Glutes
Glutes are the strongest and longest muscle group in your body, commonly referred to as hips or the butt. There are three muscles which make up the glutes region: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. If you spend most of your time sitting, it's likely that your glutes are weak or underworked. Having weak glutes puts you at risk for developing gluteal amnesia, which is when your glutes forget how to function properly. If your glutes aren't working properly, it can affect your ability to move and cause knee and low back pain.
Reverse Lunge
Barbell / Dumbbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 41 kg
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Novice - 65 kg
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Intermediate - 95 kg
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Advanced - 131 kg
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Elite - 172 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Start by standing straight and bracing your core muscles.
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Then take a giant step backwards with your left foot. Bend your right knee until it’s at 90°, and lower your left knee until it is also bent at a right angle.
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Then push back up and return to the starting position.
Make sure you keep your torso upright throughout the movement. You can opt to alternate legs with your reps, or do all of them on one leg before switching to the other.
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You can also use dumbbells instead of a barbell if you prefer.
Glute Bridge
Body Weight
Strength Standards
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Beginner - ,<1
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Novice - 8
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Intermediate - 38
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Advanced - 79
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Elite - 127
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Lie face up on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms at your side with your palms down.
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Lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line. Squeeze those glutes hard and keep your abs drawn in so you don’t overextend your back during the exercise.
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Hold your bridged position for a couple of seconds before easing back down.
You should feel the burn in your glutes and your hamstrings if you’re doing it correctly.
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You can also use a barbell for this exercise (See Below.)
Glute Bridge
Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 35 kg
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Novice - 69 kg
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Intermediate - 117 kg
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Advanced - 178 kg
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Elite - 248 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Lay flat on your back.
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Roll a barbell over your legs and let it rest where your hips bend. Consider using a pad that wraps around the barbell to cushion the weight against your body.
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Bend your knees 90 degrees, so they point up to the ceiling.
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Keep your feet flat on the floor.
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Place your hands around the barbell.
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Use your heels to push your hips upward while you hold the barbell. Your shoulders and head will remain flat on the floor. Your knees should still point upward, with your body forming a straight line from your shoulders to your hips. You may feel your abdominal muscles tightening while moving into this position.
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Hold this upward position for a few seconds, then slowly release back to the floor.
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This exercise shouldn't be confused with a 'Hip Thrust' (See Below.)
Hip Thrust
Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 40 kg
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Novice - 77 kg
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Intermediate - 130 kg
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Advanced - 195 kg
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Elite - 270 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Sit on the ground with a bench behind you, bending your knees so your feet are planted on the ground and holding a barbell resting below your hips - If you have a padded bar, or anything you can slip in between the bar and your body, it will go a long way to making the exercise more comfortable.
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Lean back so your shoulders are on the bench and position the bar above your hips.
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Drive your hips up lifting the bar. In the top position your knees should be bent at 90° and your shoulders should be near the top of the bench, with your body forming a straight line between them.
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Pause at the top of the lift and squeeze your glutes, then lower your hips slowly.
Back Squat
Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 63 kg
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Novice - 92 kg
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Intermediate - 129 kg
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Advanced - 172 kg
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Elite - 218 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Set a barbell in a power rack to shoulder height.
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Get under the barbell, set the bar across your upper traps, or set the bar across your shoulder blades if you’re performing low-bar squats.
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Brace your core and lift the weight out of the rack.
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Take small steps back one foot at a time to get yourself into position.
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With your chest up, squat down until the bottoms of your thighs are parallel to the floor.
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Drive back up by pushing your feet through the floor.
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The back squat is a compound exercise that challenges every muscle in the legs and doesn't just target the glutes.
Deadlift
Conventional Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 77 kg
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Novice - 111 kg
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Intermediate - 152 kg
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Advanced - 199 kg
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Elite - 250 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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To get into position, push your hips back as you reach down for the bar. Allows the knees to bend naturally. If you are tall, have long legs, or limited hip flexion abilities, you may want to elevate the bar with a small box under each weight plate.
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Once you have made contact with the bar, secure your grip and engage your abdominals.
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Drive through the floor.
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As you push through the floor with your quads, drive your hips forward as you reach the top.
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Return safely back to the starting position by hinging at the hip and controlling the bar as it returns back to the ground.
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The conventional deadlift — the king of all deadlift variations — It challenges the muscles around the hip, knee, and ankle. It also taxes the muscles surrounding your wrist, elbow, and shoulder to hold the barbell, but those joints do not contribute directly to the range of motion. As it has a primary focus on hip extension, it can be used while training back, legs,
Sumo Deadlift
Barbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 86 kg
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Novice - 120 kg
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Intermediate - 163 kg
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Advanced - 212 kg
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Elite - 265 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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To get into position, set your feet just outside of hip-width, with your toes pointed out around 30 degrees.
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From there, push your hips back as you reach down for the bar. Allows the knees to bend naturally as you reach down for the bar.
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Secure your grip, engage your abdominals, and maintain a neutral head position.
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Engage the upper back muscles along with the abdominals to help protect the spine and support the torso; then, drive through the floor.
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As you drive through the floor, drive your hips forward as you reach the top.
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Return safely back to the starting position by hinging at the hip and controlling the bar as it returns back to the floor.
The sumo deadlift is a widely used exercise with many benefits, especially when it comes to adding strength and size to the lower body. This deadlift variation has the lifter take a wider stance compared to the conventional
Goblet Squat
Dumbbell
Strength Standards (1RM)
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Beginner - 12 kg
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Novice - 24 kg
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Intermediate - 41 kg
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Advanced - 63 kg
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Elite - 88 kg
Based on an 80kg Male Lifter, for more strength standards we recommend you visit strengthlevel.com
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Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width, your toes pointed slightly outward, and your hands out in front of you.
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Push your butt back, hinge at your hips, and bend your knees as you lower into a squat. Your knees should drive out to the sides with control.
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Continue to lower yourself as low as you can go without discomfort.
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Return to a standing position by driving into your heels and squeezing your glutes to extend your knees and hips with control. Keep driving your knees outward throughout the movement until you’re back in the starting position.
