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Contents
About Lauren Simpson Fitness 3
About The power BOOTY SERIES 4
Anatomy & Function of the Glutes 5
Building Muscle 7
Muscle Building CheckList 10
Hypertrophy 11
Progressive Overload 12
Periodisation 15
LSF Learn To Lift 17
Glute Training Mistakes 19
FAQs ABOUT GLUTES 21
Nutrition 26
Mindset 30
Power Booty 2.0 38

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 01.
About Lauren Simpson Fitness
When embarking on my brand, Lauren Simpson Fitness, my main goal was to empower women and
teach them the truth about health, fitness and nutrition.

I have competed in both Bodybuilding and Powerlifting competitions so I live and breathe what I
preach to my girls. Health and fitness should be about feeling strong, powerful and balanced. I will
never tell my LSF babes to restrict the foods they love or do cardio for hours on end. I will instead
educate them that lifting weights, getting strong and being flexible with food is the best way to achieve
your goals. I want you to ENJOY the process and have the ability to fit this into your lifestyle with
ease. This is why I provide you with well balanced fitness programs and nutrition plans as well as all
the information that you could possibly need along the way. It’s time to be empowered and be the
strongest version of yourself!

I am a big advocate of STRONG WOMEN!

Here’s the thing:
Strong doesn’t have a size.
There isn’t a set weight, body type etc that defines strong.
It looks different on everybody.
Strong doesn’t mean big or bulky.

Strong is beautiful.
I’m not just talking about being physically strong, it’s mental too. Lifting weights changed my life. It
gave me strength, confidence and a sense of purpose in achieving my goals.

When I started working out I just wanted to be slim (hence the endless hours of cardio), but soon
enough I fell in love with lifting and I wanted to FEEL powerful and strong. It made me FEEL good. I
found my goals actually changed and no longer did I want to workout purely for burning calories. I
saw there was more to it than that!

The further on my journey - the more my mindset was on strength over any weight or size. I love to
lift – aesthetics is just a by-product. Being ‘strong’ made me realise I am so capable on so many
levels. It flows over to all aspects of life. This is everything I communicate on and teach my clients. I
am totally team strong, girls!

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02.
About The power
BOOTY SERIES
The glutes are a muscle group that almost all
of my clients want to grow, shape and improve.
I personally spent a long time learning the
different exercises, techniques and theories
based around the glutes to grow my own, and
the results have been incredible.

I am constantly asked ‘What is the best exercise

for my glutes?’, ‘Should I do high or low reps?’,
‘Do I prioritise compound or isolation exercises?’.
There is no single method that works for
everyone, which is why I want to provide you with
the tools and information that you need to best
build your glutes. I believe that we should train
them in a variety of ways, under different loads,
different repetition ranges, different tempos and
more.

The Power Booty series covers these topics

extensively. Power Booty 2.0 is going to touch on
some of the topics from the first edition, while
delving deeper into the science, terminology and
strategies that will directly relate to glute growth.

As you read on you will discover that there

is more to glute gains than booty bands and
kickbacks, and the Power Booty 2.0 program is
going to put that, and all the information that
you are about to read, into practice. So get those
glutes into gear and get ready to see insane
results!
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 03.
Anatomy & Function of the Glutes
The scientific name for your booty is gluteus and it has the potential to be the strongest
muscle in the body! But for many people, the glutes are simply not living up to their
potential.
The gluteus is made up of three muscles and covered by a layer of fat just under the
skin.
• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus medius
• Gluteus minimus

Gluteus maximus

Gluteus minimus

Gluteus medius

Gluteus maximus

The gluteal muscle group forms a strong

foundation for our bodies, as it is connected to
our upper body, core and lower body. They enable
you to perform almost all movements at your hip
and leg joints. The gluteus maximus controls the
flexion/extension motion of your pelvis, whereas
the medius controls the sideways motion. Flexion extension

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HIP FLEXION
Flexion of the hips happens when your glutes are
‘stretched’ and your hips are flexed, for example
when you are sitting in a chair. A lot of people
who work office jobs where they are seated for
hours on end will have tight hip flexor muscles
(the muscles used to create this movement) and
should actively spend time stretching them, as
well as strengthening their glutes and hamstrings
which are in the stretched position when seated.
These movements are not as large as our
compound exercises, however they are still
incredibly important for the strength and
stabilisation of the lower body.
The entire gluteus muscle group is important
for not only aesthetics but also for the balance
of the body. They help us to walk, run, jump and
complete day to day tasks with ease.

