Stephanie Sanzo, an Australian weightlifter and personal trainer, has shared her glute-focused workout on Instagram, where her 3.3 million followers praised her approach. The routine, designed for progressive overload and hypertrophy, includes a mix of machine and free-weight exercises emphasizing the glutes and hamstrings.
The Workout Structure
The session begins with a standing hip thrust machine, performed for 3 sets of 20, 15, and 10 reps. A barbell hip thrust follows at 3 sets of 10 reps. Rack-supported dumbbell Bulgarian split squats come next, done for 3 sets of 12 reps to target the glutes, pelvis, and hamstrings. The hip abduction machine follows with 3 sets of 15 reps, working the outer hips and gluteus medius. The routine finishes with bench-supported single-leg dumbbell RDLs, 3 sets of 20 reps, to overload the hamstrings and glutes.
If a standing hip thrust machine isn’t available, Sanzo suggests standing cable pull-throughs as an alternative. Each exercise uses three sets with short rest periods, building intensity as the workout progresses. Total volume increases significantly, peaking at 60 reps during the RDL finisher.
Exercise Breakdown
The standing hip thrust machine targets the glutes and hamstrings, with 35 reps spread across three sets. The barbell hip thrust builds glute strength and mass, using a bench for upper-body support and maintaining a straight line at the top of the lift. The rack-supported dumbbell Bulgarian split squat isolates the lower body, reducing upper-body involvement for balance while increasing glute engagement through added dumbbell weight.
The hip abduction machine works the outer hips, which are hard to target with free weights. Stronger hip abductors improve core and pelvic stability, aiding mobility and making other glute exercises easier. Adding mass to the gluteus medius also enhances the roundness of the rear. The finisher consists of heavy, bench-supported dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, performed with straight legs and strong glute and core contraction to maximize muscle activation.
Why It Works
Sanzo’s approach reflects the principle of progressive overload, where muscles grow by adapting to increasing demands. Varying rep ranges and combining machine and free-weight exercises challenges the glutes from multiple angles. Short rest periods keep intensity high, promoting hypertrophy and muscular endurance.
