Squats Not Giving You the Butt Lift You Want? Here's Why

woman in white leggings showing off her glutes

Squats are awesome for your whole body, but strong glutes are what make them great for your butt. These muscles are key to sculpted glutes and powerful squats. But here's the surprising culprit behind weak squats: tight hip flexors!

The Reason Behind the Squat Struggle

A recent study found women with tight hip flexors had less glute activation during squats compared to those with looser hips. This means less butt work and potentially weaker squats.

The Tug-of-War in Your Hips

Imagine your hip flexors (muscles in the front of your hip) and glutes (muscles in your butt) are in a tug-of-war. During a squat, your glutes should pull to extend your hip, while your hip flexors lengthen to allow movement. But tight hip flexors are like stubborn teammates who won't loosen up. This throws off the balance and makes it hard for your glutes to fully work, hurting your squat performance.

Stretching: Not All Stretches Are Created Equal

The good news? Stretching can help your glutes activate better. But those long, static stretches you see everywhere? Holding them for too long (over 90 seconds) can actually weaken your jumping and power.

The Stretch Fix: Move It or Lose It (Glute Power, That Is)

woman performing walking lunges outside in leggings and a hoodie

Dynamic stretches are your new best friends. Think walking lunges, leg swings, or high knees. These stretches involve moving your joints through their full range of motion, which can loosen up tight hip flexors and get your glutes ready to work.

Beyond the Stretch: More Moves to Build Strong Glutes

Stretching is a great start, but here are some other moves to conquer tight hip flexors and build strong glutes:

Short Stretches in Sets: If you prefer static stretches, make them more effective by doing them in sets. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, focusing on a gentle tension, then relax for 15-30 seconds. Repeat this 2-3 times per stretch. This approach targets your hip flexors while keeping the total stretch time manageable and under 90 seconds in total.

Try PNF Stretching (For the Stretch Masters): This advanced technique combines stretching and muscle contractions for deeper stretches, but it's best for those comfortable with stretching.

Stand Up More, Sit Less: Sitting all day tightens your hip flexors. Take frequent breaks to stand up, move around, and open up those hips.

Strengthen Your Glutes: Strong glutes can better compete with tight hip flexors. Exercises like hip thrusts, glute bridges, and deadlifts build a powerful backside.

Conquer Tight Hips, Unleash Glute Power

By incorporating dynamic stretches, shorter static stretches (optional), regular movement breaks, and glute-strengthening exercises, you can say goodbye to tight hip flexors and hello to powerful squats that work your glutes. So ditch the squat struggle and build strong glutes today!