Marvin’s Top 3 Glute Machines for Maximum Glute Development
When it comes to building strong, well-developed glutes, exercise order and machine selection matter. If you’re searching for the best glute machines for glute growth, this guide breaks down exactly how Marvin structures his training for maximum results. Marvin’s approach focuses on warming up, activating, and then progressively loading the glutes so they’re doing the work, not your knees, quads, or lower back.
Below are Marvin’s top 3 glute machines, designed to be used one after the other in a single session to prime, load, and fully fatigue the glutes for optimal growth.
1. Body Iron Commercial Pro Adductor & Abductor Machine (Best Glute Activation Machine)
Why Marvin recommends it:
Marvin starts every glute-focused session with this machine because of its exceptional range of motion. Compared to many adductor and abductor machines found in local gyms, the Body Iron Commercial Pro model allows a much larger movement range, which is crucial for proper muscle activation.
A limited range often means the glutes never fully engage. This machine solves that problem by allowing you to open and close through a deeper, more natural arc, helping to switch the glutes on before heavier compound movements.
Key benefits for glute development:
- Larger range of motion compared to standard gym machines
- Excellent for warming up the hip abductors and adductors
- Helps improve hip stability and knee tracking
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Reduces the risk of knee valgus in later exercises
Why it matters
Activating your glutes before squats or hip thrusts improves mind–muscle connection and ensures the glutes take the load — not your quads or knees.
👉 View the machine: Body Iron Commercial Pro Adductor & Abductor Machine
2. Body Iron Front Squat & Hack Squat Machine (Commercial V2) – Heavy Glute Builder
Once the glutes are activated, Marvin moves onto a more free-weight-style movement while still benefiting from machine stability.
How Marvin uses this machine
Rather than a traditional hack squat, Marvin prefers the front squat position, facing inward toward the machine. This setup allows greater hip freedom and improved glute engagement.
Setup cues Marvin recommends:
- Take a wider stance than shoulder-width
- Keep your shins as vertical as possible
- Avoid letting your knees shoot too far over your toes
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Allow your hips to move freely
From here, Marvin drops straight up and down until the machine bottoms out, fully stretching the glutes at the bottom before driving back up.
Technique tip (very important):
Watch for knee valgus (knees collapsing inward). This is a sign your glutes aren’t doing their job.
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You shouldn’t feel excessive pressure in your knees or quads
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Actively push your knees outward
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Keep tension in the glutes throughout the movement
When done correctly, the load stays exactly where you want it, in the glutes.
👉 View the machine: Body Iron Front Squat & Hack Squat Machine (Commercial V2)
3. Body Iron Commercial Standing Hip Thrust Machine – Controlled Glute Growth
By the time Marvin reaches this exercise, the glutes are already fatigued, so he finishes with a more controlled movement that allows full muscle lengthening without unnecessary spinal load.
Why this machine works so well
The Standing Hip Thrust Machine allows you to work through a deep, lengthened range, which is key for hypertrophy. Marvin recommends using the lowest range setting to fully stretch the glutes at the bottom of each rep.
Execution cues Marvin uses:
- Mimic a deadlift-style hip hinge
- Drive your hips forward forcefully
- Use the handlebars only as hooks, do not pull with your arms
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Think of your hands as a rope or chain, not a power source
As you lower your glutes toward the seat, do not relax at the bottom.
Key activation tip:
Use your feet to generate tension and keep your glutes engaged the entire time. When you drive back up, that stored tension helps maximise glute contraction and growth.
👉 View the machine: Body Iron Commercial Standing Hip Thrust Machine
How to Use These Machines Together
Marvin’s recommended order:
- Adductor & Abductor Machine – warm-up and activation
- Front Squat (Hack Squat Machine) – heavy compound loading
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Standing Hip Thrust Machine – controlled finish and full glute stretch
This sequence ensures your glutes are activated first, loaded second, and fully fatigued last, a proven strategy for both strength and hypertrophy.
Final Takeaway: The Best Glute Machines for Building Stronger Glutes
If your goal is glute growth, it’s not just about lifting heavier, it’s about using the right machines in the right order with the right technique. Marvin’s top 3 glute machines provide a complete approach that targets activation, stability, and maximal muscle stimulation in one effective session.
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