Adding size to glutes and hams

As the title says, I'd like to bring my glutes and hams up. I always trained legs into one day, but for the past 12 months have been splitting quads/calves and hams/glutes. I was doing the following;
 
SLDL
Walking DB Lunges (gym space isn't great so is often broken up ie walk one, way then turn)
Seated leg curls
 
I swapped Glute/hip thrust/bridge thingies for Lunges recently because I was feeling tired in my workouts, but I don't seem to feel much doing them. Apart from feeling in a very odd position, and the pain of the bar pushed through the pad make me not want to up the weights.
 
I know I'm still in fat loss mode so can't expect to gain anything but that will change shortly, so need a plan to add some muscle to this area.
 
Was thinking of going back to Lunges, would regular deads be better than SLDL for this purpose or will I be start to over train my quads because they are involved in both of these?
 

hi gingernut,
 
hope you are well. i think u r right in prioritising your hams and glutes and training them on a seperate day. i did the same this year and feel that i have benefited from it.
 
As for swapping hip thrusts for lunges and wondering about SLDL - i would say just alternate them each workout so that you are constantly mixing up your ham/ glutes routine and shocking the muscle. they are all good exercises in their own right and target the glutes/ ham area but they are going to be more effective if you alternate. As long as you can feel them working and feel sore after.
Like you say though at the moment you are depleted so maybe you will be better able to feel what is working once you are in your off season again.
 
failing that you can always get butt implants!
x
 

Have you got a lying Ham curl machine? It's worth changing that around for the seated sometimes as I think it's easy to recruit other muscles in the seated position. Failing that, what about an ankle strap and curls?
 
I don't think there's a magic exercise for size for hammies and glutes, just keep on pushing :-) Also worth noting deep enough squats work miracles for the a$$!

Ive been been doing the raises and kick backs with ankle strap attached to cable.  it makes my backside BURN specially if pulse for 10 on last rep.
 
want to try the hip raises with a weight but it just looks toooo pervy when you are the only girl in the gym....
 
happy bum burning! :)

Urgh, butt implants. I still have nightmares about the girl competing in the Universe in Southpost a few years ago with implants, most hideous thing ever!!
 
I agree on the separation of glutes from quads and have done this myself. I now do them all together again but start with hamstrings and glutes.
 
Have you considered static lunges rather than walking lunges as you can keep that "constant tension ****e" (to use Fat Petes phrase) on the glutes, it will be less stress on the knees and will overcome your problem with room!!
 
I use our squat machine to do single legged squats with my working leg paced out in front as far as the stand will allow me so that emphasis is placed on the glutes again. I'm also another advocate for cable curls rather than machine one, allows a much better isolation of each hamstring.

Actually - I say there's no magic exercise - I lied  - listen to Kitty - the most improved bit on her that I went WOW about when she won her pro card was her glutes - I remember thinking it when I watched it on DVD!

LOL, that's cos there was less fat on them

Ensure that your glutes are activating.  I did specific glute exercises, lunges, squats etc for four years to no avail...long story short...my glutes were not activating.  I did some very basic tests and failed them abysmally.  I now do specific stretches and exercises every training session to re-train my glutes to work.  Only when I can complete the tests will I consider specific glute exercises. xxx

I only directly target hams and glutes as this is the area that I require the strength and power to get me out of the hole on a heavy ass squat. I do a variety of things including -
 
Wide Stance Box Squats - above/below/ parallel
Good Mornings
Reverse Hypers
One Legged Hypers
Glute Ham Raise
HEAVY & Deep walking lunges
Romanian Dead Lifts
Heavy Ham Curls
I also sumo squat as standard which also means ALL glute and ham drive.

I incorporated deep squats and static lunges into my leg workout yesterday. I found I felt the tension more in the quad of my trail leg, rather than glutes. Infact this was my limiting factor. Is this something to do with not having my weight in the right place?Perhaps I need to lean onto the front leg more?
 
Doms started firstly in quads, and the adductors but is now working around to glutes slowly - but is still mainly in the quadage. Bit worried I'm still not targetting the right area!

Mmm, lunges & squats hit my quads more at the time, soOo damn tight!
I find WIDE sumo squats with a DB held with both hands enables me to recuit glutes better and also SLDL, LoveEe them both!
xx

Was it in the Quad or hip flexor? It might just be the IT Band that's tight and causing the tension. Did you not feel your glute in the front leg though? Not even today?

Hamstrings... I am on the eternal trail to find something that will add size to mine... have found cable leg work REALLY is finally hitting them, though... certainly doing wonders for the medial head of my glutes! 

It was in the front of the quad, from middle to just above knee like a sharp line.. Today I concentrated on keeping my weight over the lead leg and felt it much more in the glute I was pushing on, less on the trailing quad. No significant DOMs today though, suspect deep squats are the exercise that are going to target mine best.
 
Going to look up cable curls vids.

Gingernut, I'm the same as you with lunges - just be careful putting your weight too far forward, make sure your knee is still behind your toe (if that makes sense)

try a single leg glute ham bridge if you find the barbell variation too uncomfortable. all you need is a plate for the weight.

I'm coming along quite well now with heavy SLDLs and putting the weight up on the static lunges now I've gotten the hang of them. I have some nice glute/ham and even lower back DOMs (of the right kind I may add).

Elfin Tan has listed some great exercises or variations of and Glute ham raises would be a favourite of mine, along with deep heavy squats, SLDL. Bugarian squats also hit the glutes very hard. Heavy weighted hyper extensions hit the hamstrings like nothing else although some will probably not like the stress put on the spine.
 
A nice workout would be a giant set (highish reps) of leg curls, glute ham raises and then SLDL if you could handle it for 3 sets.

Cable curls, should they be done lying or standing?
 
Tried them for the first time last night, did them standing facing the cable machine with leg slightly extended out front to start with and did feel like I was getting more isolation although couldn't see how it was different to the seated version!

I think with any seated curl, it's easier to cheat and 'put your back into it', rather than isolating the hams to curl... 
I'm a lying leg curl girl all the way!