The following are 10 of the best resistance loop band exercises anyone can do at home or outdoors. Each exercise is very effective at targeting your glutes and activating those muscle fibers responsible for growth.

I have added WOD videos and descriptive step-by-step instructions on how to do each exercise correctly. Do make sure you do each exercise correctly.

I have also included some information concerning glute activation, with some helpful tips on how to perform glute resistance band exercises for best results.

So without further ado, let’s get started with our first loop band exercise for glutes.

Our 10 Best Resistance Loop Band Exercises for Glutes

Finally, our top 10 glute resistance band exercises in no particular order. Although, I will say my favorites are the hip thrusts, the crab walk, and the hop & squat. Which glute band exercise is our favorite?

1. Clamshells Loop Band Exercise

This external hip rotation exercise is great for hip mobility and building the outer part of your glutes. Since this exercise is working the outer part of your glute muscles, it will give you that curvy look from the front view.

Exercise Instructions: Lying on your side (preferably on a floor or workout mat), position your legs at a 45-degree angle. But also bend your knees to about a 90% angle. With your top foot placed on top of the bottom foot, position the bottom arm either straight out or bent back behind your head, whichever is more comfortable for you. Face your hips slightly forward with one hand on top of your hip.

Try to avoid opening the hip by leaning back too far. Place the band slightly above your knees. While pressing your hand down on your hip, lift your top knee up and then lower it back down to the starting position. To keep the tension going, try to keep your knees from touching. Exhale on the up movement and inhale on the way back down. Try performing 15 to 20 reps and concentrate on your glutes doing the work.

2. Hip Thrust Loop Band Glute Exercise

Exercise Instructions: This glute exercise can be performed on the edge of a bench or couch. Or even flat on the floor. Position your upper back against a workout bench or flat on the floor. Bend your knees at approximately a 90-degree angle and, your feet positioned slightly shoulder-width apart in front of you. With the resistance band placed slightly above your knees, push your pelvis upwards from your heels.

Tip: Make sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and keep the tension going with the bands. Using the booty band will make these hip thrusts more difficult and result in greater glute activation.

3. Curtsy Lunges using Loop Bands

These lunges are quite effective at activating the abductors and the larger gluteus maximus, which is the larger part of your glutes responsible for that full and round look from a side view. This exercise can be performed without the sandbag, but it does activate your glutes far more than without.

Exercise Instructions: For this side to side lunge, position the band slightly above your knees. A curtsy lunge is basically a reverse lunge while moving your leg back behind the other leg and dropping your knee just above the floor while not touching the floor.

Extra Tidbit: You’ll notice in the WOD above that a workout sandbag is being used in addition to the bands. Sandbags are excellent for adding resistance to just about any lunge exercise. If you’re interested, check out my 10 lunge exercises using a workout sandbag and see how useful these sandbags can be for building larger glutes.

Or if you’re interested in buying a good quality sandbag, check out Brute Force.

4. Sidekicks Glue Resistance Band Exercise

Sidekicks are another great hip abductor exercise to build the outer sweeps of your glutes for a more curvy look is the hip band sidekick.

Exercise Instructions: With the loop band positioned either slightly above the knee or around the ankles, lean slightly forward with a slight bend in the knees.  And hold on to something with one hand for stability. While standing with feet together, slowly raise one leg out to your side and back down. Make sure to feel your glutes squeeze at the top of this movement. Repeat this for about 15 to 20 reps of four to five sets for each leg.

5. Jumping Squats – Hop & Squat

This is another resistance loop band exercise for glutes you should put at the top of your list. Great for building the larger gluteus maximus muscle, the booty band will help keep your glutes activated throughout the entire exercise. 

This is definitely a must-do exercise for adding size to your booty. The explosive movement activates the fast-twitch fiber responsible for adding muscle size and thus bigger glutes.

Exercise Instructions: Place the band above the knees, and while squatting and feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, jump up off the floor as high as possible and return back to the squatting position. Repeat this for 15 to 20 reps.

Tip: Try to keep the tension on the glutes by pushing the knees apart at all times. Also, try to squat as low as possible for even more glute activation and faster results.

The squat and hop glute band exercise can be performed in a stationary position or, if you have the room, you can also jump up and forward.

My #1 Recommended Loop Bands
Victorem Booty Bands

6. Crab Walk Exercise with Loop Bands

Another one of my favorite loop band exercises for glutes is the crab walk. This exercise works your glutes hard and keeps the tension going throughout the entire set, filling your glutes with blood and giving you a tremendous pump.

Exercise Instructions: With the loop resistance band placed either above the knees or around the ankles, step from side to side. Step left and then right for as many steps as you can endure.

Tip: Make sure to keep your legs bent in a semi-squat position throughout the entire exercise. This will maximize glute activation to your outer glutes and gluteus maximus.

7. Straight Leg Kickback

This exercise is perfect for tightening and adding size to your glutes. This is a popular exercise and a favorite for effectively building curvy glutes. This loop band exercise will give you a great pump when performed correctly.

Exercise Instructions: Position the booty band above the knees or ankles. Position your knees on the floor with both hands firmly on the floor in front of you.

While keeping one knee bent at about a 90-degree angle and on the floor, straighten the opposite leg and push up while concentrating on using your glute muscles. Squeeze at the top and repeat.

Tip: Slowing down the exercise may help you activate the glute muscles more effectively to get that pump and burn necessary for growth. Start with high reps and work your way up with heavier resistance bands for lower reps while always keeping strict form.

8. Fire Hydrants Resistance Loop Band Exercises

Exercise Instructions: Using the same position used for the straight leg Kickback, keep both legs at a 90-degree angle. With the resistance band position above the knees, push one leg out to the side while keeping it at the same angle. Return to the original position and repeat. This is another great exercise to target the outer glutes.

9. Lying Hip Abductions

Exercise Instructions: This glute resistance band exercise is performed on the floor, preferably on a yoga mat, and works your hip abductors. Ly on your side, with your upper body, elevated and supported by your arm. Your legs should be straight and parallel with the resistance loop band placed around the ankles.

Tip: To achieve the best burn in your hip abductors, move your top leg up until you hit maximum resistance and lower it back down for as many reps as possible. Take a 45-second rest and repeat for three to five sets.

10. Standing Leg Lifts – Kickbacks

Last but not least, we have a popular resistance loop band exercise for glutes called standing leg lifts. Also referred to as standing kickbacks. 

Exercise Instructions: This exercise is very similar to using the cable machine at the gym. First, position your loop resistance band either above your knees or around the ankles. And hold on to something for support. While keeping your legs straight with only a slight bend in the knees, push one leg back until you feel the squeeze in your gluteus maximus.

Tip: For this exercise to be effective and to achieve optimum results, make sure to use strict form and concentrate on the squeeze in your glutes at the top of each rep.

Slowing down the exercise may help you get that mind to muscle connection for better muscle activation and faster results. Perform high reps to activate your glutes. And to add size, increase your resistance as you get stronger.

My #1 Recommended Bands
Victorem Booty Bands

How To Get The Best Results Using Resistance Loop Bands to Exercise Your Glutes

Even some of the best resistance loop band exercises for glutes can fall short if you’re not performing the exercise correctly. To make your glute workout routine effective, you must know how to use the device properly and how to perform the exercise for maximum muscle stimulation. 

That said, here are some helpful tips to help you get the most out of your resistance loop band exercise to make each and every workout count.

Never Compromise Form

Never sacrifice your form with too much resistance. Excessive band resistance could compromise your form, which can lead to minimal results and possible injuries. Performing exercises with a somewhat lighter resistance while using strict form will result in maximum muscle stimulation and far better results.

Mind to Muscle Connection

Create a mind to muscle connection for better muscle activation and muscle response. Just going through the motions is not enough. If you are having problems feeling your glute muscles while performing any of these exercises, try the following: slowing down the movement, lower the tension or band strength, concentrate on the muscles, try to relax everything else on your body, and perform higher reps or perform to failure.

Short Rest Periods

Keep your rest periods short between workout sets. I would suggest a rest period of 45 seconds but not more than 1.5 minutes. This would also depend on your workout level and physical condition. So use your better judgment.

Increase Resistance

Increasing resistance as you get stronger is key to toning and growing larger glutes. To transform your glutes, you must keep the resistance level high.

That said, if you are performing 20 to 30 reps with ease, it may be time to increase your loop band resistance.

If you are already at the highest resistance level and have even doubled up on your bands, but it is still not enough, here is a tip. One easy way to add resistance while still using your current bands is to add a set of ankle weights to your exercise. This is a great way to up your game and continue to make progress even after you’ve outgrown your resistance bands. And if you want to go one step further, try using a weighted vest or weighted belt.

Glute Resistance Band Exercises for Activating Your Glutes

One of the most important factors to consider when exercising any muscle is effectively activating the muscle fibers being targeted. Only performing an exercise and just going through the motions is not enough to guarantee the proper muscle stimulation needed to generate muscle response for toning or growing muscles.

