Gym Glutes Workout for Beginners
A gym glutes workout for beginners that you can do in a commercial gym. 5 exercises, about 31 minutes, targeting abductors, glutes, hamstrings.
| Level | Beginner |
| Equipment | Gym |
| Time | About 31 minutes |
| Muscles | Abductors, Glutes, Hamstrings |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Pull Through | 3 × 10 |
| 2. Barbell Hip Thrust | 3 × 10 |
| 3. Lying Leg Curls | 3 × 10 |
| 4. Thigh Abductor | 3 × 10 |
| 5. One-Legged Cable Kickback | 3 × 10 / side |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Use a weight you could lift for 2–3 more reps than written. Rest 60–90 seconds between sets.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Pull Through
Begin standing a few feet in front of a low pulley with a rope or handle attached. Face away from the machine, straddling the cable, with your feet set wide apart. Begin the movement by reaching through your legs as far as possible, bending at the hips. Keep your knees slightly bent. Keeping your arms straight, extend through the hip to stand straight up. Avoid pulling upward through the shoulders; all of the motion should originate through the hips.
2. Barbell Hip Thrust
Begin seated on the ground with a bench directly behind you. Have a loaded barbell over your legs. Using a fat bar or having a pad on the bar can greatly reduce the discomfort caused by this exercise. Roll the bar so that it is directly above your hips, and lean back against the bench so that your shoulder blades are near the top of it.
3. Lying Leg Curls
Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and lie face down on the leg curl machine with the pad of the lever on the back of your legs (just a few inches under the calves). Tip: Preferably use a leg curl machine that is angled as opposed to flat since an angled position is more favorable for hamstrings recruitment. Keeping the torso flat on the bench, ensure your legs are fully stretched and grab the side handles of the machine. Position your toes straight (or you can also use any of the other two stances described on the foot positioning section). This will be your starting position.
4. Thigh Abductor
To begin, sit down on the abductor machine and select a weight you are comfortable with. When your legs are positioned properly, grip the handles on each side. Your entire upper body (from the waist up) should be stationary. This is the starting position. Slowly press against the machine with your legs to move them away from each other while exhaling.
5. One-Legged Cable Kickback
Hook a leather ankle cuff to a low cable pulley and then attach the cuff to your ankle. Face the weight stack from a distance of about two feet, grasping the steel frame for support.
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
Gym duffel bagShoe compartment and space for everything.See it on Amazon →
Gym glovesBetter grip and fewer calluses.See it on Amazon →Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.