Outer Glutes: Tips for a Rounder Booty

When it comes to building strong, sculpted glutes, most people focus on exercises like squats and hip thrusts, which mainly target the gluteus maximus. But if you’re after that round, lifted, and balanced look, don't neglect the outer glutes. Let’s get into the science behind growing the outer glutes and how to target this area effectively.

What Are the Outer Glutes?

The "outer glutes" are primarily made up of two key muscles:

• Gluteus Medius: Located on the outer side of your hip, this muscle controls hip abduction (moving your leg away from your body) and helps stabilize the pelvis during walking, running, and single-leg movements.
• Gluteus Maximus (Upper-Outer Fibers): While the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the glutes, the upper-outer portion contributes to the round, lifted appearance when trained properly.

Why focus on outer glute development?

Targeting the outer glutes enhancee side profile of your glutes, contributes to an hourglass shape, and improves hip stability, reducing injury risk and boosting performance in lifts like squats, deadlifts, and lunges.

The Science of Muscle Growth (Hypertrophy)

For outer glute hypertrophy (muscle growth), the key principles are the same as with any other muscle group:

1. Progressive Overload: Gradually increasing weight, reps, or intensity to continually challenge the muscles.
2. Mechanical Tension: Placing the muscles under tension through a full range of motion with proper form.
3. Metabolic Stress: The "burn" you feel from higher reps, it promotes muscle fiber fatigue, stimulating growth.
4. Muscle Damage: Small micro-tears in the muscle fibers that, when repaired, lead to stronger, bigger muscles.

The outer glutes require exercises that emphasize hip abduction, external rotation, and slight hip extension to activate the right muscle fibers.

Best Outer Glute Exercises (Backed by Science)

Here’s a breakdown of some effective exercises to grow and sculpt your outer glutes:

1. Hip Abduction Exercises

These directly target the gluteus medius:

• Seated or Cable Hip Abductions – Focus on controlled movement, full range of motion, and avoid leaning too far back.
• Banded Side Walks (Lateral Band Walks) – Keep constant tension on the band for continuous engagement.
• Lying or Side-lying Hip Abductions – Perfect for isolating the gluteus medius, especially when you hold a slight pause at the top.

2. Glute Max Upper-Outer Fiber Exercises

These exercises hit both the outer glutes and the upper gluteus maximus for more roundness:

• Bulgarian Split Squats (with a slight forward lean) – Engages the outer glutes while promoting balance.
• Curtsy Lunges – This diagonal lunge activates the gluteus medius more than a regular lunge.
• Cable Kickbacks (with external rotation) – Angle your leg slightly outward to hit the upper-outer glute fibers.

3. Combination Movements

For a burnout finisher or high-rep set try:

• Monster Walks (Forward & Backward) – Adds hip flexion and abduction for full outer glute engagement.
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts – Targets stability, glute max, and medius in one move.

Nutrition and Recovery: Don’t Skip This Part

Training alone won’t build your outer glutes... nutrition and recovery are just as essential:

• Protein intake: Aim for consistant protein throughout the day.
• Calories: Stay in a slight caloric surplus if your goal is to grow, but focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods to avoid excess fat gain.
• Recovery: Muscle grows when you rest, prioritize 7-9 hours of sleep and active recovery days to stay injury-free and optimize gains.

Final Thoughts: Sculpting Your Outer Glutes the Smart Way

Building strong, rounded outer glutes is more than just aesthetics, it supports better movement, prevents injuries, and boosts your athletic performance. By targeting the gluteus medius and upper-outer glute max fibers, incorporating progressive overload, and following a balanced training plan, you’ll see results faster and more effectively.

Ready to take your glute game to the next level? Try out my personalized ScarFitness Booty Builder Program, designed to help you lift smarter, grow faster, and feel stronger.

Take care!

Love, Coach Scar