That said, loop bands are probably the number one device used to activate your glute muscles. You can use the bands before performing a squat routine to ensure your glutes are activated and fired up for better glute responsiveness.

It is also ideal to use these bands while you are actively performing your squats. Quads tend to dominate most any squat exercise. So by using these bands, you are enabling your glutes to get in on the action.

So as you can see, hip bands are not only great to use primary for glute resistance band exercises. But they are also very effective at firing up your glute muscles before a glute exercise or even during a glute exercise routine.

If you are interested in some new resistance bands, I have found Victorem to have the best deal on quality bands.

• 6 Best Resistance Bands for Glutes [Booty Bands Review]
• How to do Lunges Properly for Bigger Glutes: Lunges vs Squats
• 10 Best Sandbag Lunges for Bigger Glutes & A Smaller Waist
• 9 Best Glute Machines for Home Use Review & Buyer’s Guide
• Treadmill Butt Workout for A Bigger Bum [8 Glute Activation Lunges]
• Squat Belts – Just Add Weights [No Barbell Required]

Credits

A big thanks to all the YouTube members whose videos I have included in my article. Thank you for all your hard work and the informative WOD videos on all the glute resistance band exercises.

• Glute Lab
• TuneintoFitness
• TheWKOUT

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

fitnessmastered.com/

The post 10 Best Resistance Loop Band Exercises for Glutes appeared first on Fitness Mastered.

Before we continue, let me just say that the following sandbag lunge exercises are guaranteed to activate all the muscle fibers in your glutes. Thus, increasing muscle stimulation to maximize growth and make them bigger and stronger than ever before.

But that’s not all. With the added versatility of workout sandbags, you can incorporate additional moves into your lunge exercises. Thereby intensifying your workout and thus help burn extra calories at the same time.

Why are we using sandbags to perform lunges?

There are two great reasons for using sandbags to do lunge exercise. Our first is a bit off-topic but still worth noting. While the other is more directly related to using sandbags to perform lunge exercises.

Availability

Firstly, with the recent pandemic, it has become virtually impossible to buy weights to workout from home. Now that most gyms have closed and could close again, everyone is eager to set up their own home gym. Demand is high for exercise equipment, and as a result, supplies are low.

In most cases, businesses are out of stock and can’t get restocked due to manufacturing companies being shut down. And with most of them located in China, it could take even longer before inventory in the U.S is back to normal again.

With that said, you could wait it out if you don’t have weights or buy yourself some extremely overpriced kettlebells or dumbbells.

Or… you could get yourself a readily available made-in-the-USA workout sandbag.

That said, I have found a few homegrown companies, with Brute Force being my favorite. They have a seemingly endless selection of quality workout sandbags in all sizes, colors, and designs. So if you don’t already have your own, I’d highly recommend checking them out.

Convenience & Functionality

Secondly, besides being readily available, sandbags have many benefits other traditional weights do not. For example, sandbags are much more convenient to use and store at home or take on the go. They are soft and easy on floors. Plus, they are not as loud when dropped and are much safer around kids than hard weights.

But most importantly, they are very functional workout devices that are very effective for both resistance training and cardio exercise. And due to the uneven weight distribution, they can also be more challenging and help stimulate stabilizer muscles as well.

Brute Force Sandbags

With that said, you can see why sandbag lunges can be a great way to build bigger and stronger glutes while at the same time will burn off some extra calories to trim your waistline.

Without further ado, let’s finally get started with our top 10 sandbag exercises and how each is performed for the best results.

Our 10 Best Sandbag Lunges & How To Perform Them

So it’s finally time to get down to business. If you have a workout sandbag, and you’ve never performed these exercises before, I would suggest starting with a lighter weight. In this way, you can learn the proper form and get the feel of doing each exercise first.

Proper form will always benefit you more in the long run and prevent injuries. Going with a lighter weight but doing more reps in one set can be more intense and productive than performing super heavy low reps.

Even though images are a great way to illustrate how an exercise is performed, videos can be much better. As they show you all the motions and proper form from start to finish. For this reason, I have decided to provide you with some video demonstrations you can watch. And then follow up with a brief explanation for each sandbag lunge exercise and some key points as needed.

1. Sandbag Alternate Side Lunge

Side lunges are ideal for targeting the outer sweeps of your glutes and giving them that round and full look from the front and behind. This exercise can be done with the sandbag positioned in front, in back, or on one shoulder. For this exercise, we will perform it with the sandbag on your back.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: hold the sandbag on your back with the outside handles or front parallel handles.; feet shoulder-width apart for stability.
• Push out laterally to one side with one leg and land your foot about 2x shoulder-width apart.
• While keeping your balance, squat as low as you can.
• Push back up with that leg to the start position.
• Repeat.

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Technique

Start off slow and concentrate on feeling your glute muscle stretch at the bottom of this movement. Try to forcefully push yourself back up. This will help activate more fast-twitch muscle fibers that are responsible for muscle growth.

2. Sandbag Forward Lunge

This sandbag forward lunge uses the sandbag positioned in front but can also be used on the back or shoulders. This is the most commonly performed lunge exercise and is very effective at building bigger glutes overall.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in front; feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
• Step out to the front, about two shoulder widths apart.
• Drop your hips by bending your knee to about a 90-degree angle.
• Forcefully push yourself back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite side.

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Technique

Feeling the stretch in your glutes at the bottom of this movement is very important. If you are not feeling it, then you may need to increase your stride distance. Also, to keep your knees healthy and pain-free, make sure that your knee does not move beyond your toes in the bottom lunge position.

My #1 Recommended Workout Sandbag by BRUTE FORCE

3. Sandbag Reverse Lunge

This lunge variation uses alternating reverse steps to target your glutes. This exercise is usually performed with one bag in front or in back. But as you’ll see in the following video demonstration, it can also be done with two bags (one on each shoulder).

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag(s); feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
• While putting all the weight on one leg, step backward about two shoulder widths with one leg.
• At the same time lowering yourself to where your knee is at about a 90-degree angle.
• Reverse back to a standing position and repeat with the opposite side.

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Technique

Always concentrate on your glutes doing the work as you push yourself back up into the standing position. The forward leg should take on most of the weight, while the opposite leg is only used to support and stabilize yourself. Also, make sure that the back knee does not touch the floor. It should only be about 1-2 inches above before you push yourself back up.

4. Sandbag Jumping Lunge Back

The jumping lunge uses more explosive moves, which can be quite intense for beginners. I would not suggest doing this exercise until you’ve become more familiar and comfortable with the dynamics of various other lunge exercises. And for the first time, definitely start with a lighter weight or just your bodyweight until you get a better feel for it.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in the back; I recommend starting in the lunge position.
• With an explosive jumping action, quickly reverse your leg positions and come back down into the lunge position with the opposite leg forward, and repeat.

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Technique

Start off slow. Keep the sandbag centered. This will help maintain your balance when jumping and landing into the lunge position. The explosiveness of jumping will add extra intensity and help activate more fast-twitch fibers in your glute muscles. With this exercise, maintaining perfect form and keeping your balance is more important than just using heavier weight.

5. Rotational Sandbag Lunges

This lunge variation not only requires more glute stabilizer muscles due to shifting the sandbag from side to side but also engages more upper body and core muscles. As a result, you will be working out your glutes and strengthening and toning your upper body and your abs and back.

With the extra muscle engagement, you will be building muscle, but with the added cardio will also be burning off body fat at the same time.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: hold your sandbag in a neutral grip in front; feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
• As you start moving into your reverse lunge, simultaneously swing your bag to the opposite side of the leg that is stationary.
• Return back to the standing position as you simultaneously swing your sandbag back to the front, and repeat with the other side.

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Technique

Make sure to swing the bag over to the side you are performing the lunge on (the bent knee side); this adds the weight to that side for extra resistance. Also, try experimenting with wider strides as you get used to the exercise. This will give you a better stretch in your glutes and activate more muscle fibers.

6. Walking Sandbag Lunges

Walking lunges have always been my favorite of all. If you have space, this is a must-do for everyone. The non-stop and continuous strides of the walking lunge will give you a pump like no other.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in front, back, or shoulders; feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
• Lunge forward about 2 shoulder widths apart and come down with your knee stopping at about a 90-degree angle or less.
• Forcefully push yourself back up on that leg to the start position and immediately continue with the opposite leg and repeat.

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Technique

For added intensity, try not to pause when coming back up to the standing position. Instead, make it a continuous walk. Keep your back in a neutral position and your torso leaning only very slightly forward. Never let your knee exceed your toes.

