They way I see it when your 8-month old is up most of the night coughing and battling his first cold, and you’re not really that inspired to write something “meaty,” there’s only one direction to take things:

The glutification of glutes.

 

Standing Band Hip Thrust

 

Who Did I Steal It From: Who else? The Glute Guy himself (and the guy that every guys hates because they’re not him), Bret Contreras.

What Does It Do?: Makes your butt feel swole.

In more professional or scientific terms: it’s a fantastic exercise that trains the glutes in a more posteroanterior fashion.

It also serves as a “different” way to train the Hip Thrust with bands if you don’t have access to a Hip Thrust apparatus (or don’t feel like dilly-dallying with a cumbersome setup via a bench, band(s), and a bunch of DBs.

But, mostly, it makes your butt feel swole.

Key Coaching Cues: Using as thick of a band as you want, set it (or them) up by wrapping them around a pair of J-hooks on the squat or power rack. You’ll then reach for the far end of the rack and situate yourself far enough forward so you feel enough tension coming from the band.

Holding on, push your hips back until you feel a nice stretch in the hamstrings and then thrust those bad boys back home making sure to squeeze your glutes in the standing position with each repetition.

For added effect, you can match the cadence of each rep with some sort of quote:

Spar……..ta………Spar…….ta…….Spar……..ta.

Or, I don’t know…..

You……Don’t……Want…….None…….Of…….This.

Depends on how awkward you want to make things.

Nevertheless, I’ve been playing around with these myself and like them. I do prefer to use then for high(er) reps (15-20) and I think they’re best served as part of 3-4 exercise glute finisher.