Exercises that use the glutes in a stretched

position (when your hips are flexed) include the
squat, Romanian deadlift, lunges, split squats
and more.

HIP EXTENSION
Hip extension occurs when you ‘open’ your
hip joints, for example when you are standing.
This position will cause the glutes to be in a
more flexed position, as they are hip extension
muscles.

Exercises that use the glutes in a flexed position

include the hip thrust, back extension, kickbacks
and bridges.

The hips are also used for adduction and

abduction, which means to move the leg towards
the body, or away from the body.

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 04.Building Muscle

If you have purchased Power Booty 2.0 it is likely that you want to build your glutes!
I am going to be clear from the start, gaining muscle is a tough process. It’s typically
slow and requires hard work, consistency and patience. It can also really push you out
of your comfort zone to eat in a calorie surplus and ensure that you are advancing your
training with each session. It’s a simple process when you know what you’re doing.
When it comes to gaining muscle there are a few non-negotiables. There are lots of
smaller things you can do to make sure you’re gaining muscle at the most efficient rate
possible, but these are the most integral.

FUEL
To build muscle, especially large muscle groups that make up your lower body, it is
important that you are providing your body with enough fuel to actually go through the
process of muscle gain. Essentially this means that you need to be consuming enough
calories.

It is optimal to be in a slight calorie surplus when gaining muscle, to give your body
the energy it needs to progressively overload, break down muscle fibres, recover and
rebuild the muscles bigger and stronger than before. The surplus does not have to
be huge, however, an increase of at least 10% is recommended to begin with. Take a
few weeks at this surplus to track your weight and measurements. If they are steadily
increasing, then stick with it for a little longer. If you do not notice much of a change
then add another 10% and revisit in another few weeks.

Everyone’s body is incredibly individual which means that one person may only need
a slight increase in calories to gain muscle, while someone else may need 20-30%
increase to see any change. This is why tracking your calorie intake and body changes
is the best way to find out where you sit.

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RECOVERY
Many underestimate the importance of recovery, especially when your goal is to
gain muscle and strength. Things that you can do to optimize recovery include:

• Staying hydrated. This will help your muscles to recover, transport nutrients to
cells and help to flush out toxins from your body.

• Adequate sleep. Getting enough sleep is essential for muscle recovery! While you
sleep, your body releases a hormone called human growth hormone (HGH) which
does as the name suggests, helps you to build muscle. While you are asleep,
you will receive more blood flow to your muscles and so tissue repair will occur,
helping you to fully recover before your next session. Aim to get between 7 and 9
hours of sleep each night.

• Protein intake. This is incredibly important when it comes to gaining muscle.

There are a number of different proteins that make up the ‘building blocks’ of
your muscles. Simply put, protein helps the entire process of strengthening your
muscle fibres after they have been broken down in training. Protein should make
up anywhere between 15-30% of your daily calories for a healthy intake, which is
incredibly achievable for everyone.

• Manage stress. Although this can be very difficult for many, managing stress is
imperative to your results. If your mind is stressed so is your body, and this will
greatly impact your recovery between sessions. Try prioritising ‘you’ time and
taking a moment out of each day to reflect on what you are grateful for, what’s
working in your life and what isn’t (and how you can change that!).

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CONSISTENCY
One of the biggest challenges that most people face when building muscle is
that the goal comes down to consistency. Building muscle requires patience. It’s
not like fat loss where you can see physical changes to your body quickly! In a fat
loss phase you lift up your shirt every morning checking for abs and you do see
the impact of a calorie deficit much faster than what you would notice the rate of
muscle gain.

