The squat is widely recognized as a foundational movement in strength training, and the straightforward answer to whether it builds glutes is a resounding yes. This multi-joint exercise engages numerous muscles across the lower body, making it highly effective for developing strength and size. This analysis explains the science of how the squat recruits the gluteal muscles and how specific technique modifications can maximize their involvement for optimal growth.
Muscle Groups Activated During a Squat
The squat is a compound movement that requires coordinated action from muscles crossing the ankle, knee, and hip joints. While the quadriceps are often identified as the primary mover, responsible for knee extension, the gluteal complex plays an equally important role as the major hip extensor. This complex consists of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.
The gluteus maximus, the largest muscle, is heavily recruited during the upward phase of the squat to drive hip extension. The gluteus medius and minimus contribute significantly to hip abduction and rotation. They provide stability to the pelvis, preventing the knees from collapsing inward during the movement. Glute recruitment becomes progressively greater as the hips descend and the body prepares for the ascent.
Gluteus maximus recruitment is maximized at the bottom of the squat, where the muscle is fully stretched. Driving out of this position requires the glutes to generate the most force to complete hip extension. This biomechanical function confirms the glutes’ necessity for a successful squat and establishes the basis for their development.
Technique Adjustments for Targeting Glutes
To shift the emphasis of the squat toward the gluteal muscles, several technique adjustments can be implemented. The most significant factor influencing gluteus maximus activation is squat depth. Squatting below parallel, where the hip crease drops lower than the top of the knee, places the glutes under a greater stretch. Studies suggest this full depth allows the gluteus maximus to contribute a significantly greater percentage of total muscle activity compared to partial squats.
Adjusting the foot placement is another effective way to increase glute recruitment. Employing a slightly wider stance than shoulder-width and pointing the toes outward approximately 15 to 30 degrees can increase gluteal activation compared to a narrow stance. This wider, externally rotated position promotes greater hip abduction and external rotation, functions directly controlled by the glutes. Research indicates that a wider stance can increase gluteal activation.
The angle of the torso also plays a role in glute involvement, largely dictated by the bar position. A low-bar back squat requires a greater forward lean of the torso, increasing the moment arm at the hip. This forward lean shifts the movement to be more hip-dominant, placing a higher demand on the gluteus maximus and hamstrings for hip extension. In contrast, a high-bar position encourages a more upright torso, which emphasizes the quadriceps.
Actionable cues can help reinforce these biomechanical changes. Actively focusing on “pushing the knees out” against an imaginary or actual resistance helps to engage the gluteus medius and minimus for better hip stability. Furthermore, focusing on “driving through the heels” during the ascent can help ensure the power is generated through the posterior chain, maximizing gluteal contribution as you stand up.
Squats Versus Dedicated Glute Builders
While squats are highly effective for glute development, they exist within a spectrum of exercises that target the gluteal muscles. Squats are primarily a strength-building movement that trains the glutes under a stretched position at the bottom of the repetition. Other exercises specifically designed for glute hypertrophy often provide a different stimulus that complements the squat.
The Barbell Hip Thrust, for instance, focuses on training the glutes in a maximally shortened or contracted position at the top of the movement. Electromyography (EMG) studies often show that the hip thrust elicits a higher peak gluteus maximus activation than the back squat, especially in the final phase of hip extension. This difference in activation profile suggests that the hip thrust excels at building the glutes through peak contraction, whereas the squat builds them through a stretch under load.
Movements like the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) target the glutes and hamstrings by placing them under significant stretch at the hip joint. This stretch under load is another mechanism for muscle growth that differs from the squat’s balanced use of the hip and knee joints. For maximum glute hypertrophy, combining the foundational strength and stretch of the squat with the targeted peak contraction of an exercise like the hip thrust is the most comprehensive approach.