Glute training is being flattened into “just squat more” or “just hip thrust more”. The problem is simple: A single exercise affects each person’s body differently, so it won’t target the exact same muscles or tissues in everyone.
If your glutes aren’t responding, it’s not always effort. Often, it’s leverage.
Glute growth depends on where tension lands, and that changes with anatomy. Your pelvis, femur angle, and leverage affect joint angles, and which muscles take the work in squats, hinges, and thrusts. This guide explains the mechanics and gives practical rules to adjust exercises before you add more volume.
Why glute training varies person to person
Glute growth comes down to tension over time. But tension isn’t “fair”. It follows your structure.
Key idea: your body is a set of levers. The same load can create different demands depending on how you’re built.
- Different skeletons create different joint angles.
- Different joint angles change which muscles take that tension.
Two people can lift the same load and get a totally different stimulus. This is why one person feels a squat in the glutes, while another feels it in their quads. Or why one person deadlifts and feels hamstrings and back first, even with solid technique.
When it matters most
You can tell whether your mechanics are actually giving the glutes the work because the feeling/outcome shows up clearly:
- Squats hit quads, not glutes = the squat pattern is biased toward quads (could be anatomy, stance, depth, torso angle, or fatigue changing your pattern).
- Deadlifts light up the back and hamstrings = the hinge is being dominated by erectors/hamstrings (often normal to some degree), but it may not be your best primary glute-builder.
- You add volume and still stall = you’re adding work, but it’s not translating into glute stimulus/recovery the way you need.
That’s where “try going harder” stops working. You need exercises that actually match how your body moves.
Reality check
No single lift is the best glute-builder for everyone. Pelvis shape, femur angle, and torso leverage change your joint angles - and that changes where the tension lands. Instead of piling on more sets, you’ll usually get further by choosing (or adjusting) exercises that actually load the glutes well for your structure. A better exercise selection beats piling on volume.
Also worth knowing:
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Don’t chase a burn - but pay attention to patterns. If your “glute” exercise consistently feels like quads, lower back, or hamstrings doing the work, that’s a clue the setup or exercise isn’t matching you.
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More volume won’t fix the wrong pattern. Extra sets often just grow (and reinforce) the muscles already taking over, while your glutes stay under-loaded.
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Individualisation doesn’t need to be complicated. It means picking 2–3 glute-focused movements you can feel in the right place, progress week to week, and recover from.
Stop guessing
1) Use sensation as data
Ask:
- Where do I feel fatigue first?
- What limits me: glutes, or something else?
If glutes are the goal and they’re never the limiter, you may need a change.
2) Adjust the setup first
Before you ditch the lift, change the variables that affect the load path:
- Stance width and toe angle
- A depth you can control (not depth you survive)
- Trunk angle you can maintain throughout the set
- Range you can own without compensation without shifting, twisting, or “stealing” reps
You’re not forcing a look. You’re finding a position where glutes can contribute.
3) Swap the variation if the pattern stays the same
Stop forcing one lift to do all the work. Match the movement to your structure. Split squats, hinges, abduction work and compounds can all grow glutes, but you’ll need the right mix for your body.
4) Don’t add volume until the lift is doing the job
Save-worthy rule: If you “feel it” everywhere except glutes, change the setup or swap the lift before adding more volume.
5) Keep it consistent long enough to progress
Once you find movements that hit the right target for you, stick with them. Glutes respond to repeatable training, not constant novelty.
Common misconceptions
“If I don’t feel my glutes, they aren’t working”
Not always. But if you consistently feel everything else first, it’s a sign your setup or exercise choice needs adjusting.
“Everyone needs hip thrusts”
They can be useful, but they’re not mandatory. And they won’t load the same tissues equally well for everyone.
“I just need more volume”
Volume helps when the right tissue is doing the work. If the wrong muscles are taking over, more volume often just reinforces the pattern.
If you want a practical, expert-led take on glute building (and whether deadlifts actually belong in your program), check out the BSc Dr. Mac Podcast: “Should you be deadlifting?”
Sports Scientist Dr. Chris McLellan breaks down his Bio Glute Method, what drives real glute development, and who should (and shouldn’t) be deadlifting - plus how he applies these principles in high-performance sport through his business.