7. Reverse Sandbag Lunge Press

This is another stationary reverse lunge but with the extra pressing movement to add intensity and upper body strength. Again, this is another example of combining both strength training and cardio into one exercise.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in front or back; feet slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
• While putting all the weight on one leg, step backward about two shoulder widths with one leg.
• While lowering yourself to where your knee is at about a 90-degree angle, simultaneously raise your sandbag above your head.
• Reverse back to a standing position while lowering the bag again, and repeat with the opposite side.

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Technique

The trick here is to raise the sandbag above your head when going down into the lunge position. But simultaneously lowering it back down as you push yourself back up to the start position.
This lunge variation activates more stabilizer muscles, improves balance, and works your shoulder muscles, core, and glutes at the same time.

8. Sandbag Drop Lunges

This lunge variation is one of our most intense exercises and basically combines lunges with squats. This exercise is definitely a powerhouse exercise for building powerful glutes while at the same time providing you with an intense cardio workout.

If you had to replace all lunge exercises with just one, this would be the exercise. It truly hits your glutes hard. And the intensity is unmatched by any other sandbag lunges in this article.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: feet shoulder-width apart; sandbag place on the floor directly in front of you.
• Squat and grip the bag with both hands; simultaneously raise yourself back up to a standing position while swinging the bag on top of your shoulder.
• With the bag on your shoulder, follow with a full squat down and back up again.
• Immediately follow that with a reverse lunge and back up again.
• Then drop the sandbag back to the floor in front of you and repeat.

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Technique

You are obviously hitting your glutes pretty good with both lunges and squats but, you could also make lifting the sandbag more of a deadlift exercise. This can be accomplished by only slightly bending the knees and hinging the hips back when picking up the bag. Now you’ve got yourself the ultimate glute building sandbag exercise!

9. Sandbag Stationary Lateral Lunge

The sandbag stationary lateral lunge is a great way to target your glutes and your inner thighs simultaneously. This lunge exercise can be performed alternating sides or one side at a time. It is a valued alternative to your typical front and back lunges. But it also has the added benefit of being easier on your knee joints.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in front, back, or shoulder; feet slightly shoulder-width apart.
• Take a wide step out to the side. While lowering your foot to the ground, drop your hips back until your knee is at least at a 90-degree angle.
• Push back to the standing-upright position and do the same for the opposite leg.
• Repeat.

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Technique

This exercise can be done with the sandbag in front or on your back. Keep your back neutral and do not hunch. Go wide and deep with this lunge exercise to feel the stretch to maximize glute stimulation.

10. Crossover Lunges with Sandbag

Crossover Lunges are very similar to reverse lunges but with a modified foot position that creates an additional stretch in your glutes. And we all know what that means: the more you can stretch a muscle during an exercise, the more muscle fibers you will engage.

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Proper Execution

• Starting position: securely hold your sandbag in front or back; feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart.
• While putting all your weight on your right leg, step backward about two shoulder widths with your left leg while bending your right knee to about a 90-degree angle and crossing your left foot behind your right leg.
• Reverse back to a standing position and repeat with the opposite side.

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Technique

Keeping your balance for this exercise can be very tricky for beginners. A good technique to make this a little easier is to concentrate on putting all your weight on the active leg (the one you are bending at the knee). And only use the other foot as a temporary support.

Pros & Cons of Using Workout Sandbags for Lunge Exercises

Sandbag lunges from an exercise perspective can have additional benefits over using weights such as dumbbells or kettlebells. However, they do have their drawbacks too. After comparing both the exercise benefits of the sandbag to your traditional weights, we found the following.

PROS

• More challenging due to shifting sand
• Easy to combine cardio movements with your lunges
• Offers greater flexibility and range of motion
• Engages more stabilizers
• Help improve balance
• Sand is softer and easier on the body and joints
• Easy to combine lunges with functional training
• Work your glutes and other muscles simultaneously
• Many handle positions to change up each exercise and add more variations

CONS

• Not easily weight adjustable
• Takes time getting used to initially

So, obviously, one of the more significant drawbacks is the time it takes to adjust the weights with a workout sandbag. If your bag has multiple filler bags, you will need to unzip and remove or add fillers to adjust the weight. But if you happen to own one that only has one sand filler bag, that is a problem.

Or is it?

Let me share with you an easy way to overcome this dilemma by explaining the principle of progressive overload and how we can use it to fix this problem.

The Best Way to Perform Sandbag Lunge Exercises to Grow Bigger Glutes

Progress overload is a way to stimulate muscles to grow by increasing the intensity of any workout over time. This is achieved by gradually increasing the amount of weight used for each workout over time. However, adding weight is not the only way to increase the intensity.

For example, another way to progressively overload a muscle over time is by increasing the number of repetitions in a set or adding more sets. That said, here is a simple solution.

You don’t need to increase the weight every workout, or even every month for that matter. You can wait for about 3 months and then increase the weight. Here is what I suggest:

• Each week increase the number of reps you perform for your sandbag lunge exercises.
• After about 6 weeks, add an extra set to each exercise.
• Then, after about 3 months, add about 5 lbs to your workout sandbag.
• Repeat every 3 months.

Of course, I would also suggest purchasing a workout sandbag that is heavier than your current maximum, so you have room to grow. As mentioned earlier, Brute Force has a great selection of quality workout sandbags, for both men and women, with an extensive selection of really cool-looking designs and colors.

On another note, some of you may also be asking how many reps per set you should do for maximum growth and best results. My quick answer to that – don’t count reps and just keep within one repetition before failure for each set. Then, for your final set, go all out and do as many reps as you possibly can.

That said, I typically do 5-6 sets for each exercise. If you are a beginner, start with 3-4 sets and work your way up.

Final Words

Sandbag lunges really are a lot of fun and are very effective for working out your glutes. You can use them at home or on the go. Unlike heavy dumbbells or kettlebells, you can easily throw your bag in the car and head over to your local park or track.

There is no better feeling than doing an agonizing 20-30 lunges without stopping, or at least until your glutes and legs are screaming and the pain is unbearable. That is what we live for. This is what makes your glutes grow!

That is what will separate you from the rest.

• 8 Best Workout Sandbags for Training & Fitness Review
• How to do Lunges Properly for Bigger Glutes: Lunges vs Squats
• Treadmill Butt Workout for A Bigger Bum [8 Glute Activation Lunges]
• Bulgarian Bag vs Sandbag [Workouts & Benefits]
• Best Squat Belts – Just Add Weights [No Barbell Needed]

Credits

I would like to give my thanks to all the Youtube members whose videos I have included in this article. Furthermore, I would also like to give each of you credit for the hard work you do and the helpful sandbag lunge demonstration you have provided my visitors.

• Brute Force Training
• Jen Ferruggia
• TheWKOUT
• Game Changing Performance
• First Responder Prep

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

fitnessmastered.com/

The post 10 Best Sandbag Lunges for Bigger Glutes & A Smaller Waist appeared first on Fitness Mastered.

When you’ve been lifting weights for as long as I have, you’ve heard just about every trick in the book. And trust me I have. But I have also learned over the years what works and what doesn’t work.

If you have a short moment and are serious about getting your pump on, then you’ll want to keep reading. I know what it takes to get a good pump, and can guarantee that I personally practice all of these methods myself, and have done so for many years.

You also will not want to miss my “Muscle Pump Of The Month Video” demonstrating some exercise routines that will set your muscles on fire and create mind-blowing pumps!

So without me boring you any further, let’s get started.

What Is A Muscle Pump Anyway?

A good muscle pump is when you can force as much blood as humanly possible into any given muscle group while performing resistance type training.

In short, and without getting too technical, muscle pumps are generated under intense workout conditions whereby a muscle group expands and contracts repeatedly. As a result, the vascular system pushed more blood into the target muscle area in order to provide more oxygen and nutrients for energy. But there is more.

With this increased need for more nutrients and oxygen, the vascular system now sends a compound called nitric oxide to the muscles. Nitric Oxide helps widen the arteries which allow even more blood to enter – a process known as vasodilation.

Now let’s see how this can benefit your workout.

Reasons Why Muscle Pumps Are Important

Muscle pumps can be beneficial to your workout regimen for many reasons.

First and foremost, the psychological effect it has greatly increases your motivation and energy.

Keeps You Coming Back For More

The feel-good hormones released under these conditions are chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins give you that euphoric high feeling while working out. But even more so when your muscles are pumped to the max.

You’ll notice how your energy and enthusiasm spikes when you get that pump. It makes you look good. It makes you feel good. It makes you want to keep going and going.

So if anything, the psychological effect will keep you working out longer and more intensely, and will also keep you coming back for more.

Stimulates Muscle Growth

Secondly, a good pump is usually a good indicator that you have had a successful workout and that you have pushed copious amounts of blood into the muscle.

Why is this good? Well, because all this blood is carrying not only oxygen but also very important nutrients to the muscles that are beneficial for growth.

Though muscle pumps may not always be necessary for muscle growth, they are nevertheless an important factor in stimulating growth nonetheless. Additionally, the intensity required to achieve these pumps will without a doubt also result in improved muscle definition and muscle vascularity.

