This post will introduce you to 7 of my top glute-building machines so you can grow a peachy (and strong) butt. Get your free copy of The Glute Builder Guide at the end of the post!
Building a strong derrière has become a super popular trend thanks to Kim K and the Kardashian gang, and as a personal trainer specialising in lower body development, I’m not mad about it!
Despite its ‘aesthetically pleasing’ look, there are lots of important benefits that come with regular glute training (which I’ll talk more about later on).
If you’ve decided you want to take your glute workouts to the next level, you’re in for a treat…
This post lists my top 7 gym-based machines to target your glutes and make them pop!
Benefits of Using Glute Machines
1. Beginner-Friendly
Opposed to free-weight exercises that target the glutes (such as squats, deadlifts and barbell Romanian deadlifts), glute exercise machines tend to be easier to use for beginners.
This is because you don’t need to worry as much about using perfect form since the machine will essentially guide you in correctly performing the exercise!
Machines are much less ‘exposing’ when compared to the free-weight sections where all the gym bros hang out.
This is super useful for someone who is experiencing gym anxiety and wants to effectively train their glutes while keeping themselves to themselves!
◼️ Related: How To Get Over Gym Anxiety and Achieve Your Fitness Goals 2024
2. Quick to Set Up
I don’t know about you but setting up barbell hip thrusts is the BANE of my gym existence.
Not only is the loading of the bar an entire workout in itself but the whole set-up/ packing away of equipment is extremely time-consuming.
This makes these glute machines perfect for my busy gym girls who don’t have all day to set up equipment for just one glute exercise!
3. Great for Isolating the Muscles
Unlike compound exercises (such as squats and deadlifts) that target more than one muscle when completing the exercise, glute machines tend to focus a lot more heavily on just the glutes.
This makes it easier to focus on the glutes while directly increasing the load placed upon them so that they can develop much more efficiently.
4. Easily Accessible
Most commercial gyms will have the majority (if not all) of these machines mentioned in this post.
These machines being accessible to all makes this post valuable to all readers looking to build some juicy glutes since you can begin to implement these glute-targeting exercise machines into your workout regime immediately!
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7 Best Glute Machines at the Gym
I have tried and tested each of these machines throughout my fitness journey.
This means I can honestly say that I would not be writing about them if I did not 100% believe they will significantly enhance your glute development over time.
Let’s go take a look at the best glute machines you should find in all commercial gyms!
1. Hip Thrust Machine
Hip thrusts (and their variations) have to be one of my top exercises for glute growth!
Commonly performed using a barbell, an individual rests their shoulder blades on an elevated platform with a loaded barbell across their hips and extends (or thrusts) upwards until their spine is parallel to the floor.
The Hip Thrust Machine replicates this movement without the faff of setting up the bar and finding enough space to perform this exercise.
What I love most about this machine, is having a greater opportunity to focus on the glutes and really feel that squeeze as they contract and you thrust your hips upwards.
This allows for greater mind-to-muscle connection, which has been shown to encourage more efficient muscle development.
I will say that for some (including myself), the strap that is placed upon your hips can begin to dig in and cause some mild discomfort at heavier loads.
Therefore, you may consider switching over to using a Smith Machine for hip thrusts and purchasing your own barbell pad since I find this much more comfortable for those heavy hip thrust sessions!
2. Smith Machine
The Smith Machine is one of my go-to machines for leg day.
Although this is not strictly just a machine you can use for glute building, there are so many different glute exercises you can perform using a Smith Machine, that I couldn’t not include it in this post!
Great glute exercises you can do using a Smith Machine are:
- Squats
- Hip Thrusts
- Reverse lunges
- Static lunges
- Romanian deadlift
- Good mornings
- Smith Machine step-ups
- Donkey kicks
What I love about this machine in particular is the ability to concentrate exclusively on the glute muscles.
Since the barbell moves in a fixed upwards and downwards movement on the Smith Machine, there’s no need to worry about balance. This means you can safely increase the weight you’re using (within reason of course) and push your limits further!
Learn how to effectively incorporate the Smith machine into your leg workout here: 8 Smith Machine Exercises To Spice Up Your Next Leg Workout!
3. Abduction Machine
The glutes are made up of three separate muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus minimus and the gluteus medius (check out my e-book to delve further into the functionality of each!).
When performing squatting or hip-hinging movements, our gluteus minimus and gluteus maximus are often activated the most.
This highlights the importance of actively performing movements that target the gluteus medius, such as hip abduction exercises!
The gluteus medius is located at the top of your bum, so developing this muscle can give the appearance of a lifted and rounder bottom.
