How do I build mass and isolate my glutes?

[td1111]

I'm a tall guy with a history of back problems, so I'm forced to do leg presses and avoid squats and deadlifts. I have made great gains in my leg strength, and have added over and inch to my thighs, and I'm even getting my inner thighs rubbing together when I walk, like big bodybuilding guys get.

My ass is still a too flat for my liking. How can I build my glutes without adding too much more mass where it makes it harder to walk normally? I never seem to get sore muscles around where I inject, but there is obviously a fair bit of muscle back there. Any suggestions? Thanks.

(My gym has a machine where the legs spread sideways against resistance, but it just seems to only hit the hip flexors.)

 

[Powerbuilder333]

Glute/ham raises (google it for instructions).
Leg press with feet high on plateform, then lowering the sled deep.
All deadlifts.
Good Mornings with arched lower back and glutes out.
Good luck.

 

[al420]

Sorry to say, but big legs ans big glutes come from heavy squats. Sucks you can't do them, althought a proper back squat shouldn't put much pressure on your back.

 

[thesuaveone]

Since squats will increase arm size, maybe dips will increase the size of your ass. Or you could just eat a bunch of cookies to build up the size of your glutes...la

 

[ChinkNasty]

Full Squats my man...what kind of back problems are we looking at here? A legitimate physical problem or 'sort of' a back problem that is more mentally than physically preventing you from squatting...

 

[jpt]

i have a bad lower back...degeneration of the lower disks, bulging disks, and hernias.....i've been getting cortisone shots to help stop the inflammation...it has helped greatly after my second shot. what is your back history?

what about front squats on a smith machine? i've been doing these and they don't put that much pressure on my back...and if i do feel a little tweakage i know i can just rack it. the answer your looking for is squats and deads like al said...but i feel your pain. you need to start figuring out what you can do and work with what you got.

 

[Kabeetz]

Nobody knows more about this topic that JPT above. Listen to whatever he says.

 

[Lone Trooper]

Reverse hypers do wonders for the lumbar spine. They also help develop the posterior chain safely. Only a handful of people I know have problems with RHs.

Glute-ham raises are good as well.

 

[wakefib]

reverse hypers. and definitly heavy squats and deads.

 

[KillahBee]

i have a bad lower back...degeneration of the lower disks, bulging disks, and hernias.....i've been getting cortisone shots to help stop the inflammation...it has helped greatly after my second shot. what is your back history?

what about front squats on a smith machine? i've been doing these and they don't put that much pressure on my back...and if i do feel a little tweakage i know i can just rack it. the answer your looking for is squats and deads like al said...but i feel your pain. you need to start figuring out what you can do and work with what you got.

a) Lunges also do wonders for the glutes. I had back surgery in Sept and have no problem with lunges now (DB lunges)

b) check out my recent posts in my log (link in my sig) for several exercises that I currently do with no problems for my back. DO NOT avoid exercises you believe are bad for your back (relatively speaking) - attack them with intelligence instead. Start with chair/bench squats, no weight. These are actually RECOMMENDED by most PTs for recovering back problem people

 

[H_T_]

just try dude. do them at home with no weight for a while. start from scratch....it's how i started. now i have a big ass and thick legs. yay.

 

[Lone Trooper]

a) Lunges also do wonders for the glutes. I had back surgery in Sept and have no problem with lunges now (DB lunges)

b) check out my recent posts in my log (link in my sig) for several exercises that I currently do with no problems for my back. DO NOT avoid exercises you believe are bad for your back (relatively speaking) - attack them with intelligence instead. Start with chair/bench squats, no weight. These are actually RECOMMENDED by most PTs for recovering back problem people

Chair/bench squats? What are those? Why are they recommended over floor squats?

Or are you suggesting he attaches the weight at the hip instead, like the super squat hip belt? Which I also forgot to mention, that thing could be good for you.

 

[KillahBee]

Chair/bench squats? What are those? Why are they recommended over floor squats?

