Try this quick effective 45-minute dumbbell workout for your glutes.

Working your glutes can take up so much time, this quick dumbbell workout for glutes is a great solution. Plus it can be difficult to know which exercises focus more on growing the glutes rather than your quads.

Dumbbells are a great piece of equipment and when you do the right exercises for a consistent amount of time and eat a good amount of protein you will see progress.

No. 1: Dumbbell RDLs

I have only recently started doing RDLs consistently within my workout and it has taken me a while to perfect my form. But now that I have I could not skip them when doing a glute workout.

They are the perfect hip hinge movement that works your glutes in their lengthened position.

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Grab ahold of your dumbbells and stand up straight
• slightly bend your knee and push your glutes backwards like you are using them to close a door. You want to have a greater bend in the knee to make the movement more glute-dominant.
• whilst you do this movement you are going to take the dumbbells and move them down towards the floor as you bend. Keep them close to your legs about a centimetre away.
• You do not have to bring the dumbbells to the floor just bring them to where the hip hinge brings you.
  
• Gradually bring yourself back up squeezing your glutes when you at upright again. I find keeping my knees slightly bent still helps keep my form right for the rest of my reps.

I would recommend trying without the weight first so that you can focus on your form. But honestly, if you want to grow your glutes RDLs are a no-brainer.

Tip: Try to imagine you are using your glutes to close a door behind you as you bend your knees.

No. 2 Hip Thrust

Hip thrusts have been in my workout routine since the beginning. They are such a staple.

Hip thrusts will work that top part of the glute to help you build that rounded shape.

• Start by sitting down and leaning against a bench/box whatever you can find. Or you can Lay on the floor like in the image above (this is more of a glute bridge but will still target your upper glutes)
• Have your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly pointed outward.
• Place a dumbbell across your hips, and add a jumper/mat underneath if you find it painful on your hip bones.
• Leaning against the bench thrust your hips upward using your glutes to do so.
• You want to make sure your knees make a 90-degree angle to help make your glutes the focus.
• Remember to keep your chin tucked into your neck to avoid injuring your back.

No. 3: Deficit Lunge

These are a great unilateral movement which engages your glutes.

• Grab yourself a dumbbell and a slightly lifted step (like a barbell plate), it does not need to be high (2-3 inches is perfect)
• Place one foot on the step and using the opposite hand grab your dumbbell.
• Hinge slightly forward so that your torso is about a 45-degree angle to the floor (this is key to making your glutes the focus of the exercise
• Step backwards and lunge downward by bending at the knee, if you need to stick out your spare arm to the side to help you balance.
• Bring your foot back to the lifted step and repeat for each leg.

No. 4: Sumo Squats

Sumo squats do work your abductors but they are also very effective at working the upper parts of the glutes.

• Start by grabbing a dumbbell and stand just past shoulder width apart with your feet pointed outward (about a 45-degree angle)
• If you struggle to get more depth try placing a small plate under each foot.
• Pick up the dumbbell using both your hands (you only need one dumbbell), and keep it at around knee level. This way you can lift heavier without relying on your arm strength.
• Squat down keeping your torso tilted slightly forward. You can add a slight pulse before standing back up to increase the glute burn.

Alternative to Dumbbells.

Dumbbells can take up a lot of space at home or you might just not enjoy using them. If this is the case then I would recommend resistance bands as an alternative.

They are portable easy to use and just as effective as dumbbells.

Check out smartworkouts resistance bands. They are portable, you can build up resistance to increase the weight and they have an anti-snap mechanism. Read this post to find out more about smartworkouts resistance bands.