

On social media, it is currently possible to find several videos that seek to show how to do a certain bodybuilding exercise. Search can impact the user with a large amount of information – and also misinformation.

Therefore, the CNN selected 5 videos from YouTube’s main fitness influencers, with different training tips — including exercises to strengthen and enlarge the glutes. The report also spoke to experts in the field to analyze and understand whether the information provided by the influencers made sense and whether it was really beneficial.

The selection of creators and videos was made with the help of the data team at CNN , which listed the biggest creators on the Winnin platform in the “Exercise & Wellbeing” category. Afterwards, a screening was carried out among the published videos to identify terms such as “best exercise” and “best training”, as well as titles that contained information supposedly based on scientific studies.

Finally, with the help of Pinpoint, a Google journalism tool, it was possible to check which exercises were best suited for the glutes. You can see the transcription of the videos on page of CNN on Pinpoint.

Exercises to grow butt

For the category “exercises to grow butt ”, the videos selected were:

• Carol Borba: “4 best exercises to make your butt bigger at the gym”
• Laércio Refundini: “5 best exercises to grow your glutes”
• Carol Vaz: “5 exercises to make your butt grow”
• Fabricio Pacholok: “2 exercises to blast your glutes”
• Vivi Winkler: “7 exercises to make your butt bigger | Butt to the back of the head Vivi Winkler”.

Among the exercises most recommended by influencers in videos for hypertrophy are:

1. Free squat;
2. Pelvic lift” (or “hip lift”);
3. Abductor chair;
4. Stiff squat;
5. Bulgarian squat.

See what the experts consulted by CNN talk about these exercises below.

Free squat

The free squat appears in four of the five videos selected and analyzed: by Laércio Refundini, Carol Vaz, Fabrício Pacholok and Vivi Winkler. In them, influencers and professionals comment on the importance of performing the movement with greater amplitude – Pacholok even suggests that it is important to perform the “deep squat”, breaking the barrier of 90º knee flexion.

According to Carlos Leandro Tiggemann, professor of the physical education course at Centro Universitário da Serra Gaúcha – FSG, the greater range of movement actually contributes to muscle hypertrophy. “This is due to greater muscle stretching during exercise, that is, the gluteal muscles are more demanding and respond better to exercise,” he says.

Therefore, the recommendation is to use less load in the free squat to prioritize amplitude. However, this strategy may be contraindicated for those with joint limitations. “To prevent knee injuries, it is recommended to do exercises with low joint flexion, around 45º. Any other flexion above this value can lead to joint overload, leading to pain”, warns André Pedrinelli, sports doctor and orthopedist.

Stiff and Bulgarian squats

The stiff and Bulgarian squats are variations of the squat that can help work different portions of the gluteal muscles. According to the professor, they offer interesting benefits for hypertrophy, as they increase the stretching of the butt muscles.

“The great thing about these exercises is being able to do a lot of hip flexion and, as a result, get a good stretch of the glutes,” he says.

Pelvic/hip lift

According to the professor, the advantage of pelvic or hip elevation is that it is an exercise that works the muscle in isolation. On the other hand, this activity does not allow for a large range of movement. “Because you cannot fully stretch this muscle, you may not have as satisfactory a result as with the squat,” he says.

The solution recommended by experts is to combine different exercises and periodize training — make changes to training sessions from time to time, varying the combination of exercises used.

Abductor chair

The abductor chair is also an exercise that works the glutes in isolation, with emphasis on the tensor fasciae latae muscle, which is located on the side of the hip. Therefore, its pros and cons are similar to those of pelvic elevation, in the professor’s view.

“In it, the biggest work is to abduct the hips, making a movement to open the legs. So, despite having a participation of the gluteus maximus [a região posterior do glúteo] in this exercise, it is not enhanced”, points out Tiggemann.

After all, is it worth relying on online videos to practice physical exercises?

In general, online videos with bodybuilding tips and exercises for weight loss can be accessible and easy-to-understand ways for amateur athletes to obtain information about training . However, according to experts interviewed by CNN this type of content can bring benefits and harms.

For Fábio Dominski, university professor and Ph.D. in Physical Education, among the advantages is the autonomy of the practitioner being able to choose the type of exercise and the frequency of training, in addition to being able to carry out many workouts at home. However, he warns of the risks that these contents can pose, such as the lack of professional supervision.

Furthermore, he reinforces that the most important thing is adherence and consistency in training. “Researchers suggest worrying less about variables and more about getting people to actually train, that is, the factors that influence adherence to training. On this topic – motivation, what matters most, I observe that there are few influencers talking”, he concludes.

Check out other reports in the series: “Does exercising with internet videos work? See risks and benefits”

This article is part of a series of four reports published in CNN to analyze training videos available on the internet, their risks and benefits — from the point of view of experts in the field. Also check out the other reports at the links below:

• Exercises to lose belly fat;
• Exercises to lose weight;
• Arm and chest exercises.