Or are you suggesting he attaches the weight at the hip instead, like the super squat hip belt? Which I also forgot to mention, that thing could be good for you.

No, I mean chair/bench squats with NO weight. Simply do the squat motion, where you "sit" on the edge of a bench or chair at the bottom of the motion. This is the first step back to squats if you have back problems. Baby steps...

 

[all the whey]

I have some herniated discs.

I do 20 rep breathing squats.

 

[Extra_Strong]

I'm a tall guy with a history of back problems, so I'm forced to do leg presses and avoid squats and deadlifts. I have made great gains in my leg strength, and have added over and inch to my thighs, and I'm even getting my inner thighs rubbing together when I walk, like big bodybuilding guys get.

My ass is still a too flat for my liking. How can I build my glutes without adding too much more mass where it makes it harder to walk normally? I never seem to get sore muscles around where I inject, but there is obviously a fair bit of muscle back there. Any suggestions? Thanks.

(My gym has a machine where the legs spread sideways against resistance, but it just seems to only hit the hip flexors.)

Well you have a back problem! Fix it!!

learn proper form!! and start slow like doing hypers. also doing squats with the bar even. Light deadlift. Muscles hold your back in place. If you have back problems the only way to fix what is wrong or make it better is to strengthen your back.. you can even do small thing at 1st and i recommend
laying ong the floor and doing a superman hold.
lay on you stomach and raise your chest of the floor and hold for a count of 10 or so for a few sets and work your way up.
after a while left your chest and knees of the floor. doing this 3 x a week will do wonders.

I found some examples .. you should try these for a few months.
http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=8

and then begain some weighted back work.. you will be sooo happy you did.

 

[thelion2005]

I'm a tall guy with a history of back problems, so I'm forced to do leg presses and avoid squats and deadlifts. I have made great gains in my leg strength, and have added over and inch to my thighs, and I'm even getting my inner thighs rubbing together when I walk, like big bodybuilding guys get.

My ass is still a too flat for my liking. How can I build my glutes without adding too much more mass where it makes it harder to walk normally? I never seem to get sore muscles around where I inject, but there is obviously a fair bit of muscle back there. Any suggestions? Thanks.

(My gym has a machine where the legs spread sideways against resistance, but it just seems to only hit the hip flexors.)

I have 20, 10 and 5 pound ankle weights. I use 30 pounds on each ankle and do hip raises front, side and rear. 3 x 15.

When I do them to the rear, I bend forward just a bit and hold the heel back and as high as I can for a sec. This hits my cheeks directly. Remeber, your butt is muscle.

 

[wpolo05]

overhead squats starting with light weight might do you some good

 

[blut wump]

I suspect that part of your problem with squats will be accepting that, for now, doing 5 sets of 5 with just the bar or bar plus a plate for full deep reps might be a good squat workout.

By spending ever more time in quad isolation and neglecting your posterior chain you could be making your problems worse. If you have a bad back, the solution is to try to bring it up to scratch. If you leave your weakness to rot and strengthen your strengths then further injury becomes inevitable.

It might even be advantageous to allow your legs to whither for a while as your PC catches up and they can all grow together thenceforth. You'll probably prefer to do some maintenance work on your quads though while relearning to squat with light and slowly ever-increasing weight.

 

[Extra_Strong]

I suspect that part of your problem with squats will be accepting that, for now, doing 5 sets of 5 with just the bar or bar plus a plate for full deep reps might be a good squat workout.

By spending ever more time in quad isolation and neglecting your posterior chain you could be making your problems worse. If you have a bad back, the solution is to try to bring it up to scratch. If you leave your weakness to rot and strengthen your strengths then further injury becomes inevitable.

It might even be advantageous to allow your legs to whither for a while as your PC catches up and they can all grow together thenceforth. You'll probably prefer to do some maintenance work on your quads though while relearning to squat with light and slowly ever-increasing weight.

Good advice. ! !