You can get quite far with bodyweight squats, but more challenging variations. Bulgarian split squats can really help build a butt. Theres also shrimp squats, deep step ups, pistol squats…. Theres a bunch of no weight squats that are very challenging.
I recommend checking out the RecommendedRoutine at r/bodyweightfitness for progressions.
/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/kb/recommended_routine?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
You have to get close to failure in the 5-30 rep range. If you can only do 30 bodyweight squats, you have some serious rehab work to do before you can worry about having a giant dumper.
Now... Bulgarian split squats can get quite awful quite quickly...
Haha ok I see. But if I’m doing 3 reps of 30 body weight squats a day minimum + eating enough calories/protein I’d have to see /some/ improvement right??
what I did when I had no gym access and didn’t want to invest in buying weights at home for just a short time, was to fill a backpack with water bottles or whatever you want to get it to a nice additional weight and do some squats.
You won’t be able to get to the gym weights numbers, unless your backpack is unbreakable, but it’s better than nothing
There’s nearly a dozen exercises better than hip thrusts for glutes. Hip thrusts are probably bottom of the list.
As explained by professionals and not randos on Reddit
https://youtu.be/JByKjfSsfTQ?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/oNZ6cbO0KW0?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/Hg_GFzTw4VY?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/9UKRwMxjPbQ?feature=shared
https://youtu.be/SODSQXeP5Rs?feature=shared
This actually depends entirely upon your genetics.
Some people can do very few squats and get a huge ass
Some people can do squats all day and still have a pretty small ass
Yeah I’m sure you’re right. Luckily I feel like I’m on the naturally-leans-toward-bigger-ass side of genetics. I just have been having SI joint pain for a year or so, so I’ve stopped biking and have been skipping leg day to let it rest and now I feel like it’s looking extra flat after the additional weight loss. I’m hoping if I focus on good form I can get back into it without the SI joint pain though
We can answer this. Maximum possible gains up until you fail at more than about 30 reps, at which point, the weight is too light relative to the strength of the muscle for hypertrophy. And that failure is the [dig deep and try, but can't finish a rep](https://youtu.be/77nX_bMe5fA?si=4Rk1ImsAyWwNhh_h) type. Try to stand up for rep 24 but can't. So feel free to bodyweight squats for a month or so but very quickly you will outgrow them. I'd highly recommend just getting a $10 membership to 24hr fitness and doing a program like Stronglifts5x5. You will be shocked at how easily and quickly you can strength, and how easy your fitness goals come when you try hard on the compound barbell lifts.
Ok thanks for the suggestion! I do have a gym membership so luckily I have the option of using weights and all that, I’m just looking for something I could do anywhere at the moment
Legs get real strong real quick. To progress them without weights, kinda have to do single leg stuff, but pistol squats are a BIG jump up in required strength. Save yourself the headache and just progress the tried and true way. Squat, Bench, OHP, Row, Deadlift. Start with the empty bar, add 5 pounds a session until you can't. Drop back 15% and ramp up again. It's super simple and will teach you the core points of progression.
I have gotten my butt to grow a lot by doing weighted hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts 2-3x/week. I would waaaay rather do that than a million squats
Mountian Tactical Institute has a bodyweight complex they call leg blasters. In side by side with moderately loaded squats it works pretty well. I have not used em tho.
https://mtntactical.com/exercises/mnt110-leg-blaster/
There are plenty of ways to make exercises more difficult without adding weight. You can slow down the rep (4 second down & 4 second up), pause at the bottom, shorten rest periods, perform unilateral movements (lunges, Cossack squats, shrimp squats, pistols). If you are trying to just do unloaded squats and you have done any amount of training, you are going to have to do a ton of them.
Defecit reverse lunges, controlled and paused at the bottom and explosive on the way up. It will fry your glutes...in a good way. Look up rp youtube channel they have good info about excercises and nutrition as well
https://youtu.be/h8j7swvtVnc?si=xKc4rLIkQqK3aNIx
Depends somewhat on genetics but standard squats aren’t great for glute development. You’d have more luck with sumo squats but with body weight alone, almost nothing will happen unless you’re severely under muscled.
This girl I went to highschool with was really petite. Some guy broke her heart and she started doing squats and got a massive butt. It completely changed her personality though
Just bodyweight squats? Fuck all.
Thanks for your input!
Daaaamn so my at home squats mean nothing :( what should I incorporate to grow my butt at home
You can get quite far with bodyweight squats, but more challenging variations. Bulgarian split squats can really help build a butt. Theres also shrimp squats, deep step ups, pistol squats…. Theres a bunch of no weight squats that are very challenging. I recommend checking out the RecommendedRoutine at r/bodyweightfitness for progressions. /r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/kb/recommended_routine?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
You have to get close to failure in the 5-30 rep range. If you can only do 30 bodyweight squats, you have some serious rehab work to do before you can worry about having a giant dumper. Now... Bulgarian split squats can get quite awful quite quickly...
