Glute Lab: The Art and Science of Strength and Physique Training Hardcover – September 17, 2019

I wanted to completely finish reading this before leaving a review just to make sure the whole thing was as good as the beginning, and quite honestly, it was even better than expected. This has to be the most complete and comprehensive book on glutes ever conceived. (It might also be the most helpful book about training that I’ve ever read.) There is NOTHING about the glutes that isn’t covered here: anatomy, mechanics, functionality, training, sample workouts, exercise descriptions. Bret goes into how he constructs (and personalizes) workouts for his clients, so if you’re looking to create your own workout, this will tell you how. He not only goes into the how but the why behind each recommendation, so you understand every exercise and variation and how it will work for you (which I find makes my workouts more productive). I am NOT any kind of fitness competitor or athlete; I’m just a normal woman who would like her hips and back to stop hurting (and who wouldn’t mind regaining the fullness I once had round back). I work out in my basement, and I don’t have a lot of equipment, but I’ve been following the programs in Bret’s other book, Strong Curves, for about 4 months, and the gains I’ve made in strength are pretty damn amazing. I can only see those gains increasing after reading Glute Lab. This book was admittedly quite dense and I wondered how long it was going to take me to read, but it goes quickly, and it kept me riveted the whole time. The writing style is personable and although the content gets scientific, it’s never hard to understand. There are excellent descriptions and photos of all the exercises, and the infographics make pertinent information easy to find. If you’re a fan of Bret’s work, or if you’re just hungry for quality information on glute growth, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.

What a great training guide that focuses on the glutes. Contreras has made a career out of studying the glues and it comes across in so much detail and practical guidance about how to structure workouts. I'm in it for the strength gains applies to golf as well as general fitness as an older adult, not the aesthetics or body buiilding which seems to be the primary target for the book. But my glutes are recovering some of that "buns of steel" quality I had in my youth, and I think this book can help older people prevent falls too. Bret Contreras, Ph.D. is a good follow on YouTube and Instagram. The book is very readable, with extensive photos and graphics, as well as a variety of recommended training schedules and alternative exercises for overall fitness. The book is relatively expensive, but I have no buyer's remorse.

I started my weightlifting journey with Strong Curves back in 2014 I wanted a better body, and the trainers I paid got me no results. The information on getting women results was pretty limited to high reps and low weight, Bret’s book changed the game. I continued my education in college as an Exercise Science major. Now as a personal trainer myself, Bret’s influences from his book were always utilized in my program development. With his latest book he goes further in depth about muscle development in general and really gets to the meat of glute training. Which is revolutionary, there was no information in this area, and I’d always wanted a better looking butt as have many of my clients. I feel like this is a must for anyone in the strength and conditioning community. I mean anyone! It expands on knowledge you already have, and for someone just learning about weightlifting mechanics or new the the names of anatomy, it does a good job of breaking it down and not overly complicated. It also explains program design and progressive over loading. Which is something that personal training courses completely overlooked in their certification programs. Glutes have never been a priority for most big name body builders that have put out information guides, they were completely unaware of how they built their own glutes, and some are just genetically gifted. From someone that had potential to build from nothing to actually seeing progress to having the look I want with fuller rounded glutes— I highly recommend picking this up. It’s not an over night fix, but you’ll see results quickly and it will take consistency and years in to develop to your full potential. But it is achievable!

After Arnold, no-one one has had a bigger impact on the weight training world than Bret Contreras. His invention and popularizing of the hip thrust exercise, and of glute training in general, has radically changed whats going on inside gyms around the world. Not just for women; even the guys have caught on now. At my gym the hip thrusters are now being used by bikini competitors, male bodybuilders and StrongMen competitors alike.That said, don't fall into the trap of thinking that the "Glute Guy" only knows glute training. Contreras does active research on training in general, and his general teachings has relevance for all muscle groups. The book is a well of information, containing both theory and practical advice, and even though it goes enough in depth to satisfy even fitness nerds like me, it is written in a very accessible style.If you're at all interested in glute training, the book is worth buying for the chapter with exercise descriptions / tips alone. It covers all glute exercises you can think of, as well as general lower body exercises like squats with variations, deadlifts with variations, lunges with variations, etc. But that is only a small part of the book; it also contains theory about what makes muscles grow, about diet, and even lays out complete training programs, which is something many training book authors often skimp on.I suppose what best sums up how good I think the book is, is the fact that I've ordered 18 more copies; one for each of my coaching colleagues. :)