A weak butt can be problematic.
Sure, a nice poppin’ booty is all the rage right now, and that’s all good. But more important than the aesthetic of a big butt is developing a backside that is strong.
A weak butt can often be the cause of hip pain, low back pain, knee pain, and other issues. It’s also pretty common for people to have weak glutes (booty, butt, cheeks, etc.).
Squats, deadlifts, and lunges are great. They definitely have their place in developing a strong backside. However, it can be common to rely on the quads, hamstrings, and low back to perform a lot of those movements, so doing some work directly for the glutes can have a huge benefit.
Hip Extensions are a great way to do just that. Now technically “hip extension” refers to the action of extending the hips. Think like when you’re standing up from a bent over position, and your thighs are positioned in front of your body That movement that brings your thighs and hips in line with your torso…that’s hip extension. Technically, any movement that puts the body through that pattern is a hip extension. That being said, I refer to this movement specifically as “Hip Extension”. If that’s confusing, sorry.
Hip Extension:
Cues:
- Tuck your chin down to your chest, give yourself a big hug, and round your upper back. This may not seem like a desirable position, and if you’re talking about spending a lot of time in this position, you’re right. However, rounding the upper back for this movement prevents you from cranking through the low back. We’re looking for movement in the hips, and very little to no movement in the low back.
- Pull yourself up by contracting your butt and hamstrings. Avoid using your low back.
- At the top of the movement, drive your hips into the pads and squeeze your butt as tight as you can.
- Keep your chin tucked and upper back rounded at the top of the movement.
I suggest starting with body weight on these. Keeping the movement in your glutes and hamstrings, and out of your low back can be a little tricky at first. Once you have that form down, feel free to load them up with a plate, dumbbell, or kettlebell.
I like doing these for lower reps (6-8) for building strength, as well as at a higher rep range (12-15) for a good pump and some muscle growth.
Give them a shot and let me know how they go!
One thought on “Build-A-Booty: Hip Extension”