If you want to grow your glutes, and you’ve looked around online for tips, you’ve almost certainly come across hip thrusts.

But are they better than squats for getting a bigger butt? Should you do squats or hip thrusts? 

Well, after years of speculation among booty-building enthusiasts, we now have a scientific study that directly compared hip thrusts and squats in terms of hypertrophy.

And I thought, who better to discuss this study than “The Glute Guy” himself, Dr. Bret Contreras. Not only is Bret a glute training expert, but as the cherry on top (or should I say peach?), he was actually one of the head honchos involved in conducting the study.

In case you're not familiar with Bret, he's a PhD in Sports Science, renowned researcher, educator, bestselling author, and a personal trainer for over two decades, whose title "The Glute Guy" reflects his unmatched expertise in lower body training, making him the foremost authority on building a great butt. 

Our discussion includes . . .

- The surprising results of the hip thrust versus squats study, including how they compare for glute hypertrophy and non-specific strength transfer

- Bret's take on a potentially fabricated study that stirred the fitness community

- The benefits and challenges of studying beginner trainees

- An exploration of training the glutes at varied muscle lengths

- The relationship between EMG studies and muscle hypertrophy

-The importance of technique over "feeling the burn" in compound movements

- Nuanced insights into the complexities of muscle growth mechanisms

- Practical strategies for those seeking to optimize their glute training

- And more . . .

So, if you want to learn about the nuances of glute training and how to grow a bigger butt, or want to know what the science says about hip thrusts versus squats, don’t miss this episode! 

Timestamps:

(2:39) - Why was this research essential, and what drove its inception?

(13:59) - What's the rationale behind focusing on novice trainees?

(17:58) - How would outcomes differ with more advanced lifters?

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(28:59) - The role of EMG in predicting muscle hypertrophy.

(31:42) - EMG's Relevance in Bodybuilding Science

(35:04) - How does this study redefine our understanding of biomechanics and other exercises?

(39:22) - What larger impacts does this study have on fitness research?

(45:13) - Additional insights from the findings and final thoughts.

(49:35) - How to connect with Bret Contreras and his work.

Mentioned on the Show:

The study: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.06.21.545949v1

Bret Contreras’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bretcontreras1/

Bret Contreras’s Website: https://bretcontreras.com/