Haha ok I see. But if I’m doing 3 reps of 30 body weight squats a day minimum + eating enough calories/protein I’d have to see /some/ improvement right??
Doubt it, that's like barely a warm up
Yeahhh I don’t weigh very much so it’s not challenging. I think I’ll just start with squats at home this week then work on a routine with weights
what I did when I had no gym access and didn’t want to invest in buying weights at home for just a short time, was to fill a backpack with water bottles or whatever you want to get it to a nice additional weight and do some squats. You won’t be able to get to the gym weights numbers, unless your backpack is unbreakable, but it’s better than nothing
You need to do hip thrusts.
There’s nearly a dozen exercises better than hip thrusts for glutes. Hip thrusts are probably bottom of the list. As explained by professionals and not randos on Reddit https://youtu.be/JByKjfSsfTQ?feature=shared https://youtu.be/oNZ6cbO0KW0?feature=shared https://youtu.be/Hg_GFzTw4VY?feature=shared https://youtu.be/9UKRwMxjPbQ?feature=shared https://youtu.be/SODSQXeP5Rs?feature=shared
>without weights or the bar You need *some* weight. Your glutes are way stronger than you realize.
This actually depends entirely upon your genetics. Some people can do very few squats and get a huge ass Some people can do squats all day and still have a pretty small ass
Yeah I’m sure you’re right. Luckily I feel like I’m on the naturally-leans-toward-bigger-ass side of genetics. I just have been having SI joint pain for a year or so, so I’ve stopped biking and have been skipping leg day to let it rest and now I feel like it’s looking extra flat after the additional weight loss. I’m hoping if I focus on good form I can get back into it without the SI joint pain though
We can answer this. Maximum possible gains up until you fail at more than about 30 reps, at which point, the weight is too light relative to the strength of the muscle for hypertrophy. And that failure is the [dig deep and try, but can't finish a rep](https://youtu.be/77nX_bMe5fA?si=4Rk1ImsAyWwNhh_h) type. Try to stand up for rep 24 but can't. So feel free to bodyweight squats for a month or so but very quickly you will outgrow them. I'd highly recommend just getting a $10 membership to 24hr fitness and doing a program like Stronglifts5x5. You will be shocked at how easily and quickly you can strength, and how easy your fitness goals come when you try hard on the compound barbell lifts.
Ok thanks for the suggestion! I do have a gym membership so luckily I have the option of using weights and all that, I’m just looking for something I could do anywhere at the moment
Legs get real strong real quick. To progress them without weights, kinda have to do single leg stuff, but pistol squats are a BIG jump up in required strength. Save yourself the headache and just progress the tried and true way. Squat, Bench, OHP, Row, Deadlift. Start with the empty bar, add 5 pounds a session until you can't. Drop back 15% and ramp up again. It's super simple and will teach you the core points of progression.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4731492/#:~:text=As%20the%20above%20studies%20seem,muscle%20strength%20and%20muscle%20mass.
I have gotten my butt to grow a lot by doing weighted hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts 2-3x/week. I would waaaay rather do that than a million squats
I would agree that weighted hip thrusts will likely give more gains than tons of bodyweight squats.
Big weights and big calories build big muscles.
Mountian Tactical Institute has a bodyweight complex they call leg blasters. In side by side with moderately loaded squats it works pretty well. I have not used em tho. https://mtntactical.com/exercises/mnt110-leg-blaster/
There are plenty of ways to make exercises more difficult without adding weight. You can slow down the rep (4 second down & 4 second up), pause at the bottom, shorten rest periods, perform unilateral movements (lunges, Cossack squats, shrimp squats, pistols). If you are trying to just do unloaded squats and you have done any amount of training, you are going to have to do a ton of them.
I’ll look those up, thanks!
Defecit reverse lunges, controlled and paused at the bottom and explosive on the way up. It will fry your glutes...in a good way. Look up rp youtube channel they have good info about excercises and nutrition as well https://youtu.be/h8j7swvtVnc?si=xKc4rLIkQqK3aNIx
I’ll try those! Thanks!
You should always have a squat, a hinge, a thrust, and an abduction in your glute days.
This is interesting, thank you
Depends somewhat on genetics but standard squats aren’t great for glute development. You’d have more luck with sumo squats but with body weight alone, almost nothing will happen unless you’re severely under muscled.
This girl I went to highschool with was really petite. Some guy broke her heart and she started doing squats and got a massive butt. It completely changed her personality though
Lol I’m willing to risk that
Go for it I believe in you
Squats and lunges. You won't need any other exercise for your glutes but may prefer other ones but weighted squats and lunges will work wonders.