Mind Pump Podcast Episode 2807: Secrets To Extreme Butt Growth

Date: March 5, 2026
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
Special Guest: Corinne (Mind Pump Trainer & Bikini Competitor)

Episode Overview

This episode delivers a masterclass on building glute muscles—"Extreme Butt Growth"—diving beyond generic advice to address the nuanced, science-backed methods for optimal results. The hosts and special guest Corinne, a bikini competitor and experienced trainer, deconstruct the most effective exercises (squats and hip thrusts), address common training mistakes, and explain why some struggle to develop the glutes despite consistent efforts. Listeners are also introduced to Mind Pump’s live-streamed Glute Building Masterclass, where Corinne answers the most pressing questions from the community.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Glute Gains Are So Elusive

• Common Issues:
  • Many people perform squats/hip thrusts but fail to see desired glute growth.
  • The main culprits are lack of activation and inadequate calorie/protein intake.
    • Corinne: “I’d say calories and activation are one and two, and you could interchange those. I think they’re probably 50, 50 on what I hear back.” (07:02)
• Frustration Factor:
  • “The activation one can be the most frustrating because you’re doing the work...you just don’t see it.” — Corinne (07:45)
• Progress Plateau:
  • Lifters often add weight to squats but only see quad gains, not glute development.

2. Mastering Glute Activation

• Technique Over Everything:
  • Proper muscle activation (especially the gluteus maximus and glute medius) is essential—good coaching makes all the difference.
    • Adam: “A coach can change your technique and activation in ways that dramatically improve the effect of the exercise.” (09:08)
  • Mental connection (“mind-muscle connection”) is hard to teach without hands-on cues.
    • Corinne: “Tell somebody who squats and they go, 'I don’t feel it in my butt.' You go like, well, think about it ... I’m thinking about it. That’s where this gets a little challenging.” (08:13)
• Glute Medius Activation:
  • Prevents knees from caving in during squats, critical for mechanics and aesthetics.
    • Corinne: “Learning to activate the glute mead, which is responsible for keeping the knees from folding in like that...makes a huge difference.” (14:34)
• Nuances in Cueing:
  • There’s rarely a single issue; multiple tweaks are usually needed.
    • Corinne: “Almost always when I get somebody, it’s never just one thing. It’s a couple of these things that are exacerbating the other ones.” (15:38)

3. The Hidden Importance of Mobility

• Why Mobility Is a Gamechanger:
  • Mobility deficits (hips, ankles, thoracic spine) limit squat depth and glute engagement.
    • Adam: “If you have ankle mobility that is lacking, deep barbell squats...it’s impossible.” (10:03)
    • Justin: “Those little compensations...impede on that communication channel and, to the further point of activation.” (10:50)
  • Compensation patterns (e.g., chest folding forward from poor ankle mobility) can lead to improper loading and potential injury, often making the exercise quad-dominant.
    • Corinne: “[Clients] think that they’re going deeper, but really all they’re really doing is folding over further...they feel all quad dominant because they're leaning forward.” (11:23)
• Bar Placement & Thoracic Mobility:
  • Poor upper-back (thoracic) mobility causes pain/poor mechanics in back squats—bar pads are discouraged, as they alter movement patterns.
    • Adam: “Bar pads are terrible...it raises the center of gravity and actually changes the exercise. And a good coach knows this.” (12:59)
    • Corinne: “Your technique is already...off, and then to think that you’re going to have this proper recruitment pattern that lights the glutes up...is very, very unlikely.” (13:38)

4. Range of Motion & Exercise Specificity

• Optimizing Squats & Hip Thrusts:
  • Deep squats activate glutes best, but quality range of motion is key (not just going lower).
  • Hip thrusts are easier for glute activation but can be limited by setup (bench height, plate size, body type).
    • Adam: “Depending on the size of the plates, the bench, and your form and technique, you can have a short or a long range of motion.” (15:52)
• Practical Tips:
  • For petite individuals, using plates under the feet to increase range in hip thrusts.
  • Importance of bracing the core for stability during both movements.
    • Justin: “Really bracing properly and activating your core...so you’re stabilized, so you can actually have strength in that range.” (16:53)
  • Corinne: “It ends up being low back and hip flexor if you don’t know how to activate that properly.” (17:21)

