Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

2770: 4 Reasons Your Butt Isn't Growing !

January 12, 2026

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  • Building the glutes requires focusing on main, heavy compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts, rather than relying on volume builders like kickbacks or abductions. 
  • True 'lifting heavy' for muscle growth necessitates long rest periods (around three minutes) to train the anaerobic energy system, as short rest periods favor stamina and endurance over size. 
  • The desire to simultaneously build the butt and shrink the waist (achieve a six-pack) is playing on 'hard mode'; it is more effective to focus on a calorie surplus (bulking) to build the butt first, then lean out. 

Segments

Introduction and Masterclass Plug
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(00:00:45)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode focuses on four common mistakes hindering glute growth, highlighted by a free Build Your Butt Masterclass.
  • Summary: The Mind Pump podcast hosts introduce the episode’s focus: identifying and correcting the four most common reasons people fail to build their glutes. They promote a free Build Your Butt Masterclass taught by Adam and Corinne Schmiedhauser. Sponsors like Legion Athletics and a New Year promotion for MAPS programs are also mentioned.
Wrong Exercises for Glutes
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(00:02:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Glute development relies on main, heavy exercises, not volume builders like kickbacks or abductions, which only provide sensation without substantial growth stimulus.
  • Summary: The glutes consist of the maximus, minimus, and medius, requiring exercises that build size rather than just working the muscle. Main exercises (squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts) are the foundation for building glutes, while volume builders only add supplementary work. Focusing on just two or three main lifts and getting strong at them yields far better results than prioritizing numerous isolation movements.
Not Lifting Heavy Enough
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(00:09:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Lifting heavy involves challenging weights for 5-12 reps with long rest periods (three minutes) to train the anaerobic system, which promotes muscle fiber growth.
  • Summary: Lifting heavy is defined by programming that includes long rest periods to allow for full replenishment of the anaerobic energy system. Training in the aerobic range (high reps, short rest, feeling the burn) discourages the body from building larger muscle fibers. Experts like Bret Contreras emphasize that strength, trained via low-rep, heavy lifting, directly correlates with muscle size in the glutes.
Not Eating in a Calorie Surplus
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(00:17:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Building glute size necessitates eating in a calorie surplus with adequate protein (one gram per target body weight pound) and carbohydrates, despite the common desire to stay lean.
  • Summary: It is nearly impossible to simultaneously build significant muscle mass and achieve extreme leanness; attempting both puts training on ‘hard mode.’ Focusing on a dedicated bulking phase for 6-8 weeks by consistently eating in a surplus is the most effective path to glute growth. Gaining a little weight, even if some is body fat, is necessary for muscle accrual, and the resulting hip-to-waist ratio illusion can make the waist appear smaller.
Inability to Connect to Glutes
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(00:22:03)
  • Key Takeaway: If squats primarily activate the quads due to prior dominance from activities like running, hip thrusts become the superior exercise for direct glute connection and growth.
  • Summary: Many individuals are quad-dominant, causing squats to build leg size without significantly impacting the glutes, even with good form. Hip thrusts are often superior for those who cannot feel their glutes during squats because they force glute activation. A balanced routine should incorporate hip thrusts, squats, and deadlifts, prioritizing hip thrusts if glute connection is poor in squats.