Why Every Gym Needs a Glute Zone

By Ian Rushbury, Customer Experience & Training Manager, Global Key Accounts 

Ian Rushbury spends his days working with some of the world’s leading gym operators, helping them create better training spaces, deliver stronger member outcomes, and design gym floors that perform as hard as their members do. With years of experience in facility design, education, and user engagement, Ian has seen firsthand how one key zone is making a big impact: the glute and lower body training area. 

Glutes Are Having a Moment — And It’s Not Just a Fad 

The glute and lower body zone is one of the most visited, most photographed, and most results-driven areas on the gym floor today. But this isn’t just about aesthetics. Strong glutes are foundational to movement, posture, performance, and injury prevention, making this zone critical for members of all ages and ability levels. 

From Gen Z lifters chasing symmetry to Boomers training for stability and mobility, this zone is where form meets function. When designed well, it’s more than a trend — it’s a strength training essential. 

Why Glute Zones Matter Across Generations 

Strong glutes play a key role in: 

• Posture and spinal health 
• Hip mobility and gait 
• Speed, agility, and power 
• Fall prevention and joint protection 
• Aesthetic shaping and training confidence 

Younger members are highly engaged in targeted training, especially in visually compelling, coachable environments. Glute-specific zones help them follow structured programs, capture shareable moments, and stay motivated, all while increasing your facility’s visibility on social media. 

Older adults, meanwhile, benefit from a safe and supportive space where they can train glutes for balance, hip function, and overall strength with low-impact training tools and guided programming. 

Athletes and serious lifters want a zone that’s performance-ready, where they can transition seamlessly from activation to heavy lifts, with enough space and smart equipment flow to maximize their time and effort. 

Key Equipment: What Every Glute Zone Needs 

To serve all these audiences, your glute training and lower body workout zone should offer variety, progression, and purpose. A smart mix of strength training equipment ensures both accessibility and challenge. 

The essentials: 

• Glute-targeted machines: Glute drives, hip thrust benches, outer thigh machines, and cable stations 
• Compound lifts: Squat racks, leg press, Smith machine, hack squat, belt squats 
• Posterior chain tools: Reverse hypers, RDL zones, glute ham developers (GHDs) 
• Functional accessories: Sled lanes, step-up boxes, resistance bands 
• Age-friendly equipment: Seated leg curls, TRX setups, low-impact mat zones 

You want beginners to feel confident and athletes to feel challenged, all in the same space. 

Design Tips: Make It Functional and Photogenic 

Smart layout brings your zone to life. Here’s how to design a glute space that performs: 

• Place high-demand equipment in visible but spacious areas 
• Position hip thrust and squat stations facing mirrors for better form feedback 
• Add visual guides or signage for band or accessory movements 
• Separate intense strength areas from rehab or mobility-focused sections 

And remember: this zone is social media gold. It’s highly visual, naturally engaging, and easy to market with minimal programming, especially when supported by personal trainers and targeted messaging. 

Make It a Destination, Not an Afterthought 

If you want your glute zone to drive results and retention, treat it like the high-impact zone it is: 

• Brand it: Give the space a name like Glute Lab, The Build Zone, or Lower Body Lab 
• Promote it: Feature short glute-finishers on your app or social platforms 
• Program it: Host “Glute Gains Clinics” with your PT team 
• Show it off: Include all age groups using the space in your marketing visuals 

Build Glutes. Build Loyalty. 

Lower body training is no longer niche. A well-designed glute zone is becoming a core feature of the modern gym floor, delivering on aesthetic, functional, and performance goals. 

Younger members gain confidence and sculpt their look. Older adults build joint integrity and mobility. Serious lifters unlock performance. And for you? It drives usage, increases personal training interactions, and improves retention. 

Stronger glutes. Stronger members. Stronger business. 
That’s a zone worth investing in.