When it comes to muscle building, instead of purely focusing on results - fall in love
with the process and the new journey you are on. What you do consistently is much
more important than what you do intensely for a few days then fall off track as a
result of burning out.

If you are someone who struggles to keep consistent with your diet and training:
• Make sure you set yourself realistic expectations with your goals

• Eliminate the deadline. Even though this is a 6 week program, view it as creating
new habits and behaviours that will carry on into your new lifestyle.

• Focus on the BIG picture things! If you want to build muscle, eat enough food to
fuel your body, prioritise resistance training, work hard and be patient! Don’t get
caught up in the little things (‘don’t sweat the small stuff’!).

• If you fall off track, be kind to yourself! Forgive yourself and move forward. Life is
full of ups and downs, your health and fitness journey is no different. If you slip
up, accept it, learn from it and move on.

There is no such thing as perfection.

Consistency > Perfection.

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05.
Muscle Building
CheckList

Calorie surplus or maintenance

Consistent with food intake

Prioritise resistance training

Have a program in place which allows for

progressivae overload

Push yourself in your training sessions

Get enough sleep

Manage your stress levels

Be patient

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 06. Hypertrophy

Hypertrophy means to increase the size of a muscle. Basically if you want to grow your
glutes, you want to achieve hypertrophy! The best way to do this is by overloading your
muscles. They need to be used consistently, and in a challenging way to increase their
size and cause hypertrophy. There are many ways to do this, and I am going to break
them down for you!

Mechanical tension basically means to place your muscle under tension in some way -
however the key is to create a new stimulus every time so that it does not adapt. When
placing mechanical tension on your muscles you will trigger a response that will force
them to break down, then during recovery they will build back up again, but stronger
and more adapted than before. For the muscles to successfully rebuild we need to
prioritise recovery. This means staying hydrated, resting the muscles worked for at
least 24 hours and fuelling the body with enough calories.

This is why we use progressive overload - to ensure there is a new stimulus every time.
This can be in the form of increasing the weight you are lifting, incorporating tempo
into the movement or slowing it down, increasing the repetitions or increasing the sets
performed. I do not recommend that you introduce all of these strategies at once, but
rather use them when you need them.

I would recommend prioritising adding weight if you can, however you will likely reach
a point where you can not add any more without sacrificing your form (this is when
you are becoming a more experienced lifter). When this happens, introduce an extra
repetition or two within each set, or add another set of the same repetitions. If you can
still only use the same weight, add some tempo training to the movement. Once you
have used these methods and perfected them, you will likely find that you are able to
add more weight.

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 07.
Progressive Overload

Let’s break down progressive overload even further and delve into
the different strategies mentioned above.

LOAD
This refers to the total load lifted in either a single session or across the week. Try adding up all
the kilograms you move in your next session, then comparing the total to the next time you do that
particular session.

For example:
Lower Body Session 1:
Barbell Squats 4 sets of 8 reps using 50kg
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts 4 sets of 8 reps using 30kg
Barbell Reverse Lunges 3 sets of 10 reps using 20kg
Lying Leg Curl 3 sets of 10 reps using 25kg

50kg x 8 x 4 30kg x 8 x 4 20kg x 10 x 3 25kg x 10 x 3

1600 960 600 750

3910
total kg lifted

The goal would be to lift more than this total amount the next time you perform this session. That is
why sticking to the same program for a few weeks is always a great idea, it is far easier to ensure you
are overloading!

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FREQUENCY
Frequency refers to the times per week that
you are training each muscle group. It is
recommended that each muscle group is trained
twice per week for optimal results. This can be
broken up however best fits into your training
regime.
If you can only make it to the gym 3 times per
week, I recommend full body sessions where you
are hitting each muscle every session, and taking
at least 24 hours recovery between them.
TEMPO
This is a technique that is used to place your
muscles under load for a longer period of time.
It is a great way to overload your muscles, to
build intensity in your session, to improve your
form and mind to muscle connection. The
exercise will generally be slowed down in the
eccentric phase of a movement (the ‘lowering’
phase) and be used to create a pause in the
harder part of the exercise too.

