7 Best Glute and Leg Workouts: Effective Moves + SCV Fitness Tips

Toned thighs and a firm bottom are everyone’s dream. Yet, besides looking awesome in your jeans, a strong lower body is also the gateway to a powerful physique, great functional fitness, and resilient joints.​

Most physical activities engage your legs, whether it is court sports, hiking, swimming, or jogging. These are great movements for overall fitness, but everyone should target their legs and glutes two to three times per week with specific weight-bearing exercises.​

The Paseo Club of Santa Clarita is a social club that offers fitness, Pilates, tennis, pickleball, and swimming. There are several certified instructors who are experts in helping people develop leg strength and get a toned, fit look.

In this article, you will learn about the best movements for legs and glutes and important fitness tips to optimize your health.​

7 Best Glute and Leg Workouts

Your glutes consist of three muscles — the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.

The maximus is the largest muscle and is the bulk of your bottom (so to speak!). The medius is located between the hip and the top of your thigh bone. The minimus is located beneath the medius and is the smallest glute muscle. Together, these muscles stabilize the hip and pelvis and abduct, adduct, rotate, and extend the thigh.

Leg muscles primarily consist of your hamstrings, quadriceps, and calves. Legs are responsible for locomotion — running, walking, and jumping. They also support body weight, maintain stability, and support posture.​

The movements listed below are compound movements, meaning they target multiple muscle groups. In this case, they will challenge your glutes and legs.​

1. Squats

Squats are a foundational movement that strengthens your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. They help you cultivate explosive power that translates to several sports and help you develop a firmer, more shapely backside.
Squats can be performed in several ways. Select from air squats, goblet squats with a kettle or dumbbell, Bulgarian split squats, and weighted front and back squats with a barbell. Mix and match for best results. And don’t forget to break parallel!

2. Lunges

Lunges are a great movement that are excellent at torching your glutes, quads, and hammies. They are similar to squats in that they can be performed in multiple ways. Try lunging forward or backward in place, walking lunges, jumping lunges for a cardio version, or weighted lunges using a weight vest, by holding weights, or by carrying a barbell on your back or in front rack position. You’ll be surprised how few lunges will leave you feeling worked over!

3. Glute Bridge

Glute bridges are a movement done on the floor. Lie on your back and place your feet hip-width apart on the floor with your knees bent. Engage your core and glutes and lift your pelvis upward toward the ceiling, keeping your feet, shoulders, and head in contact with the floor, and then release. That is one rep.
While squats incorporate the hamstrings and quads quite a bit, glute bridges isolate the buttocks.
If you want to challenge yourself further, you can hold the pose at the top for a count of three, do pulses, lift one foot off the ground, or use a weight or weighted bar placed across your lower abdomen.

4. Kettlebell Swings

A kettlebell is one of the most useful pieces of gym equipment a person can use. You can do dozens of movements with a kettlebell, and a swing is one of the best. Make sure to swing the bell either to eyeball height or directly overhead. The success of the kettlebell’s arc is based directly on the power your glutes generate, so it is a great movement to really focus on form and strength.

5. Deadlifts

Deadlifts are awesome for the glutes and hamstrings. They are another basic movement that can be scaled to meet people of all abilities. There are many variations of deadlifts — straight leg, Romanian, single leg, and sumo. Each variation emphasizes the lower body in a slightly different way. You can also use kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, or a trap bar — a great option for seniors or for those with back issues.

• Sumo deadlifts activate the inner thigh muscles (adductors)

• Straight leg and Romanian deadlifts emphasize the hamstrings

• One-leg deadlifts are excellent for the glutes and all the surrounding stabilizer muscles

• Deficit deadlifts increase the range of motion and increase the demand on the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back

6. Good Mornings

Many people like to do Good Mornings with a PVC pipe as part of their warm-up. It is a great way to gently stretch the hamstrings and get more mobility in the posterior chain.
You can intensify the stretching and add a strengthening element to your Good Mornings by swapping out the PVC pipe and using a barbell on your traps or by holding a weighted plate or other weight against your chest.
This movement is deceptively simple. In reality, it is easy to slide into poor form and hurt yourself. It is best to go light and stay humble, adding weight incrementally. Engage your core, keep a straight back, and move slowly to help optimize proper technique.

7. Calf Raises

The lowly calf raise may not be the movement that impresses your friends, but it is extremely effective. Most “leg movements” primarily focus on the upper leg — quads and hamstrings. However, having strong calves is essential for forward propulsion, standing on your toes, walking up stairs, and making sharp changes of direction as done in tennis, pickleball, soccer, and basketball.
The calf raise can be done while holding onto a wall for balance or not. You can add more challenge by carrying a weight or by performing them while standing on an elevated surface (deficit calf raises), allowing for a greater range of motion.​

Santa Clarita Fitness Tips

Strengthening legs and glutes is one of the most practical steps to improve your quality of life and your functional fitness. It just so happens to also be a great way to look and feel great in your favorite pants (or short shorts, if that’s your thing).

Before any leg and glute workout, take time to perform dynamic stretches to loosen and prepare your muscles. Move gradually and get proper instruction if any of the movements listed above are new to you. Recovery is almost as important as the actual workout. Immediately afterwards, stretch and mobilize using static stretches and deep breathing.

The Paseo Club has deluxe locker rooms to help you recover like the pros. Unwind in the hot tub, steam room, or sauna. Next, grab a bite at the cafe or treat yourself to a massage at the on-site spa.

If you want to get stronger or more fit, The Paseo Club has you covered. There is over 10,000 square feet of gym space. The club also offers over 60 fitness classes every week. If you want expert, individualized guidance, the certified personal instructors can tailor a fitness plan just for you.

If you are not yet a member, come see the club for yourself by scheduling a tour. If you are ready to join us, simply sign up online and get instant access to all eight acres of the club. Live your best life at The Paseo Club!