Muscle Pump Of The Month Video

Every month you will find a new video I have personally hand-picked to add to my “Pump Of The Month Video” segment. I will personally try each workout, and add my short commentary with my evaluation and experience for each video. So make sure to come back each month to find a new video and join me in the fun.

In our first video, by Animal, you will see Evan Centopani show you how he incorporates the superset into his triceps routine (pay special attention to the first 6 minutes of this video where he demonstrates 2 triceps pushdown exercises). What caught my attention was the fact that he suggested flaring the elbows out on the straight bar cable pushdown machine.

I have always been instructed to keep the elbows in, and thus have been doing so for many years. So how could I not give this a go, especially coming from someone as accomplished and well known as Evan?

#1 Trashing Triceps!

So I gave this routine a try, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised with the results.

Wow! Talk about a pump!

I absolutely loved the advice on how to position your hands on the rope and the elbow position for the straight bar cable pushdowns. The stretch and the burn I felt at the top of the straight bar cable pushdown was absolutely agonizing, to say the least. But in a tremendously good way!

I absolutely recommend this routine to anyone who wants to experience a mind-blowing triceps pump. Thanks, Evan for such an awesome video.

#2 Nasty Biceps Pump!

John Meadows has always been one of my go-to guys for learning new tricks. In the following video watch a routine John created that will absolutely destroy your biceps and give you a pump to remember!

#3 Shoulder Destroyer – Finisher

I’ve been following Dana Linn Bailey for many years. And I can tell you when it comes to workout intensity, Dana is the master. The following is about a 15-minute routine that will absolutely pump your shoulders to the max. If you want to bypass her workout instructions and go straight to the routine, then fast forward to 6:55 minutes.

Basically, what you will see is her “giant set” which includes 5 different exercises. You will perform this giant set 3 times for a total of approximately 15 minutes. You can perform this at the end of your normal shoulder workout routine, or as a complete workout if you are short on time.

12 Muscle Pump Tips & Tricks That Guarantee Explosive Pumps

Here are my top 12 tips you should follow in order to guarantee a muscle pump on your next workout. Some of these tips may seem pretty obvious at first glance, but you’d be surprised how many people still forget. Yes, we all have short memories.

Nonetheless, I’m sure you will benefit from all and will more than likely even find 1 or 2 new tricks you’ve never heard of before now.

#1 Make Sure You’re Hydrated

Probably one of the most obvious but also the most overlooked is hydration. Many of you believe you are hydrated enough when hitting the gym when in actuality you are not. Taking water to the gym and drinking while you workout is not a guarantee that you are fully hydrated.

To make sure you are hydrated enough, you should have already been drinking plenty of water before you even entered the gym. Or if working out at home, then well in advance of your workout session.

Just like the rest of your body, your muscles store water and require water to function. If you are not hydrated, your muscle pump will suffer.

#2 Carb Up!

Another big mistake and something I had not learned about until many years after I started weight training, was that not having enough carbs can prevent a good pump and leave you flat no matter how hard you train. Or at least kill a good pump very quickly.

Just like water, carbohydrates are necessary for a good pump. Carbs are converted to glycogen, which like water is then stored in the muscles. Glycogen is used as energy to fuel your workout.

When glycogen levels are depleted your body turns to your muscles for glycogen. Unfortunately, this can lead to a catabolic state rather than anabolic. A place you do not want to be in when muscle training.

That said, if your glycogen levels are low to none before a workout, then muscle pumps will be pretty much impossible. And if your glycogen levels are normal but you still tend to lose your pump after about 30-60 minutes of intense training, it is because of glycogen depletion. This is normal. This can be fixed with a simple carb drink while you are working out.

#3 Stretching Between Sets

Now stretching is one of those tricks that can transform a good muscle pump into a massive mind-blowing super-pump! Occasionally I will incorporate these into my biceps or triceps exercise and get a monster pump from hell.

Perform stretches once or twice (no more or it could affect your strength level in a negative way) between sets for each arm during your exercise. Each stretch should be at least a good 20-30 seconds long.

For biceps, I like to hold a bar, keeping my arm straight, and gradually rotate my body away so my arm is then slightly behind me. Once you feel the stretch in your bicep, hold that position for 20-30 seconds. Trust me it will burn. Then continue with your exercise.

For triceps, curl your arm like your doing a biceps dumbbell curl, raise your arm up so your elbow is now over your head and push it up against a wall or solid object. The harder you push the more it will stretch. Again, hold it for 20-30 seconds.

By doing this between sets, you are stretching the muscle fibers which fill with blood. This, in turn, lets more blood fill these cells and as a result, creates a bigger and better pump than you can imagine.

#4 Muscle Pump Supplements

I have tried numerous brands and types of supplements, but currently, only use one. Which I will get to in a moment.

Probably one of the more popular supplements for energy, strength, and muscle fullness, is creatine monohydrate. This supplement allows your muscles to hold more water. I do not find creatine to be a big factor for muscle pumps, but it can help.

Nitric Oxide Boosters, on the other hand, can be very effective at increasing muscle pumps. As we read earlier, nitric oxide allows the blood vessels to widen and allow more blood flow into the muscles.

There are many Nitric Oxide Boosters available on the market. Most are a bit overpriced and include both L-Arginine and L-Citrulline as their main ingredients.

It is probably more cost-effective to purchase these amino acids separately as you will get more milligrams for your money.

I personally have had much success using only the L-Citrulline supplement. I get a better pump and it helps make my pumps last longer. I usually take about 2-3 mg before a workout.

There are 2 types of Citrulline: L-Citrulline and Citrulline Malate. You will find many arguments for and against which is better and more effective. After doing my own research, I decided the L-Citrulline is just as effective – and cheaper.

#5 Constant Tension

Your goal here is to keep constant tension on the muscles being worked. Never rest the wait at the bottom or top of the exercise. Always keep the weight moving. Speed is not necessarily a factor here, but rather a nonstop smooth and consistent gliding. Somewhat like a steady rhythmic motion, or almost robotic in tempo.

#6 Short Rest Periods

Another great and effective way to pump up your muscles is by taking shorter rest periods between sets. If you are typically taking between 30-60 minute rests, try reducing that time by half. And half that again if necessary. 

• Top 10 Benefits of Using a Weighted Vest to set new records and reach new goals quickly

#7 Blood Flow Restriction Bands

BFR training, also known as occlusion training, is something I learned about a few years ago. After some extensive research of my own, I decided to try it myself and invested in a pair of BFR Bands. This technique uses BFR Bands to restrict blood flow which results in occlusion.

This causes blood pooling in the muscles being worked. Basically blood is being pushed into the muscles faster than it can be returned. This occlusion effect can cause great muscle pumps without using heavy weights. I mostly use this technique if I don’t have access to heavy weights, or when I am suffering joint pain.

You can learn more about occlusion and BFR Training here.

#8 Mind-To-Muscle Connection

If you’re going to the gym and moving weights while looking around the room, you’re probably not getting the full benefit of lifting weights. It is absolutely imperative that you concentrate on every movement, positive and negative, and that you feel your muscles contract.

If you don’t feel your muscles burning, you’re not connecting with your muscles. This means you’re not activating the muscles effectively. To get a better mind-to-muscle connection, try to slow down your execution, or drop the amount of weight you are lifting.

Sometimes just going through the motions with a super light weight, and feeling your muscles contract and expand, will give you a better mind-to-muscle connection before starting your exercise.

#9 Forced Reps

If you think doing 4-5 sets of 8-10 reps is enough, you would be wrong. Every set that you perform must be taken to the limit. You must squeeze out as many reps as you possibly can. When they say no pain no gain…this is the time to practice it. This means taking every set to failure.

When you think you’ve done your last rep, take a 2-3 second breather and do another rep. When you can no longer do another forced rep, try doing a few more partial forced reps. This means only performing half the range of motion.

#10 Drop Sets

Drop sets are great to perform on the last few sets of your last exercise. This technique will burn out your muscles but also generate an extremely good pump. So I prefer doing this last.

I like using dumbbells for this technique. Starting with a weight I can do 8-12 reps with, I will complete that set and immediately drop the weight 5lbs and do a max set, followed by another max set, and keep going until I can no longer do another rep. The trick here is not to rest between sets, and always do the maximum number of reps you can squeeze out of each set.

#11 Supersets

Supersets are my favorite and most used technique for getting awesome pumps. I like doing these with opposing muscle groups such as biceps and triceps, or with the same muscle group. I even get a good pump doing shoulders and back combo.

Basically, with supersets, you perform one set to completion and then immediately go to a second exercise. When doing this with the same muscle group, biceps for example, I will do a straight biceps curl followed by a dumbbell curl.

These without fail give me a tremendous pump every time. You should definitely give these a try.

