GRACE Jackson has wowed Love Island watchers with her stunning figure since re-entering the villa for this year’s All-Stars series.
The blonde is in a bikini most of the time while in sunny South Africa and has been dedicated to the gym beforehand.
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She revealed she ‘trained her glutes every day’ prior to entering the villa so her bottom was looking extra peachy.
Speaking on TikTok about her 7-day Love Island ‘glow up’, Grace said: “So, every day was glute day because your girl’s back in a bikini.”
The video showed Grace, from Manchester, doing some exercises with her PT, Richard Bromilow, who has previously shared pictures of her incredible transformation over the years.
She’s certainly dedicated to her workouts, but Mark Harris, Fitness Expert at Mirafit, which sells home gym equipment, says to be wary of overtraining the bum.
He told Sun Health: “I recommend training glutes around 2-3 times each week. This is enough to witness fast progress while helping to minimise the risk of injury.”
What exactly are glutes?
Mark says: “The glutes are made up of three different muscles; the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.
“These muscles are responsible for many actions including hip movement and generating power, as a result, they are key focuses for athletes.
“However, bigger glutes have also become a desired aesthetic, with many aiming for this particular body type.”
Mark reveals the key exercises Grace has been using, plus a few more that you’ll want to add to your routine do build on those glutes.
1. Hip thrusts
Grace has posted videos of herself doing hip thrusts in the past.
Mark says: “Hip thrusts are an effective exercise routine as they directly target the glutes.
“For increased intensity, dumbbells or resistance bands can also be incorporated into the routine, adding further difficulty while enhancing the buttocks.”
How to: Start by sitting on the floor with your upper back resting against the edge of a sturdy surface, like a bench or a sofa. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, about hip-width apart, with your heels positioned close to your body.
Press through your heels and lift your hips towards the ceiling, creating a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top of the movement. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down without letting them fully touch the ground.
Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to protect your lower back. Repeat for your desired number of reps.
If you’re new to hip thrusts, start with body weight and focus on proper form before adding resistance. Otherwise, put a dumbbell or barbell across your hips, using a towel underneath for comfort.
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2. Deadlifts
Grace showed she was no stranger to deadlifts.
Mark says: “As deadlifts are hip-dominant exercises, they’re perfect for building glute muscles, in particular the gluteus maximus.
“This routine can also help strengthen the core while also working the back and legs, it’s also a great option for people who struggle with knee injuries, as deadlifts keep knees in a stable position throughout.”
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How to: Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, with a barbell (or dumbbells) positioned in front of you.
Grip the barbell with both hands and as you hinge at the hips to lower the bar down your legs, keeping your back straight, chest lifted and eyes forward (but not lifting your head up).
To come back up, push through your heels and straighten your legs while driving your hips forward, bringing the bar to hip level. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the movement and engage your glutes at the top.
3. Bulgarian split squats
Also in Grace’s video were Bulgarian split squats, which is popular for building the booty.
Mark says: “The hip extension movement involved with split squats makes them a great exercise for working out glute muscles.
“The driving motion of the workout engages the glutes, activating muscles and leading to growth.
“To maintain progress, increasing the intensity through weights or adding more reps is crucial to ensure the body is continuously tested.”
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How to: Step one foot forward and the other foot rested on an elevated surface behind you, like a step, box or bench. Your front foot should be positioned far enough forward so that when you lower into the squat, your front knee stays aligned over your ankle and doesn’t push too far forward.
As your lower your body down by bending your front knee, go as far as your flexibility allows, ideally until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep your chest upright and your core engaged.
Push through the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position, keeping your movements controlled and steady.
Take your time to work on your balance and stability before adding in dumbells in either hand.
4. Leg kickbacks
Grace also does leg kickbacks using the cable machine – but you could manage them at home as well, holding on to a surface.
Mark says: “Leg kickbacks are another effective glute workout, targeting all three muscles and helping to strengthen and tone over time.
“This exercise is also great for the hamstrings and the core, providing a useful way to maintain fitness and strengthen various muscles.”
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How to: Attach an ankle strap to the cable machine and secure it around one ankle. Adjust the cable’s pulley to its lowest setting. Stand facing the machine and hold onto the frame or handles for stability.
Take a small step back to create tension in the cable, and slightly hinge forward at the hips while keeping your back straight and core engaged.
Kick your working leg back while your front foot is planted firmly on the floor. Squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement.
5. Squats
Would it be a bum workout without squats?
Mark says: “One of the most popular glute routines is squats as they’re often considered one of the most effective exercises for targeting and strengthening the gluteus muscles.”
He adds that squats “work all three gluteal muscles at the same time, offering a quick and easy way to boost buttock size and strength”.
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How to: To do sumo squats, start by standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outward at about a 30–45-degree angle. Keep your chest upright, shoulders back, and core engaged.
Bend your knees and push your hips back as you lower your body towards the ground. Keep your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes, avoiding caving the knee inwards.
Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as your flexibility allows), then press through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
You can hold a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands in front of you.
6. Step-ups
Grab a box and some dumbells for step ups – if you want to add some intensity.
Mark says: “They can help improve coordination and balance, offering an extremely beneficial workout.
“Like all of these workouts, step-ups can be completed from the comfort of people’s homes, allowing them to work towards their fitness goals in a home gym, without the need for costly gym memberships.”
How to: Use a sturdy surface like a bench, step, or box that is about knee-height. Place one foot on the step, push through your heel to lift your body up onto the step, bringing your other foot to meet the first.
Avoid using momentum—focus on engaging your leg muscles to perform the movement. Step back down with the same leg you started with, returning to the starting position.
Hold dumbells in either hand for added resistance.
Things to keep in mind…
Mark gave some tips to help avoid common mistakes that will stunt your progress.
Increase intensity
Mark says: “To keep building the size of glutes, people will need to gradually increase reps or weight-resistance during exercises, to ensure the body is constantly tested.
“This can lead to increased muscle growth and prevents the body from hitting a ‘ceiling’ from continuous workouts that offer no real challenge.”
Include compound exercises
Mark says: “Focusing on a range of compound exercises – routines that activate multiple muscle groups – is key for noticeable progress.
“As mentioned, exercises such as squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts are great ways of targeting the glutes while improving general fitness.
“Through these routines, people can maintain a healthy lifestyle while working towards their goal of enhanced glutes.”
Recover!
Mark says: “While continued training is key for strengthening and increasing the size of glute muscles, it’s also important to be mindful of recovery periods, taking the necessary time between workouts to allow the body to recharge.
“This can help avoid injury, which can limit progress. I recommend aiming for around three to four workouts a week, and seven to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.”