This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
Get a Stronger, Toned Butt with Harley Pasternak's Top Exercises ¶
Harley Pasternak, celebrity trainer to the likes of Ariana Grande, Nina Dobrev, and Behati Prinsloo, swears by a range of exercises to strengthen and tone the glutes. Published on September 16, 2019, Pasternak's approach focuses on unilateral movements, which work both sides of the body equally, and targeting the gluteus medius, the often-neglected side glutes.
"Squats aren’t a great glute exercise at all, so I don’t do squats with my clients," Pasternak explains in an interview with Women's Health. Instead, he recommends unilateral exercises like lunges, lateral lunges, and side lunges, which create an unbalanced environment for the body, engaging the core and challenging the glutes.
When it comes to sculpting the glutes, Pasternak emphasizes the importance of working from above and below, targeting the lower back and hamstrings. Strong hamstrings lift the glutes up, while a stable lower back supports them.
Pasternak's top glute exercises include:
- Lunge: Stand up tall, take a large step forward, and lower your body until your legs form 90-degree angles.
- Lateral Lunge: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, take a large step to the left, and lower down until your left knee is nearly parallel with the floor.
- Skater Lunge: Stand with both feet flat on the floor, cross your right leg behind your left leg, and bend your left knee into a half-squat position.
- Superman: Lie on your stomach, extend your arms in front of you and legs behind you, and lift your legs and arms at the same time.
- Alternating Superman: Lie on your stomach, extend your arms in front of you and legs behind you, and lift your opposite arm and leg at the same time.
- Glute Bridge: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and press into your heels to raise your hips toward the ceiling.
- Hamstring Curl With Sliders: Lie flat on your back, engage your hamstrings, and bring your feet toward your butt.
- Deadlift: Hold two dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet hip-width apart, and press your hips back as you hinge at the waist and lower the dumbbells toward the floor.
Remember, genetics also play a role in determining the shape and size of the glutes, so don't be too hard on yourself if you don't see immediate results.