#12 Proper Form

Targeting the muscle properly and activating the muscle fibers effectively is paramount for getting the maximum muscle pump possible. If you are not getting a good pump, here are some things you can do to correct your form:

1. Drop the weight and concentrate more on your movement and the muscles worked and less on the amount of weight your moving.
2. Slow down your exercise and concentrate more on the muscles. This will help you better connect the weight with the muscles being worked.
3. Concentrate on the muscle contraction, but also concentrate on the negative movement. Never drop the weight on the negative. The negative is just as important as the positive motion for any exercise. I see far too many people dropping the weight on the negative. This, to me, is like wasting half the exercise. So keep your muscles engaged and tense throughout the entire movement.

Muscle Pump FAQ

No matter how hard I work out, I cannot get a pump. Can you help?

There is no one answer to this, but I have learned that in most cases it is due to lack of glycogen in the muscles. This is why I suggest consuming a carb drink before or even during a workout session. Let me just give you my personal experience before getting scientific with this.

I had at one time decided to go on a low carb to almost zero carb diet to cut body fat. Well, I can tell you with certainty, that no carbs and pumps can not co-exist. After about 2 weeks, I was getting only half the pump I normally would. And after 2 weeks it was impossible for me to get any degree of muscle pump whatsoever. No matter how hard I tried, none of the techniques I listed above worked.

After about 3 days of carbing up again, I was finally back to my normal self and getting mind-blowing pumps again. Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than workout your tail end off at the gym and not feeling even the slightest pump.

So, if you’re low on carbs, that could be your problem.

How can I make my pump last longer after my workout?

I have found that 3 of the most effective ways to make pumps last longer after a workout is to drink a lot of water after my workout, have a carb drink after my workout, and take more L-Citrulline. A minute of posing and contracting the muscles will also help keep the blood flowing longer.

Are muscle pumps necessary for muscle growth?

I believe every workout should result in some degree of muscle pump. However, I don’t believe you should be chasing pumps every workout session. Using all the techniques above to generate super pumps is a good way to stimulate growth and add size and definition. However, you must also dedicate enough time to heavy weight training to add size.

These heavier workout sessions will not always create super pumps, but should still create a pump nonetheless. If you’re not getting any degree of muscle pump when lifting heavy, then you may be doing something wrong. In most cases I’ve seen, it’s due to lifting too heavy and sacrificing form.

When you sacrifice form, you let supporting muscles and joints take over the exercise. This results in less of the targeted muscle being engaged in the exercise. In this case, drop the weight, correct your form, and concentrate on using your target muscle for better muscle activation.

What are the best supplements to maximize muscle pumps?

I have used many different muscle pump products and nitric oxide boosters over the years. They tend to be the best supplements to use for greater pumps at the gym. The nitric oxide booster’s main ingredients include both the amino L-Arginine and L-Citrulline. I personally like using pure L-Citrulline as it is just as effective and costs less.

Should I be getting a muscle pump when training heavy for size?

You should definitely see a degree of muscle pump even when you are training heavy. It will most likely not be the mind-blowing pumps you would achieve using the methods outlined above, such as higher reps, drop sets, forced reps, etc.

If you are not experiencing any pump at all, then your joints and supporting muscles may be taking over part of the load. This is due to bad form, which is usually the case if you are lifting too heavy.

To correct this, drop the weight and pay close attention to your form. Make a mind to muscle connection by concentrating on using only the muscles you are targeting. This will significantly increase the engagement and blood flow of the targeted muscles.

Can I use these muscle pump techniques for legs and glutes?

Yes, absolutely. I myself have even tried the stretching technique on glutes, which was very effective. Basically, I would do a few sets of walking lunges, followed by some glute stretching, and then immediately continue with my lunges. I can tell you, my glutes were pumped to the max!

How many sets should I do?

I typically do 4-5 working sets per exercise. And that does not include the 2 sets I use to warm up and push blood into the target muscles. If you are only doing 3 sets per exercise, then you are not doing enough.

Closing Remarks

The euphoric feeling you get from muscle pumps is extremely gratifying and the benefits numerous. If you’ve been having problems achieving muscle pumps in the past, this article will help you going forward.

• Find the best power racks with cable push-down pulleys for your home gym.

I can’t tell how many times I’ve been asked over the years, how I get such an incredible pump. And I’m always eager to share my knowledge, knowing it will help.

Now that I have put this information on paper (or rather the internet), it’s pleasing to know that I can now reach out and help so many more people than just those at my gym.

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• How to do Lunges Properly for Bigger Glutes: Lunges vs Squats
• 12 Best Lat Pulldown Attachments For Cable Machines Compared
• Big Forearms with Occlusion Training [New Mass Building Technique]

I know this post has turned out rather lengthy. But if you’re anything like me, when your passionate about a certain subject, you enjoy taking in as much information as possible to reach your goal.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my article as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Feel free to share your experiences, thoughts, or questions in the comments section below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

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The post 12 Muscle Pump Tips & Tricks That Work – Every Time! appeared first on Fitness Mastered.

Let’s take a closer look at how dumbbell deadlifts may possibly benefit you more than the barbell deadlift and the muscles worked.

Between the two, the barbell deadlift is obviously the more popular exercise. However, that does not necessarily mean it is the better choice. Depending on your individual needs and fitness goals, you may want to consider performing dumbbell deadlifts if you haven’t already.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore why the dumbbell deadlift may possibly benefit you more than the barbell deadlift and why you should incorporate them into your weekly workout routine. In addition to that we will also include our top 5 deadlift exercises, illustrate how each is performed and which muscles are used for each.

We also include tips on proper form and safety, and how dumbbell deadlifts can benefit you.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Dumbbell Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift
• What Muscles do Deadlifts Work?
• Here Are My Top 5 Deadlift Exercises and the Muscles Worked
• Top 5 Dumbbell Deadlift Workouts with Illustration – Form & Execution
• 10 Helpful Tips for Proper Deadlift Form & Safety
• Top 7 Dumbbell Deadlift Benefits
• Is the Dumbbell Deadlift better than the Barbell Deadlift?

Dumbbell Deadlift vs Barbell Deadlift

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word deadlift is more often than not a barbell loaded with 45s.

Loading up a few 45s on each end of a barbell not only looks impressive but also sounds impressive when dropped between reps. That aside, deadlifts also serve a greater purpose. And that is to build mutant strength.

Deadlifts… known as the #1 strength building exercise, but also for building great hamstrings and powerful glutes!

The main purpose of the deadlift is to build a stronger core, stronger quads, and overall body strength.

But is it the best exercise if you are trying to build muscle mass?

Even if this exercise may add muscle to your quads over time, it remains a compound exercise. Thus, its main function overall is still to build strength and not build muscle.

So what if your main objective is to build more muscle? Is there a better way to do deadlift exercises to build bigger glutes and hamstrings?

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Dumbbell Deadlifts for Building Muscle Mass

The traditional deadlift is performed with a barbell and with pauses between reps. This means after each lift, you then lower and drop the weight back down to the floor, pause a second or two and then lift again.

A great exercise to build overall body strength!

However, for muscle building purposes, you can simply modify the traditional deadlift by using a somewhat lighter load. Then when executing the exercise you would lower the weight to only a few inches off the floor without it touching, and immediately raise back up again and repeat.

In this way, you are keeping constant tension on the muscles and thus have turned what is normally a strength-building exercise into a very effective muscle building exercise to build bigger quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Performing this nonstop for 6-10 reps with constant tension on your muscles creates what is known as hypertrophy. Thus, resulting in muscle growth.

So now what if I told you that using dumbbells could be even more beneficial and could provide you with more advantages and flexibility and exercise variations than using just a barbell. Would you be interested in learning more?

Before we examine dumbbell deadlifts any further, let’s first take a look into what muscles are targeted with various dumbbell deadlift exercises.

Also see my Top 10 Sandbag Lunges for Bigger Glutes & Smaller Waist

What Muscles do Deadlifts Work?

We have already learned that when performing deadlifts to grow muscles, it is better to perform exercises that leave your muscles under constant tension. This pushes the most blood to your targeted muscles and results in better hypertrophy.

Here are a few deadlift variations that target different muscle groups. Each exercise varies only slightly in execution, but all work the muscles they target very effectively.

Here Are My Top 5 Deadlift Exercises and the Muscles Worked

#1 Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is basically a traditional deadlift but without letting the weight ever touch the floor between reps. Furthermore, when performing the Romanian deadlift you do not squat as you do with the traditional deadlift, and you hinge at the waist while simultaneously bending at the knees.

The Romanian deadlift keeps constant tension on the targeted muscles as opposed to the traditional style deadlift.

Nonetheless, contrary to popular belief, a study from PubMed Central through NBCI on “An electromyographic and kinetic comparison of traditional and Romanian deadlifts” shows that the traditional deadlift actually activates more glute fibers than does the Romanian deadlift.