5. Programming & Nutrition Mastery

• Programming Variables:
  • Corinne will teach:
    • Rep ranges (low, moderate, high) and their purpose.
    • Frequency—how often to perform glute-focused exercises and how to structure volume over time.
    • Proper dose > ‘more is better’ myth.
    • Recovery importance to avoid the “recovery trap” (overtraining with insufficient rest/build time).
      • Corinne: “The frequency at which they’re doing is either not enough or too much...you get stuck in that thing that Sal likes to talk about: the recovery trap.” (18:43)
• Diet is Non-Negotiable:
  • Even perfect training won’t yield results if nutrition is lacking—especially true for women, who often underfuel.
    • Adam: “You could do all the right things, but if you’re not feeding yourself properly, nothing’s going to happen.” (17:26)
  • Corinne: “This is probably...the programming or the nutrition or more often than not both.” (18:43)

6. Practical Encouragement

• Glutes Are Trainable for All:
  • “The glutes are not a hard muscle to grow. They’re very responsive…this is not one of those parts of the body where, you know, you find it notoriously difficult for some people to develop…Glutes grow. If you do it right, you feed yourself, they’ll grow. It happens 100% of the time.” — Adam (19:50)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Squatting and Glute Activation:
  • “You may be squatting, you may be doing all the right things. The squat doesn’t hurt you in a bad way…My quads look great. My butt looks no different whatsoever. What’s going on?” — Adam (08:57)
• On Multiple Issues Overlapping:
  • “Almost always when I get somebody, it’s never just one thing. It’s a couple of these things that are exacerbating the other ones that result in this person who just cannot feel it in their butt.” — Corinne (15:38)
• Busting Excuses Around Genetics:
  • “If you’re tuning in and you’re like, it’s just not happening…this is not one of those parts of the body where you find it notoriously difficult…Glutes grow. If you do it right, you feed yourself, they’ll grow. It happens 100% of the time.” — Adam (19:50)

Key Segments & Timestamps

| Time | Segment / Key Point | |---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Introduction to Glute Masterclass and what it will cover, importance of technique/activation | | 04:59 | Deep dive into form: squats vs. hip thrusts, muscle recruitment, why some miss glute gains | | 06:42 | Discussion of common client challenges: activation, calories, and frustration points | | 10:03 | The role of mobility: how limitations derail technique and results | | 12:12 | How poor mobility leads to compensation and possible injury, bar placement issues | | 14:34 | Nuances in glute medius activation and preventing knee collapse | | 15:52 | Hip thrust setup: range of motion, plate/bench/limb length considerations | | 16:53 | Proper bracing and activation to avoid low back/hip flexor fatigue | | 17:26 | Rep ranges, frequency programming, and the necessity of eating enough to grow | | 18:24 | The “recovery trap”: balancing training, recovery, and nutrition | | 19:50 | The glutes: “very responsive”—with the right formula, anyone can build them |

Episode Tone & Language

The discussion is practical, no-nonsense, and encouraging, flavored with the hosts' signature quick wit and real talk. They prioritize actionable advice over hype, cutting through pseudo-science and focusing on what truly drives progress.

Summary Takeaways

• Flawless glute results require more than just “doing squats or hip thrusts”—it is about mastering technique, activation, mobility, and dialing in individualized programming and nutrition.
• Most people hit plateaus because of multiple overlapping issues: lack of glute activation, mobility deficits, or improper diet/programming.
• Effective cueing and self-awareness, plus structured recovery and fueling, can make any “hard gainer” see real results.
• “More” training is not always “better”; the smartest results come from the right mix of effort, technique, and rest.
• With the right tools and knowledge—provided in Corinne’s masterclass—everyone can unlock their glute potential.

For more in-depth tools, watch Corinne’s Glute Masterclass at mindpumpmasterclass.com.