Split Day #3 - Glute & Hamstring Focus

Welcome back, or for those that are new, thank you for joining!

Today I will be talking about the third day in my current gym split: glutes and hamstrings. This may be one of the simpler lift days that I do every week because there are only three muscles that you need to prioritize for glute growth.

My split starts the same way as any other day, with a dynamic warm-up! I keep this fairly simple and follow the same movements as my first lower body day. This includes walking lunges, alternating 90-90s, hip gate openers and closers, and finally a hamstring stretch.

I then move directly into a compound glute and hamstring exercise, barbell RDLs. I focus on keeping the bar close to my legs through the whole movement, a slight knee bend, pushing my hips backwards, and keeping my shoulders pulled back and neck level. I do this for three sets at 135 pounds (bar + 45 pounds on each side) with 6, 6, and 5 reps.

Following RDLs, I move into another compound movement, but this time one that works my glutes in the shortened position. The exercise is plate-loaded machine hip thrusts. During this, I am careful to keep my spine straight, feet slightly wider than hip width apart with toes pointed a little outward, and a strong pause and hold at the top of the movement. Once again, I do this for three sets at 95, 125, and finally 140 pounds. The rep counts for these are 6, 6, and 5.

Moving onto an isolation movement, I like to include machine glute abductors. These are great for building the side and top of your glutes. As I do this exercise, I am sure to lean forward, holding the front of the machine to get a maximum target on my glutes, not thighs. I do this for three sets at 200, 215, and 230 pounds for 12, 8, and 8 reps.

You will definitely be feeling the workout at this point, so I like to finish with a slower exercise, weighted back extensions.

During this, I keep the pad of the machine just under my hips so that I can get a full range of motion. Be sure to round your spine slightly to really isolate and target the upper glutes, or the 'shelf'. I hold a 45-pound plate during this for three sets at 6, 6, and 5 reps.

I end this workout with the same weighted ab circuit. This includes 45-pound plate standing 'around the worlds', 45-pound plate overhead alternating marches, and finally 25-pound plate fully extended V-ups. As always, you can sub these exercises for the circuit but be sure to use weight!

Thanks for following along and look for split day #4 next week!