However, remember that the traditional deadlift also activates your quads more than the Romanian. So if you are looking to build bigger glutes while keeping your legs slender, then you may want to choose the Romanian over the traditional deadlift.

To simplify, you would hinge and semi-squat until the weight is only a few inches from the floor and immediately return to the upright position and repeat.

• Romanian Deadlift muscles worked:
  • Primary muscles worked: glutes, quads, and hamstrings
  • Secondary: lower back, core, adductors

#2 Stiff Leg Deadlift

The stiff leg deadlift is by far the most popular deadlift, especially among females when it comes to building bigger glutes. However, these are also ideal for building very strong hamstrings and glutes. This deadlift is also performed without dropping the weight to the ground and without pausing.

• Stiff Leg Deadlift muscles worked:
  • Primary muscles worked: hamstrings, glutes, and lower back
  • Secondary: quads, core, adductors

#3 Single Legged Dumbbell Deadlift

The single leg dumbbell deadlift can be performed using one or two dumbbells. I would suggest using one dumbbell for this exercise so you can use the other hand to support yourself. In this way, you can concentrate more on the exercise and muscles being worked with this deadlift without being distracted by keeping your balance.

This exercise is very similar to the Romanian deadlift. Except for the simple fact that you are only using a single leg. The muscles worked for this deadlift are primarily the glutes and the hamstrings.

• Single Leg Deadlift muscles worked:
  • Primary muscles worked: hamstrings and glutes
  • Secondary: lower back and quads, core, adductors

#4 Sumo Dumbbell Deadlift

The Sumo dumbbell deadlift is another great way to target your glute muscles. This exercise is very similar to the Romanian deadlift except that you position your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. You can also either use one or two dumbbells for this DB deadlift.

• Sumo Deadlift muscles worked:
  • Primary muscles worked: glutes and quads
  • Secondary: hamstrings, core, adductors

#5 Traditional Dumbbell Deadlift

The traditional dumbbell deadlift is very effective at activating the glutes and quad muscles. Lowering the dumbbells all the way to the ground, with or without a pause, forces you to bend your knees more and creates a deeper squat position than any of the other deadlift variations.

This motion puts more stress on the glutes and quads. And since traditionally more weight is used for this exercise, the additional load also makes your glutes and quads work harder than the other deadlifts.

The benefit of using dumbbells, even if you cannot go as heavy as with barbells, is the added mobility and range of motion. You can squat much lower with the dumbbells than you can with a barbell.

• Traditional Deadlift muscles worked:
  • Primary muscles worked: glutes and quads
  • Secondary: hamstrings, core and lower back, adductors

Top 5 Dumbbell Deadlift Workouts with Illustration – Form and Execution

Many of you may already be familiar with the proper execution of each dumbbell deadlift workout shown below. However, if not, or you just need a refresher, the following will give you a quick step-by-step on how to perform each exercise correctly to achieve the best results while also keeping it safe.

#1 Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift Form & Execution

The muscles worked for the Romanian dumbbell deadlift are the quads as the primary with marginal lower back and glute muscle activation.

• Foot placement should be approximately shoulder-width apart.
• Position dumbbells directly beside each leg and bar being parallel to the leg.
• While keeping your back and head in a neutral position at all times and your shoulders pulled back and chest out, while actively bending your knees, lower the weights in front of you until they are only a few inches from the floor.
• Before touching the floor, drive straight back up using your quads while keeping your back and neck neutral, and squeeze your glutes in the top position.
• Repeat for 6 to 12 reps and 3 to 4 sets, or whatever workout routine you may be following.

#2 Stiff Leg Dumbbell Deadlift Form & Execution

The muscles worked for the stiff leg dumbbell deadlift are the glutes and hamstrings as the primary with marginal lower back and quad muscle activation.

• Place your feet anywhere between hip-width and shoulder-width apart.
• While standing straight and knees slightly bent, position the dumbbells firmly in each hand with palms facing you or at a slight angle; whichever is more comfortable.
• Keeping your head and back neutral and shoulders pulled back, with a slight bend in the knees slowly hinge at the hips and bend over lowering the weights just short of touching the floor.
• Note that this is not a squatting exercise. You must keep your knees locked in a slightly bent position.
• It is important to feel the stretch in your glutes and hamstrings and get those muscle fibers fired up.
• Concentrate on hinging as you lower the weights. This puts more emphasis on your glutes and hamstrings and less on your lower back.
• Raise back up to the starting position and repeat.

Unlike the Romanian dumbbell deadlift, be aware that you will be concentrating more on the negative execution for the stiff leg deadlift.

#3 Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift Form & Execution

The muscles worked for the single leg dumbbell deadlift are also the glutes and hamstrings as the primary with marginal lower back and quad muscle activation.

The single leg dumbbell deadlift is very similar to the stiff leg deadlift.

• Again, always keep your back and head neutral with shoulders pulled back. And never arch or round your back during any of these exercises.
• Standing straight and holding one dumbbell in front of the leg you will be working out, hold on to something with the other hand for support. I strongly believe in using one dumbbell over two since it is safer and adds more stability to the exercise.
• While hinging at the waist, keep your knees slightly bent, and lower the weight to within a few inches off the floor.
• You will raise your non-active leg off the floor when lowering the weight and drop it back down again when you raise back up.
• Drop slowly and feel the stretch in your glutes and hamstrings on the negative, and slowly return to an almost upright position and repeat.

Here is a great demo by Nikkiey Stott showing how to perform the single leg dumbbell deadlift while using one arm as support.

#4 Sumo Dumbbell Deadlift Form & Execution

The muscles worked for the Sumo dumbbell deadlift are also the glutes and hamstrings as the primary with marginal lower back and quad muscle activation.

The Sumo Dumbbell deadlift will target your glutes differently and in most cases help you feel the stretch more easily since your feet are positioned much wider apart than any of the other deadlifts.

Additionally, you also have the option of using 1 or 2 dumbbells for this exercise.

• As with all deadlifts maintain proper posture and strict form.
• Position your feet wider than shoulder-width apart with toes pointing slightly outward.
• Hold either one or two dumbbells straight down in front of you and then lower and raise the weight the same as you would when performing the Romanian Dumbbell Deadlift – actively bending at the knees.
• And repeat.

#5 Traditional Dumbbell Deadlift Form & Execution

The traditional dumbbell deadlift primarily focuses on the quads but also generates a good amount of glute muscle activation due to the deeper squat motion.

So if you looking to pack on some size to your glutes, this would be a good deadlift variation to add to your workout routine.

• Again, it is best to position your feet hip or shoulder-width apart.
• While standing upright and holding one dumbbell in each hand, keep your arms straights and palms facing the front or sides of your quads.
• Slowly lower the weights, while bending at the knees and forcing your hips back to generate the additional stretch in your glutes.
• You can either bring the weights completely down to the floor and pause a second, or just shy of touching the floor raise back up to the upright position and repeat.
• Between each rep try squeezing your glutes at the upright position before lowering the weight again.

10 Helpful Tips for Proper Deadlift Form & Safety

When performing exercises involving the use of heavy weights, it is especially important that you know how to do them correctly. Proper deadlifting form and execution not only makes the exercise more effective but also helps keep you safe from injuries.

I have included a video from the team at Bowflex with a quick demonstration of how to correctly perform the dumbbell deadlift below.

#1 Keep a Neutral Back and Head Position

Always keep your back and head neutral when performing all deadlift variations. This means keeping your back straight, not arched back or curved forward. The same goes for your head position. Always keep your head aligned with your spine.

Basically, don’t bend your head back to look up when lowering your weights. And don’t tilt your head back when you pull back up. A trick is to concentrate on keeping your chin in the same position throughout the entire exercise.

#2 Shoulders Back and Chest Out

Proper form not only includes a neutral back and head position but also keeping your shoulders pulled back and your chest out. Again, this will help prevent injuries but also helps assist in keeping your spine neutral.

#3 Never Lock Out your Knees

Always keep your knees slightly bent when performing the stiff leg deadlift and the single leg dumbbell deadlift.

#4 Keep Core Muscles Tight

Always keep your core muscles tight when performing deadlifts. Tightening your core helps stabilize your body which helps assist in the exercise but also helps keeps you safe from injuries.

#5 Keep arms Straightened

Bending your arms, especially when using heavier weights, can cause additional stress and tension on the elbow joint and biceps. As a result, this could lead to unwanted injuries to the elbow or bicep tears.

#6 Hinge at the Hips

Always hinge at the hips when doing the stiff leg deadlift and the single leg deadlift. Feel your glutes push our behind you and actively concentrate on producing a good stretch in your glutes and hamstrings as you lower your weights to the floor.

You’ll know if you’re not hinging properly if you are feeling most of the tension in your lower back rather than your glutes and hamstrings.