If you can train 4 times per week or more, this

is where I recommend that you implement a
4 0 2 0
training split. For example you could train upper
Eccentric/ Pause Concentric/ Pause
body twice, and lower body twice per week, lowering at bottom lifting at top
ensuring that you hit both push and pull muscles.

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TECHNIQUE
While technique should always be number 1
priority when it comes to training, it is also
something that can always be improved upon.
Sometimes a plateau is inevitable when you have
been training for a long time, and this is when
technique is a great way to overload. Try to leave
your ego at the door when you walk into the gym
and choose a weight that you know you can lift.
Focus on the mind to muscle connection, cues
that are sometimes forgotten about and slowing
down the movement. By stripping back a touch,
we will sometimes bound forward as we have
refocused and improved a few things about the
execution of the lift.

Ways to achieve progressive overload:

Add weight or Utilise more

resistance to challenging
your lifts exercises

Decrease your Increase, sets,

rest periods reps or volume

Increase training
frequency

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 08. Periodisation

Periodisation refers to how a training plan is programmed over a block of time, or

several blocks of time.
There are a few different types of periodisation, each of which have their place and
specific benefits. One may be best for beginners, another better for the more advanced
trainer, and another best for pure strength training.

First we will need to understand training cycles.

Micro Training Cycle: 4 weeks of training targeted at a specific goal

Macro Training Cycle: A combination of micro-cycles working towards a bigger goal

1 year

macrocycle

microcycles

Let’s break down some periodisation terms.

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LINEAR PERIODISATION
This style of periodisation is great because it is easy to both program and track progress, meaning it
is great for not only beginners but strength and muscle gains also.

The program will often begin with higher volume (more repetitions per set) and lower intensity (a
lighter load). For example, all exercises in the training plan will be 4 sets of 10 repetitions. As the
weeks go on, the volume (repetitions) will decrease, as the intensity (load) increases. This is done
so that a base level of strength and muscle endurance can be built in the first few weeks, to give the
body the capacity to produce force for the lower repetitions and higher weight load.

There are a few ways that linear periodisation can be done, but as long as the intensity or volume is
steadily increasing over time it can be classed as this.

UNDULATING PERIODISATION
This style of periodisation basically means that it varies within the microcycle. Instead of spending
multiple weeks at a time in one repetition range as per linear periodisation, it will change on a regular
basis. It still follows a linear progression, however there is more undulation throughout to ensure you
are not neglecting a specific goal (for example muscular endurance or strength).

This can change from week to week (weekly undulating periodisation) or even day to day (daily
undulating periodisation). Once again, they both have benefits and they all have their place. As this
method can be more complicated, especially when it comes to tracking your results, it is great to save
it for the more advanced lifter.

Linear vs. undulating progression

Volume

Time

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09.
LSF Learn To Lift

LEARN TO LIFT

LEARN TO SQUAT

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LEARN TO HIP THRUST

LEARN TO DEADLIFT

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 10.
Glute Training Mistakes

I personally have made a number of mistakes and have been under many
misconceptions when it comes to growing my glutes, and my LSF babes encounter
these daily too! While genetics do play a huge role in your glute size, there are still
many common mistakes that prevent you from maximising your gains and seeing real
change. So let’s bust some myths!

MYTH 1
Only performing high repetitions using low weight
to be ‘toned but not bulky’

Many women will only perform repetitions of 12 upwards of squats, deadlifts, hip
thrusts and any other glute building exercise out of fear that they will become ‘bulky’.

First, let’s break down the word bulky. To add bulk means to add muscle mass, which is
what needs to happen for your glutes to grow! I promise that you do not go from skinny
to muscular overnight, it takes patience and hard work. You will reach the stage of
muscle mass that you like and are comfortable with way before you are ‘bulky’!

