How to Use the Glutes During Deadlifts

Maintain a flat back throughout the entire lift. Rounding your back will not only potentially lead to injury but also reduces the amount of work your glutes can do because all of the tension is placed on your spinal erector muscles. Start the deadlift with your hips pushed back and your head and chest up. Squeeze your core muscles and glutes hard and pull the bar forcefully off the ground, making sure your back doesn't round or your head and chest drop.

Push your hips through hard at the top of the movement and squeeze your glutes hard, advises Tony Gentilcore, trainer at Cressey Performance. Think about standing tall and finishing the exercise with your glutes. Your glutes are most active in the final part of the deadlift, adds Bret Contreras, author of "Advanced Techniques in Glutei Maximi Strengthening." That final few inches needs to be all about keeping your glutes as tight as possible.

Add glute-focused ancillary exercise into your routine. One of the best options for this is an extra-wide sumo deadlift, says Mike Robertson, powerlifter and owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training. These place more tension on your hips and glutes, boosting glute strength on your regular deadlifts. Another option is rack pulls, where you perform deadlifts with the same technique as usual but from an elevated position by placing the weight plates on boxes or starting with the bar at shin-height in a power rack. Do one deadlift ancillary workout each week.

Take your shoes off. This means the bar has less distance to travel so you don't have to bend down quite so low to start the exercise and engages your glutes more, according to Gentilcore. If your gym won't allow this, buy a pair of deadlifting slippers, flat-soled pumps or minimalist running shoes.