#7 Warm-up and Stretching

Never go for the heavier weights and start exercising without warming up. If you’ve already performed other leg routines such as leg presses or squats, then you are obviously already warmed up. Otherwise, performing some stretching exercises or performing your deadlifts movements without weights or very light weights can prevent unnecessary injuries.

#8 Squeeze your Glutes

Squeezing your glutes at the top of each exercise is a great way to keep your glutes activated. Some believe that throwing your hips forward is the same thing. But this method is incorrect and can cause more strain on your lower back. A better method is to concentrate more on squeezing your glutes.

#9 Weight Position

Keep weights pulled in at the front or side of your legs and not out in front of your body. This keeps the load off your back and puts more tension on the targeted muscles such as quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

#10 Don’t Go Too Heavy

Many make the mistake of going too heavy. This can compromise your form and cause your back to round forward. Thus, resulting in lower back injuries or muscle tears. For this reason, It is always better to go lighter to maintain strict form. You may also want to check STACK for more tips on proper form and how to avoid more common deadlifting mistakes.

Top 7 Dumbbell Deadlift Benefits

The various exercises above are very effective workouts for targeting your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. However, there are many more advantages to be had using dumbbells for deadlifts. So let’s check out the many benefits dumbbell deadlifts have to offer.

#1 Exercise Variations

Using dumbbells to perform deadlifts provides you with much more flexibility, and thus more exercise variations. Take for instance the single leg deadlift. It offers you the possibility to concentrate all your energy on pumping blood into just glute and hamstring. But also gives you the opportunity to use the other free hand to support your balance.

#2 Muscle Targeting

These dumbbell exercises are ideal for targeting your quads, glutes, or hamstrings. With the constant tension you are providing, plus the added stretch and control you have by using dumbbells, you can easily generate the kind of pumps that guarantee hypertrophy.

#3 Hand Position

Unlike the barbell, you can easily adjust your hands or wrist angle to a position that is more comfortable for you. This, in turn, can put less stress on your wrists or even shoulders when performing heavier routines.

For example, when performing the traditional deadlift you would typically position your hands directly ahead of you around the barbell. However, with the DB deadlift, you can position the bars at any rotation. The best position for this movement would be to position the dumbbells to the outside of each leg and gripping the dumbbells with your palms facing your legs.

#4 More Control

Using dumbbells can give you more flexibility to control the position of the weights you would otherwise not have with a barbell. In this way, you can better control your center of gravity for proper weight distribution. For instance, moving the dumbbells close to your sides help stabilize your position, or put more tension on your quads or glutes and less on your lower back.

#5 Unilateral Training

Unilateral training gives you the option to train muscles independently. So in this case, you can work each leg separately when using dumbbells for your deadlifts. An option you do not have when using a barbell.

Unilateral training gives you the added benefit of better targeting a specific muscle. This enables you to put extra attention on a muscle that might be weaker on one side of the body. Muscle imbalances result in uneven body symmetry, and dumbbells are the perfect solution to remedy this problem.

#6 Workout from Home

Not everyone is fortunate enough to have access to a gym. So investing in some dumbbells to use at home is a feasible option. Dumbbells are much easier and convenient than a barbell and weight plates.
Dumbbells take up very little space and can easily fit into your home or apartment. Another great way to save on space is by using adjustable dumbbells.

#7 Cost

Besides using up very little space, dumbbells are also much more affordable. Buying a barbell and weight plates would put you out much more than dumbbells ever would. Plus, if you’re in a crunch, you could start with only the single leg dumbbell deadlift, and buy one dumbbell for the weights you need rather than a set of 2 for each.

Is the Dumbbell Deadlift better than the Barbell Deadlift?

I personally believe dumbbell deadlifts to be more beneficial overall than barbell deadlifts. For the greater fitness population, I would say that the dumbbells offer far more advantages.

Dumbbells by far offer more flexibility and increased motion and exercise variations than barbells. They are much less expensive, require far less space if used at home, and are less likely to cause back injury due to overloading.

Gender Might Make a Difference

More and more women are more and more into the squat and deadlift exercise craze for building bigger glutes. Deadlifts have become very popular exercises for women. It is also true that most women prefer working out at home over going to a public gym.

For this reason alone, I would say that for the vast majority of women, the dumbbell deadlift is by far the most beneficial and better choice.

Guys, on the other hand, are mostly concerned about how much weight they can lift. Thus, it’s more about building strength than building bigger glutes or hamstrings. In which case, I would recommend the barbell deadlifts.

Fitness Goals May Be a Deciding Factor

Then you have your professional bodybuilder who may be more interested in building muscle mass but also gaining strength. So for them, a combination of both dumbbell deadlifts and barbell deadlifts may be the preferred option.

And then you have athletes and powerlifters whose primary concern is strength and power. Obviously, the better choice for them would naturally be the barbell deadlifts.

So basically, to answer the question… which is the better option for you?

Simply put, the better deadlift is the one that best suits your individual needs and fitness goals.

More Suggested Reading:

• 4 Best Water Filled Dumbbells for Travel [Hydro Weights] Review
• How to do Squats Properly for Bigger Glutes [Top 8 Bum Activation Tips]
• How to do Lunges Properly for Bigger Glutes: Lunges vs Squats
• How Much Do Barbells Weigh? (10 Bars Compared)
• 10 Best Glute Resistance Band Exercises Proven to Work

Adjustable Kettlebells are also a great alternative to dumbbells – save money and space!

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

fitnessmastered.com/

The post Top 5 Dumbbell Deadlift Benefits & Muscles Worked [Ultimate Guide] appeared first on Fitness Mastered.

Most bodybuilders would disagree that you can build muscle with light weight workouts. And I would absolutely agree. That is until I heard of BFR training. BFR training and the use of BFR bands enable you to strength train using light weights while still getting the same benefits of heavy weight lifting. But without the negative side effects such as injuries or joint pain.

If you are dealing with joint pain and your workouts are suffering as a result, then Blood Flow Restriction Training may be the answer to your problems. Blood flow restriction training can put you back in the gym, or help you stay in the gym by helping you put less strain on your joints and thus continue your weight training regimen without any downtime.

Do you suffer from joint pain lifting weights? Then you must try BFR Joint Friendly strength training…

I have been lifting weights for over 30 years. So you can imagine all the countless heavy reps and sets my body has endured. Trust me it’s not the muscles that suffer after so many years, it’s the joints.

Less Pain with Light Weight Workouts

There have been many times where I would be in so much pain I could either not left at all, or only with very light weights. And if you’re like me, no lifting at all is pretty not an option. And lifting light weights is a waste of time if you’re trying to put on muscle. Well, unless of course, you’re using the BFR training bands, also known as occlusion training bands.

With occlusion training, I am now able to stay in the gym, lift with lighter weights to avoid pain, while getting the same benefits of lifting heavy. This can be great for those of you with elbow pain, or knee problems. Furthermore, if you’re like me and have back problems and can no longer perform heavy squats or presses, using BFR bands on your legs is also quite effective.

Top Recommended BFR Training Bands

What is Blood Flow Restriction Training?

In a nutshell, BFR training utilizes blood flow restriction bands which cause blood flow restriction or occlusion, causing blood to pool in the targeted muscle. This causes an extreme muscle pump much like training with heavy weights while only using around 20 to 30% of your one-rep max.

So for example, if a typical bicep routine for packing on some muscle involves 50 lb dumbbells, you would use 10 to 20 pounds to perform the exercise. Trust me when I say, this is a great way to build muscle with light weights.

How Do Occlusion Bands Work?

BFR bands are wrapped tightly around the top of each arm, or legs, or even above the calves with enough pressure to occlude blood flow from the veins but not the arteries. This enables the arteries to continue the flow of blood to the targeted limbs while you exercise, but the veins struggle to move the blood back out of the limbs and back to the heart. This results in more blood being pushed into the muscle than can be pushed back out for the duration of the exercise. Can you imagine the pump?

“Essentially we are creating an environment where blood goes to the muscle faster than it can escape.”

The science behind occlusion training is that it causes muscle growth similar to using heavy weights while using light weights. Here are the three ways BFR training with occlusion bands creates muscle growth.

3 Ways BFR Training Builds Muscle with Light Weight Workouts

1. Much like lifting heavy weights, the muscles are filled with so much blood they are forced to grow through cell swelling! This cell swelling, in turn, inhibits protein breakdown and stimulates protein synthesis.
2. Also, very similar to lifting heavy weights, occlusion training recruits fast-twitch fibers due to the high level of blood being forced into the muscles due to low oxygen levels.
3. When there are low levels of oxygen, higher levels of lactic acid are generated and can lead to increased protein synthesis.

Joint Friendly Strength Training: Who Will Benefit from using BFR Training Bands?

Are you a candidate for occlusion training? The simple answer is yes. Everyone can benefit from occlusion training. Using BFR bands can help you immediately and long-term.