Secondly, to grow your glutes you need to be performing a wide range of repetition
ranges. Higher repetitions and lower weight has its place, however gaining strength
in your glutes is also incredibly important so that you can continue to progressively
overload. This means including training phases that cover anywhere from 4 repetitions
up to 15! Do not neglect lower reps and higher weight!

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 MYTH 2
Restricting carbohydrates out of fear of gaining fat

As mentioned in the ‘fuel’ section of this ebook, you need to consume enough calories
to actually grow any muscle, especially the glutes. Once you have calculated your
protein and fat intakes (if you need help with this, take a look at my nutrition guides),
the rest of your calories will be filled with carbohydrates. This macronutrient is your
main energy source, making it very important! Not just for building muscle, but for
optimal sleep and energy. If you are restricting carbohydrates then you are definitely
decreasing your glute gains too.

MYTH 3
Only using booty band exercises

Booty bands provide great benefit when it comes to warming up, activating your glutes
and booty burnouts at the end of a workout. In terms of actual glute growth however,
they are not going to be the biggest contributor. Compound exercises like squats, split
squats, lunges, hip thrusts and their variations are going to be the biggest asset to
your glute growth. Performing these movements under a moderate to heavy load will
stimulate the most muscle growth!

MYTH 4
Not prioritising technique or mind to muscle connection

Technique is always the first priority when resistance training to avoid injury, however
it is also a priority to ensure you are using all the correct muscles. Many will increase
their weight too quickly, and lose their form straight away. It is better to stick with the
same weight for an extra week with great technique, rather than just up too quickly and
lose it.
Mind to muscle connection is important here too. By actively thinking about the muscle
group that you are working, it will engage so much more. If you have trouble with this,
try warming up and activating these muscles before starting your workout. You will feel
them a lot faster and with ease!

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 11.
FAQs ABOUT GLUTES

WHY DO YOU USE BOOTY BANDS?

Using bands provides added tension/resistance to your external rotators (“outer
glutes” / glute med). When used during exercises it reinforces you to keep pushing
your knees out against the resistance which then further recruits your glutes.

SHOULD YOU 'BUTT SQUEEZE' AT THE

TOP OF A SQUAT?
No - You do NOT need to push your hips forward and squeeze your glutes at the
top of a squat (‘butt squeeze’). Your glutes are under the most amount of tension
and engaged at the bottom stretched position of the squat, not at the top. Focus on
contracting your glutes out of the bottom position as this is where they are likely to be
most engaged.

DO YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS BE SORE AFTER A

WORKOUT FOR IT TO BE GOOD?
No. Just because you are sore and sweating doesn’t mean your workout is better or
more effective. You don’t need to be shattered after every workout. It doesn’t actually
have a solid link to your results. Soreness doesn’t equal muscle growth.

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 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
HIP THRUST AND GLUTE BRIDGE?
HIP THRUST
• Set up with your shoulders against a bench or box at an appropriate
height. Having your shoulders raised increases your range of motion.
This is the primary benefit to this exercise. Your hips have to travel a
greater distance.

• Due to the greater range of motion may allow for greater amounts of
loading.

• The peak activation point of glute tension is at the top of the movement
when hips are extended.

• Despite it being a glute dominant exercise, because of the angle of your

knee joint you will get a little more quad activation compared to the
glute bridge (which we will move onto now).

GLUTE BRIDGE
• The biggest difference here is set up, as in the glute bridge your
shoulders are flat on the ground.

• The setup and execution of the glute bridge is a lot easier.

• As your shoulders are not elevated the movement has a shortened

range of motion.

• Given the angle of the knee joint you will use slightly less quads and
more glutes.