The abduction machine has to be one of my favourite ways to target the gluteus medius. Try adding in a drop set to really burn out those muscles!
4. Leg Press
Although the leg press machine does not strictly isolate the glutes, I have noticed impressive results from clients and me when this has been incorporated into their workout routine.
The quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves are also targeted during this exercise along with the glutes, making this an awesome staple machine to include on your leg days.
The leg press movement is a good substitute for the squat. The main difference is your feet pushing away the load instead of generating that force from pushing them into the ground.
Getting stronger on this machine will result in increased strength in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings which can translate into impressive results with your barbell squat.
Top tip: To target your glutes more on the leg press machine, place your feet slightly higher, wider apart (think sumo stance), with your toes slightly turned outwards.
5. Cable Machine
Just like the Smith Machine, the cable machine is not restricted to only lower body movements. In fact, you’ve probably seen it used more for upper-body exercises.
However, some of my most challenging glute exercises are performed using this unobtrusive little machine!
To name a few exercises I have used the cable machine for, we have:
- Cable step-ups (you’ve never felt glute burn until you’ve tried these!)
- Cable kickbacks/ abductions
- Cable pull throughs
6. Reverse Hyperextension Machine
The reverse hyperextension machine is a specialised piece of equipment that is hard to replicate with any other piece of equipment.
Not only does this target your glutes, but your hamstrings and lower back will be burning too!
This makes it a particularly great exercise if you want to target that underbutt and add a little more ‘fullness’ to those glutes!
7. Hyperextension Machine (Glute-Focused)
Last but certainly not least, we have the hyperextension machine.
This can be confusing since we have two machines with extremely similar names. Still, to make it simple, a reverse hyperextension machine requires the lower half of your body to move. In contrast, the regular hyperextension machine involves the upper half of your body to move.
Both exercises are excellent for strengthening the posterior chain, including the glutes!
To make this movement more focused on the glutes, point your toes slightly outwards and round your upper back, squeezing the glutes to raise your upper body.
If you haven’t tried this exercise before then prepare to be humbled! Even without holding a weight, this movement burns!
Why Train Your Glutes?
Glute training should not be considered a female-only workout in the slightest!
It brings me genuine joy when I see guys at the gym performing glute-strengthening exercises since this means they are aware of just how important it is to develop the glute muscles.
When reading the following list of positive outcomes of building stronger glutes, they may come as a surprise.
For some, this may be a ‘light bulb’ moment that will push you or a loved one to begin taking glute training seriously.
These crucial benefits of regular glute training include:
Tips For Growing Your Glutes
I have provided lots of advice on what to do to grow your glutes, take a look now at some useful tips on how to train since these are so often overlooked!
Therefore my general yet crucial top tips for growing your glutes are:
- Stay consistent! Consistency and patience are the magic ingredients required for glute development. I recommend training your glutes 2-3 times a week while applying progressive overload for 12 weeks before having a week off (or a deload week).
- Lift heavy: Don’t be afraid to get a sweat on. The best results I have with my clients are when we push ourselves and lift heavy weights! You won’t become bulky and believe me, your glutes become strong super quick so you need to keep the intensity high to grow them further.
- Use good form: there’s absolutely no point in training if you’re not using good technique when lifting weights. Using proper form prevents injuries and helps us to complete an exercise while achieving a full range of motion. In short, you target your muscles much more efficiently!
- Control your reps: Don’t rush through your sets, complete each repetition with intention and watch your mind-to-muscle connection improve massively! By controlling your reps, you’ll avoid using momentum to perform an exercise, making the muscles work harder and grow stronger!
- Eat enough calories and protein: I cannot stress this last tip enough. To encourage muscle growth it is vital that you eat enough calories. This includes sufficient protein, and yes, carbs! You don’t need to be in a huge caloric surplus to see results, try adding just 100-200 calories to your recommended maintenance calories and enjoy the results!
◼️ Related: 9 Smart Yet Easy Ways To Eat More Protein Daily
How To Optimally Train Your Glutes🍑
I’ve teased you with this freebie throughout the post, so as a reward for making it this far I present to you my Glute Builder Guide!
This guide covers everything we have discussed in this post when it comes to training your glutes to achieve a peachy butt and more!
Inside, you’ll discover how to optimally train your glutes, including the importance of using unilateral movements and the scientific theories of experts in the field for growing that booty.
You’ll also find a free glute workout plan that you can easily slot into your existing weekly workout schedule so you can get building straight away!
This post contains 7 of the best glute machines you’ll find at the gym to help you grow a bigger bum.
I’d love to know in the comments below what your favourite glute exercise is! Thank you for reading❤️
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