Your complete guide to squat exercise

If your goal is to shape, grow, or firm your glutes, this routine is one of the most effective programs ever to get what you want.

The glute muscle has three parts: the big, medium, and small muscles. The big one is the most important. These muscles help with balance and also reduce injury during exercise. Plus, the big muscle adds a nice shape to your whole body.

First: Squat Sequence

This workout targets different muscles depending on foot position. Do 5 sets of each type and focus on doing the moves right before adding weight. Using a resistance band right above the knees works too. For all squat types, breathe in going down and out coming up.

Second: Narrow Stance

Start standing with your feet together. Then do a squat, keeping your back straight and abs tight.

Third: Regular Stance

Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing forward. Keep your body steady, back straight, and tighten your abs.
Do squats like you're going to sit in a chair. Repeat the movement.

Fourth: Slight Turnout

Start standing with your legs a bit apart, then do squats while holding your hands straight in front of your chest.

Fifth: Full Sumo Stance

Start standing with your feet wider than your shoulders and toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle. Keep your chest up and abs tight, then do squats.

Sixth: Glute Bridge Sequence

It's good to mix different types of exercise. After doing squats standing up, try lying down exercises on the floor. This program works amazingly well on muscles noticeably. Adding weights is also recommended.

Seventh: Non-Dominant Side Single Leg Glute Bridge

Lie down on the floor with your left knee bent and your right leg straight. Place your hands beside your body. Keep your upper back touching the floor as much as possible and tighten your abs.
Lift your hips up then down. Focus on the movement while tightening your glute muscles.

Eighth: Narrow Double Leg Glute Bridge

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet close together. Put your hands beside your body. Keep your upper back as close to the floor as possible and tighten your abs.
Lift your hips up then down. Focus on the movement while tightening your glutes.

Ninth: Wide Double Leg Glute Bridge

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet apart. Place your hands beside your body. Keep your upper back touching the floor as much as possible and tighten your abs.
Lift your hips up then down. Try to focus on the movement while tightening your glutes.

Tenth: Clock Lunges

Once you change your workout routine, you're doing great. Changing the movement position helps target nearly all muscles and also adds a balanced shape.

Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, tighten your abs, and keep your back straight. This exercise works by changing leg angles, like at different clock points, to target all possible muscles.

4o'clock Lunge

Start standing with your right leg placed like at 4 o'clock, then do a lunge with tight abs and a straight back. Repeat on the other side.

3o'clock Lunge

Start standing with your right leg placed like at 3 o'clock, then do a lunge with tight abs and a straight back. Repeat on the other side.

8 o'clock Lunge

Start standing with your right leg like it's at 8 o'clock, then do a lunge while tightening your abs and keeping your back straight. Repeat on the other side.

9 o'clock Lunge

Start standing with your right leg like it's at 9 o'clock, then do a lunge while tightening your abs and keeping your back straight. Repeat on the other side.

Eleventh: Bent Knee Glute Kickback

This exercise is great for shaping and toning the glutes. It's recommended to use a resistance band above the knee for better effect. Focus on the movement, not speed.

Sit on a non-slip mat with your forearms and knees on the floor and a resistance band around your leg. Don't forget to tighten your abs. Then bend your right leg and stretch your left leg.
Kick your leg up then down.

Twelfth: Single Leg Plyometric Jump

Plyometric exercises are often ignored, but it's better to practice them since as we age we lose many movement patterns.

Start standing straight with your abs tight. You can hold onto a desk or chair if you need extra support for this move.
Bring your right leg up to your chest. Try to do 5 jumps at once then repeat on the other side.

Thirteenth: Clamshells

One of the best exercises to target the middle muscle. This exercise really activates the muscle since it's hard to target with usual workouts.

Lie on your side and make sure your head, hips, and heels are aligned. Place your fingertips on the floor in front of you to stabilize your body, then bend your knees in front.
Keep your feet together beneath your body touching the floor, then lower them down. Do 10-20 reps on one side and repeat on the other side too.

Fourteenth: Deadlift Sequence

If you're looking for exercises to help build your glutes with weights, this is a great move. Try this to hit different angles of your butt and lower body. Once you build your balance safely without falling, you can add dumbbells or weights to it.

Fifteenth: Single Leg Deadlift

Start standing upright with your feet hip-width apart and tighten your abs.
Push your hips back and shift your weight onto one leg as the other leg starts to extend behind you. Keep a slight bend in the knee then push your hips back until your chest is parallel to the floor. Then.
Squeeze your glutes and come back to standing.
Do 10 reps on each side.

Sixteenth: Kickstand Deadlift

Start by standing straight and tightening your belly muscles.
Put your feet apart with your right foot back and only your toes touching the floor, not the heel.
Push your hips back until your torso is parallel to the floor.
Hold the weight in your hand, press fully through your foot, and focus on pushing the ground away by straightening your knees and hips.
Return to the start position and repeat the exercise 10 times.

Seventeenth: Straight Leg Deadlift

Start standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.

Hold the dumbbell with an overhand grip and point 1 palm towards you.

Keep your back and chest straight while pushing your hips back to lower your weight below your knees. Your knees can bend a little but your legs must stay straight.

Eighteenth: Dolphin Extension

One of the most effective workouts that really helps get a nice looking butt shape.

Start by lying face down on the bench and make sure your upper body and hips are comfortably positioned on the bench.
Tighten your abs, hold the bench with your upper body, then lift your lower body.

Nineteenth: Walking Lunges

Looking for simple exercises to do at home? This works a lot in your lower body. Some suggest not adding weight and instead doing more steps.

Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with your right leg while lowering your hips toward the floor and bend both knees at 90 degrees. Your back knee should be just above the ground and the front knee right above your ankle.
Start by walking.

Twenty: Hip Thrust Off Bench

Another key exercise that shapes the muscle and is similar to the bridge, but here the body is raised which helps you perform the move better.

Sit on the floor with a bench behind you, lean back until your shoulder rests on the bench.
Bend your knees at 90 degrees and keep your feet on the ground. Tighten your abs as you push your hips up. Pause at the top and squeeze your glutes, then slowly lower down. Once you master this, try adding a resistance band just above your knees on your thighs, or add weight on your hips.

Twenty-one: Weighted Step Up

You can do this simple move at home, park, or gym. Get a sturdy chair or bench and some weight for this effective lower body workout to lift the glutes.

Stand straight with your abs tight and hold weights in each hand. Or hold one weight with both hands at your chest.
Step onto the bench with your right foot and press down with your right heel. Avoid letting your left leg push you up and focus on using your right leg to do the work.
Raise your left foot to meet your right foot on top of the platform, then bend your right knee and lower your left foot. Then pull both feet back to the start. Repeat 10 times, then switch to the left side to begin.

Twenty-second: Seated Abduction Machine

This is gym equipment that targets the exercise movement of the medium and large glute muscles. If you can't get to a gym, sit on a chair and use a resistance band around your thighs to mimic the movement at home.

Start by sitting in the machine with your legs inside the pads. Pull the lever on the machine's side to allow your legs to come together.
Release the side lever to lock your legs in place.
Relax, hold the handles at your sides, and open and close your legs.