Golden Rules for Beginners in Glute Training

vucuthocasi
Jun 21
3 min read

With IFBB PRO COACH CAN ÜNAL — A Scientific Foundation for Strong and Balanced Glutes

Introduction

Glute training for beginners isn’t just about aesthetics — it plays a crucial role in performance, posture, and injury prevention. However, developing glutes effectively is not as simple as saying “just squat and you're done.” In this article, I explain how to structure a glute-focused training day, what to pay attention to, and which common mistakes to avoid.

1. Exercise Selection: Don’t Start with Compounds, Begin with Isolation

Instead of diving into big compound movements, it’s safer for beginners to start with controlled isolation exercises. These exercises increase blood flow to the muscles, activate key connections, and improve neuromuscular coordination.🔸 Recommended starting exercises:

Cable Kickbacks
Glute Abduction Machine
Mini Band Lateral Walks

Aim for 3 sets per exercise, with the first two sets serving as warm-up in the initial movement. Weights should not be increased unless a solid mind-muscle connection is established.

2. Full Range of Motion: Half a Rep is as Good as None

To truly work the glutes, you must move through the full range — from the muscle’s most stretched to its most contracted position. This activates both the lower gluteus maximus and the hamstring connection.⚠️ Partial reps lead to partial development and can cause muscular imbalances over time.💡 A light weight with a full range of motion is more effective than a heavy but limited one.

3. Choose Machines Based on Muscle Feel, Not Machine Design

If you’re adjusting your form to suit the machine — not the other way around — it’s probably not a good match.➡️ If you don’t feel your glutes engaging on a machine, the setup might be wrong.The best machine is the one where you feel the glute contraction most clearly. For example:

Some hip thrust machines target the upper glutes
Others better activate the lower glutes

4. Use Intensity Techniques to Push Muscle Limits

“Training to failure” means pushing the muscle until you can no longer complete a proper rep.🔧 Effective intensification methods:

Partial Reps: Continue with half-reps when full range is no longer possible
Isometric Holds: Pause at the most difficult point of the movement for 5–10 seconds
Drop Sets: Reduce the weight and continue without rest

These techniques help completely exhaust energy reserves and maximize growth.

5. Unilateral Movements: Always Start with the Weaker Side

Symmetry is key in glute development. In unilateral (single-leg) exercises, always begin with your weaker side.💡 The number of reps completed by the weaker side should set the limit for the stronger one as well. This approach gradually corrects imbalances.

6. Hip Thrust Variations: Same Move, Different Activations

Different variations — machine hip thrusts, free barbell hip thrusts, and Smith machine thrusts — target different areas of the glutes.🔄 Using multiple variations:

Breaks adaptation
Stimulates different muscle fibers
Keeps you mentally engaged

Include at least two types of thrusts in your weekly training routine.

7. Lower Back Activation is a Warning Sign

If your lower back starts taking over during glute training:

Your form may be off
The weight might be too heavy

If you feel lower back involvement early in the set, stop and correct your form immediately.If the back activates towards the end, it’s a natural compensation and indicates that the set should end.

8. Recovery: Growth Happens Through Repair, Not Destruction

Glutes are large and powerful muscles, which means they require longer recovery than smaller, isolated muscles.💤 After heavy compound exercises like hip thrusts, a minimum of 48 hours of rest is ideal.🔁 Without adequate sleep, protein, and hydration between sessions, your muscle growth will stall — or even regress.

About the Author:

IFBB PRO COACH CAN ÜNAL is a professional trainer who has worked with IFBB PRO-level athletes for years. His coaching philosophy integrates physical, strategic, biological, and aesthetic development. He is also actively involved in organizing and managing bodybuilding competitions.You can find him on Instagram and YouTube, where he produces specialized content for both athletes and coaches.