Best Glutes and Hip Muscles Building Exercises

Doing a dumbbell push press properly can target various muscles differently. Primarily, you use your glutes and hip muscles when doing the exercise. But you also engage your upper body muscles such as forearms. This article gives a detailed list of muscles that you work when doing the push press workouts. In addition to that, it also outlines the steps that you take when doing the push press workout.

Those who cannot differentiate the push press from other exercises are also catered for. For instance, the article explains the difference between the push press and the thrusters. Why should you be doing push press? The article gives benefits to the push press.

Dumbbell Push Press Muscles Worked.

The push press dumbbells work several muscles from your upper body and as well as from the lower body. Therefore, if you are doing the dumbbell push press exercise, you will be hitting the following muscles;

1. Glutes – The glutes muscle are located on your butt. Therefore, when you do the dumbbell push press, you primarily target those muscles. Having the glutes in good condition makes it easy to flex your hip muscles.
2. Hamstring – You also give your hamstring a good workout as you dip your body. The hamstrings are hip muscles that are responsible for stabilizing your knee. In addition to that, the hamstrings make it easy for you to do your daily walking, running, and jogging movements.
3. Calf muscles – You also engage your calves when doing this exercise. The exercises strengthen those muscles.
4. Quads – The quads muscles help your thighs as they go down and up. Therefore, the quads are also exercised when doing the dumbbell push press.
5. Forearms – The forearms play a critical role in lifting the dumbbells. Therefore, they also get strengthened as you do the exercise.
6. Triceps – These are the other muscles that you also work when lifting the weight over your head.
7. Deltoids – you engage your shoulder muscles a lot as you lift the weight and lowering it down. This exercise can make your delts strong and develop muscle mass.
8. Core – the dumbbell works your core muscles. If you have heavier dumbbells, the more you develop your core muscles.
9. Trapezius – the trapezius keeps your shoulder muscles stable. This is another muscle that gets exercised when doing the dumbbells push press.

Dumbbell Push Press Benefits.

Besides working quite a number of muscles, the dumbbell push press benefits are many. The workout works the upper and lower body muscles. It is also good for strengthening those muscles. By doing this exercise, you can also add muscle mass to your various muscles mentioned above.

The way you hold the dumbbells when doing this exercise makes your upper body free. It reduces pressure on your shoulders. In addition to that, the dumbbells are easier to control than the barbell.

Single Arm Workout

This is a strength exercise that is also known as the one arm dumbbell push press. In addition to that, it is a standing dumbbell push press workout. The difference is that you will be using one dumbbell in one instead of using two dumbbells with both of your hands. This workout hits the quads, abs, delts, and almost the entire body. To do the exercise; follow the instructions;

1. Holding a dumbbell in one hand, stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart. Bend your elbow with the palm facing away. From your body.
2. Lower your body to a squat position.
3. Rise up and press the dumbbell up above your head.
4. Lower your body to a squat position and repeat as much as you can.

Dumbbell Push Press Vs Thruster.

The two exercises work similar muscles such as the delts, traps, and many others. The dumbbell push press appears to be similar to thrusters, but they are different. When doing thrusters you do a front squat and then rise to drive the weight up above your head in one motion.

But you don’t do a full squat when doing the dumbbell push press exercise. The thruster is a bit difficult compared to the push press due to a full squat motion while carrying weight. Therefore, you should be careful when doing the two exercises.

Dumbbell Push Press Vs Shoulder Press.

The push press and the shoulder press work similar muscles. However, the two exercises differ in terms of the form and posture when exercising. For instance, when doing the push press, you dip your body to do a mini squat. But when doing the shoulder press, you keep your body upright and you don’t bend or dip it.

In addition to that, there is a difference in arm positions.  With the push press; your arms will be in front of you around the chest area. Then when you are doing a shoulder press, the arms will be by your sides with the upper arms parallel to the ground.

Therefore, the two exercises are different, and they also hit the shoulder muscles differently due to the above reasons. Primarily, the push press works the glutes muscles while the shoulder press works the deltoids. The push press also works the shoulder muscles but not the same as the shoulder press exercise.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press.

The dumbbell shoulder press is a strength exercise that primarily targets the shoulder muscles such as the deltoids. It is good for strengthening the upper body muscles and adding muscle mass. You can do the exercise either seated or standing.

You can still hit the same muscles regardless of your position. This exercise is also known as the standing dumbbell shoulder press if you are doing it standing on your feet. To do the exercise, follow the instructions below;

1. While holding dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart distance.
2. Raise the dumbbells up so that the upper arms are parallel to the ground and the upper arm forming a 90-degree angle. Keep the upper arm and the palms facing forward.
3. Then press the weight up above the head or until the arms are fully stretched.
4. Lower the dumbbells to the starting position where your upper arm is parallel to the ground.
5. Repeat the moves as much as you can.

Dumbbell Push Jerk.

The dumbbell push jerk exercises target the quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and other hip muscles. In addition to that, it also works the shoulders, core, forearms, and traps. It is a good exercise that works many major muscles from the upper and lower body. To do the exercise, follow the steps below.

1. Stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart and hold dumbbells in your hands. Make sure that the arms are bent in front of you with dumbbells resting on your shoulders.
2. Bend your knees as if you are squatting and jump your body keeping the feet on the floor. Press the weight up above your head as you jump.
3. Return your body and arms to the starting position.
4. Repeat the moves as much as you can.

Dumbbell Press.

The dumbbell press workout is also known as the dumbbell bench press. This exercise targets the chest, shoulders, and arms muscles. It strengthens the upper body muscles and makes them leaner. You can use a barbell as a substitute to dumbbells. To do the exercise, follow the instructions below;

1. Lie on a bench facing upward and keep your feet planted on the ground.
2. Grasp the dumbbells with an overhand grip. Keep your palms facing forward.
3. Bring the arms to your body side so that the upper arm is parallel to the ground with a lower arm in a straight position.
4. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully stretched.
5. Return the arms to the starting position.
6. Repeat the moves to reach your desired number of sets and reps.

Dumbbell Thrusters.

The dumbbell thrusters target the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. In addition to that, it also works the core, shoulders, arms, and upper back muscles. You can use the barbell as a substitute for the dumbbells.

1. While holding dumbbells in your hands, stand with your feet at shoulder-width distance apart.
2. Bend your arms so that the elbows are pointing on the ground with dumbbells near your shoulders in front of you.
3. Bend your knees and bring your body down to a squat position until the thighs are parallel to the ground.
4. Rise up and press the dumbbells up until they are above your head.
5. Then bend your arms to the starting position.
6. Repeat the move to reach the number of your desired sets and reps.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the dumbbell push press form can be mistaken for other exercises such as the thrusters. But you should always remember that you don’t do a full squat when doing the push press, you just dip your body a bit and then rise to press the weight up.

The push press targets the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves more than the upper body muscles. But it also works the upper body muscles such as the shoulders and forearms. Executing the push press properly makes it easy to work the targeted muscles. The above paragraphs differentiate clearly the push press from other exercises such as the thrusters and shoulder press.

How have you been doing the push press workout? Share your thoughts and experiences below.