Immediate Benefits of Blood Flow Restriction Training:

Elbow Pain.
If you are experiencing elbow pain such as tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow then performing any variation of bicep or triceps routines can be excruciating. If you fall into this category, training with BFR bands will definitely benefit you.

Knee Pain. We all know that building bigger quads requires lifting heavy weights. However, with your occlusion training method, you can be back at training legs again without the heavy load.

Back Problems. Heavy barbell loads on our back and even heavy leg presses can keep us from doing any kind of leg training when suffering back problems. But by using occlusion training bands, you can be back in the gym again getting a great leg workout while using light weights.

Long-term Benefits of Occlusion Training:

Using BFR bands as an addition to your current workout routine can help you avoid many joint pain lifting weights in the future and keep you in the gym. Or at least keep you productive.

Say for instance you are unable to make it to the gym due to an ice storm. Well, you probably don’t have 60 lb dumbbells lying around the house. But with BFR bands, all you need to save the day is a pair of 10 to 20 lb dumbbells.

And if you are like me and enjoy beating yourself up at the gym and don’t know when to quit, then you may want to throw in some extra blood flow restriction exercise routines instead. This will definitely help keep you from destroying your joints over time.

How to Use BFR Training Bands to Build Muscle with Light Weight Training

Let’s start by addressing the different sizes of BFR Bands, followed by the recommended workout methodology.

What Size BFR Training Band should I use?

So what size BFR bands should you be using? It is fairly simple. I have noticed from experience that for the best occlusion in the arms a 2-inch band to be very effective. Anything smaller is less effective when it comes to blood flow restriction. Furthermore, smaller bands tend to pinch the skin more than a wider BFR band.

For training legs, you could use a 2-inch band, however, a 3-inch band or higher would be a more effective choice for this larger muscle group. If you don’t want to invest in two sets of bands, then definitely try the 2 inches first for both legs and arms. You can always buy another pair later.

Light Weight Workouts Training Methodology

Once you’ve decided on what size to use, it’s time to put them into action. Here are some basic instructions you can follow to get an effective joint friendly workout.

• Load: use no more than 10 to 30% of your one-rep max (1RM).
• Repetitions: reps should be performed to muscle failure or at least 30 to 50 reps per set.
• Training sets: 3 to 5 sets
• Execution speed: 2-0-2-0
• Short breaks between sets: 30-second max
• Leave and tension between sets, and only remove after the exercise is completed.
• Try using supersets when possible.

As you may have noticed, just because the weights are light does not mean this will be an easy workout. To the contrary. When performed correctly, training with the occlusion training method can be very intense, yet very satisfying.

Bottom Line

Anyone can benefit from blood flow restriction training. Whether you’re into high-intensity weight training as a professional athlete, a bodybuilder, or an avid weightlifter who wants to grow some extra strength or build muscles, occlusion training is an excellent form of training to add to your current routine.

As we learned in this article, BFR training is especially good for joint sufferers. BFR Bands are perfect for joint friendly strength training, both at home or the gym.

Not only will these bands help you avoid joint pain lifting weights, but they are very practical for working out at home as they do not require heavy weights. All it takes is a few dumbbells to build muscle with light weight workouts making this ideal for anyone who wants to workout at home without all the expensive heavy weights.

If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, when it comes to weight training and bodybuilding, it is not how much you lift but rather how smart you lift.

Recommended Reading:

• Top Benefits of Occlusion Training [A Comprehensive Guide]
• Best BFR Bands Review & Product Guide
• Big Forearms with Occlusion Training [New Mass Building Technique]
• 6 Best Resistance Bands for Glutes [Booty Bands Review]
• Occlusion Cuffs by Lifting Lab: Arm and Leg Straps Review

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

fitnessmastered.com/

The post Joint Friendly Strength Training [Light Weight Workouts with BFR Bands] appeared first on Fitness Mastered.

After all, isn’t that what makes those endorphins kick in, and keeps us coming back for more? Getting that pump is the ultimate high. It not only makes us feel awesome and look great but is responsible for building more muscles. And that is what bodybuilding is all about!

Table of Contents

• Forearm Occlusion Training with BFR Bands
• What are BFR Bands and How do they Work?
• What Is Occlusion Training?
• How to Use BFR Bands for Bigger Forearms – The New Forearm Builder for Mass Technique
• Demo Video: Popeye Forearm Occlusion Training
  • Must-See Video…
  • New Forearm Builder for Mass Workout Technique!
• Final Thoughts on Building Massive Forearms

Forearm Occlusion Training with BFR Bands

If you have never used BFR bands in your training routines, you are missing out. It is never too late, and never a better time than now to put these bands into action. BFR bands can be an excellent addition to your current workout routine to build massive forearms in very little time.

If you are not familiar with using BFR bands for occlusion training, let me give you a quick rundown before we continue with our bigger forearms training.

What are BFR Bands and How do they Work?

BFR bands are made from a strong elastic material much like a knee or wrist wrap. These wraps come in different sizes, usually between 1 and 2 inches in width and different lengths for both arm and leg workouts. You can adjust the tightness and lock the band in place with either velcro or a cam buckle mechanism.

These bands are placed and tightened at the highest part of your arms or legs. Or in our case just above the forearms. You then tighten these BFR bands to about a 50 to 70% tightness level. Where 100% would be complete blood restriction to the muscle or limb.

What Is Occlusion Training?

The whole concept behind the BFR training, also known as occlusion training, is to promote muscle growth by using lighter weights rather than heavy weights. Basically, BFR bands when used correctly are designed to slow down the blood flow leaving the muscle or limb. But at the same time not restricting the amount of blood entering the limb or muscle. This, in turn, creates a blood pooling effect that will be responsible for creating those mind-blowing pumps you will experience in your training routines to build big forearms.

How to Use BFR Bands for Bigger Forearms – The New Forearm Builder for Mass Technique

Using BFR bands is by far the best forearm builder for mass without having to use heavy weights. As we mentioned earlier, occlusion training involves using light weights, but also incorporates performing sets at a much higher rep rate and shorter rest period. Don’t be fooled! Only because the weights are lighter does not mean the workout will be easier.

The workouts will be tough, and they will be painful. But that’s how we like it! Am I right? Otherwise, what’s the point? Once you start feeling the tremendous pump and see how your forearms are getting bigger and harder, you won’t want to stop anyhow. So all you will need for the following workout routine are a pair of BFR bands and some motivation.

Demo Video: Popeye Forearm Occlusion Training

Jail House Strong has an excellent video “Forearms First – Building Lumberjack Forearms” where he demonstrates a grueling forearms workout routine using BFR bands to build big forearms. If you are interested in the occlusion bands used in this video, they are the Sling Shot Gangsta Wraps.

He starts his forearm routine with 25 reps of reverse curls with 20 to 30% of your 1 rep max.

Then he follows that with 25 reps of behind the back wrist curls. These are performed back-to-back with only a 20-second break between exercise sets, alternating back and forth for about 4 total minutes. Your goal is to add 30 seconds each week to this workout until you eventually reach 6 full minutes.

He recommends performing this workout 1-2 times per week to get really big forearms. No doubt, a great forearm workout to add to your existing routine. Give it a spin!

Must-See Video…

New Forearm Builder for Mass Workout Technique!

If you’re looking for a good pair of occlusion bands to work out your forearms or any other part of your arms, check out our Occlusion Bands Review where we list some of our top BFR Bands.

Or check out the Sling Shot Gangsta Wraps shown in the video. Make sure if you do order these wraps, to order the 36-inch and not the 20-inch wraps. The ’20s are great for using as wrist supports, but not enough wrap to work with when trying to wrap around the top of your forearm. I learned the hard way but had no problem returning them for a replacement.

Final Thoughts on Building Massive Forearms

If you want to build big forearms, the BFR bands and occlusion training is the way to go. Many of us forget to add forearms to our workout routines. Take a quick look around the gym. How many people do you see engaged in working out their forearms? Not many. If you’re guilty of neglecting your forearms or just want to add some growth quickly and in a fun way, then using BFR bands will get you there. Big forearms are just around the corner. So let’s get busy!

P.S And make sure to eat your spinach!

You may also be interested in reading a more in-depth definition of Occlusion Training here.

• 6 Best Forearm Workout Tools & Exercisers Review
• Top Benefits of Occlusion Training [A Comprehensive Guide]
• Best BFR Bands Review & Product Guide
• Joint Friendly Strength Training [Light Weight Workouts with BFR Bands]
• 12 Muscle Pump Tips & Tricks That Work – Every Time!

Mark LaRue

With over 30 years of experience in strength training and fitness, Mark LaRue is the founder of Fitness Mastered, a blog to help educate fitness enthusiasts of all fitness levels, ages, and gender. We write topics that range from weight training tips and exercise routines to home workout machine and fitness related product reviews, to name a few.

fitnessmastered.com/

The post Big Forearms with Occlusion Training [New Mass Building Technique] appeared first on Fitness Mastered.