To round out the lower body . We are hitting the glutes and the calves today . So , ladies and men , something for you . Here today in the lifting for muscle series of quick wits , we're going to talk about my four top exercises for building strength and definition to get a big butt , big calves . Whatever you're going for .
Philip PapeWelcome to the Wits and Weights podcast . I'm your host , phillip Pape , and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self mastery by getting stronger , optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition . We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement , metabolism , muscle and mindset with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry , so you can look and feel your absolute best . Let's dive right in . Today we're honing in on the glutes and calves . Sometimes these muscles are overlooked . I do think they get hit pretty well with other movements , but not as much if you don't respond as well to those or you just want even more definition in these areas . I know a lot of the ladies out there want to work on those glutes , even some of us men . I have the opposite problem and I really need bigger calves . We all want to work on these areas .
Philip PapeLet's talk about four exercises today , starting with the glutes . The gluteus maximus is one of the largest and most powerful muscles in the body . It definitely deserves attention . Squats and deadlifts are definitely going to hit them , but if you want some glute-specific movements , we need something that requires squeezing the glutes through hip extension . I'm going to combine two exercises here . Either hip thrusts which I realize are very popular , but they can be a little tricky and the loading is somewhat interesting depending on how strong you are and you don't want to get injured , and trying to get your back in the right place , all that stuff . I like the cable pull-through as a more accessible movement . You put a rope at the bottom of a cable attachment , you stand away from the rack and you just pull through and squeeze the glutes . Honestly , it mimics a kettlebell swing in a way , but you can really load it up and get the tension throughout the movement . That's for hip extension . Number two we have again I'm going to combine a couple things here , but lunges and step-ups . Depending on who you are , you're going to feel it more in the glutes . I like reverse lunges in place , but I also like walking lunges . I'm not a big fan of the forward static lunge . I prefer a reverse lunge or walking lunges . Then also the other thing I mentioned here besides lunges was step-ups . If you have a box , let's say 12 , 18 inches , and you can put a barbell on your back or use dumbbells and step up , you can really get a burn in the glute muscles .
Philip PapeLet's move on to the calves . These can be very stubborn for some of us , just like any other muscle . You need to give them the right amount of stress , stimulus and volume to get them to grow . Here I'm just going to talk about standing versus seated . Standing calf raises target the gastrocnemius muscle . I think I'm pronouncing that right . That's what gives your calf its rounded shape .
Philip PapeWe're going to use either a standing calf raise machine or something like a squat safety bar on your back with a calf block . You could even do donkey calf raises . There's ways to do that , with a barbell or with a machine . Really depends on your equipment situation . You could even hang from a dip belt . You can hang some weight and bend over , holding your arms on a rack and a calf block , and do it that way . There's a lot of ways to hit that . Then we have seated calf raises , which target the soleus or soleus muscle Forgive my Latin . That's located beneath the larger rounded calf muscles , that's the lower part of the muscle that helps with your lower leg aesthetics .
Philip PapeSeated calf raises is just what it sounds like . You sit down and you're basically pressing up with your thighs , either with a home machine or a machine in the gym . There you go . For the glutes , you've got anything with hip extension Make what did I say ? Hip thrust and cable pull throughs . We have lunges and step ups . For the calves , we have standing calf raises and seated calf raises . You might need to get creative with your equipment . There you go Now . Remember , a strong lower body is more than just individual muscle groups . It's really an entire system . If you can work on these separate muscle groups in a complimentary fashion , you'll see overall development , which is what we're going for . Until next time , keep pushing , stay strong .