Both exercises involve squeezing your glutes and lifting your hips upwards, and both
exercises can be done loaded with a barbell, a dumbbell or body weight only.
I often get asked which one you should be doing, or which one works best?
You can incorporate both! Some people feel hip thrusts more than glue bridges so you
may have a preference and therefore bias your training towards this, which is perfectly
fine. Our biomechanics are different so therefore different exercises work better from
person to person.
Variety is key to a well rounded glue building program. Remember your glutes respond
best to variety! So this means variety in exercises, rep ranges, tempo and much more!

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 WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE EXERCISES
FOR THE UNDER BUTT?
‘Under butt’ basically refers to the lower part of your glutes where your butt meets your
upper part of the hamstrings (‘glute-hamstring tie-in’).
These exercises are all putting your glutes and hamstrings under the highest amount of
tension in the fully stretched/lengthened position. Make sure you are focusing on time under
tension and control with your repetitions. I aim to really push my hips back to deepen the
stretch.
• GOOD MORNINGS

• ROUNDED BACK EXTENSION. I like to rounder back to take the tension off my erectors
(lower back) and focus more on glutes and hamstrings.

• ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (my favourite! There are so many variations you can do with
RDLs. I also like b-stance RDLS or using dumbbells instead of a barbell).

• STRADDLE LIFT

• REVERSE HYPER. If you don’t have this machine you can do a similar movement off the
end of a bench.

• CABLE PULL THROUGH. Big tip: Don’t squat into this. It’s a hip hinge movement so push
your hips back to build tension in your glutes and hamstrings. It’s a forward and back
motion….not up and down.

HOW TO ISOLATE GLUTES IF YOU ARE

QUAD DOMINANT?
All exercises to some degree will still activate leg muscles other than your glutes,
however you could avoid exercises if you feel they highly engage your quads.
Focus more on exercises that activate glutes. Some example exercises would be glute
bridges, the abductor machine, Romanian deadlifts, cable pull through, single leg glute
bridges, side lying clams, feet elevated glute bridges. Also focus on technique over
weight. If you increase the weight too quickly you may lose that glute connection and
stronger muscles will take over.

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 WHAT'S THE BEST
CARDIO FOR GLUTES?
My advice: Ditch the cardio if you are serious
about building your glutes.

Too many of you girls are focusing on purely

cardio as your main focus in the gym and leaving
no attention on the weights room!

By having a well designed training program

around building muscle and with progressive
overload it will see you get far greater results
with your body composition than cardio will ever
do for you. It will create shape & that strong
feminine bikini body shape.

CAN YOU TRAIN

GLUTES MORE THAN
1 TIME PER WEEK?
YES. Glutes are a big muscle and can handle
volume and frequency. If you are wanting to grow
and bring up a body part you need to bias this
with your training. Glutes also respond best to
variety so that means hitting them with differing
rep ranges, tempo and exercise selection.

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HOW CAN I BUILD MIND MUSCLE CONNECTION
(MMC) WITH MY GLUTES?
‘Mind muscle connection’ basically describes how well your brain and muscles are
connected. Any movement you do starts with your brain sending a message to the
muscles to contract. The better your mind muscle connection the more muscle fibres
you can recruit and contract.

Here are some tips to building MMC with your glutes:

• Use bands. These can help not only with initial activation before your workouts but
when incorporated during your session too (e.g. adding a band around your knees
for hip thrust) can further signal glute muscles to recruit as you work against added
resistance.

• Add in paused repetitions to really engage your glutes.

• Focus on cues (imagine clenching your butt cheeks together on your repetitions).

• Frequency. The more you do something the more natural it will become.

• Focus on feeling the target muscle working. Visualize the muscle contracting with
each repetition.

Everyone is different and has different biomechanics, so what works for me might not
work so well for you in terms of exercises, stances, variations etc. Try different things
and see what suits you!

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 12. Nutrition

As has been mentioned throughout this ebook, nutrition plays a huge role in growing
your glutes. Being in a calorie surplus is optimal for growth, or at the very least
maintenance (depending on your weight and training experience).

Someone who is relatively new to lifting weights may experience ‘newbie gains’. This is
a period when you first start resistance training and your body has a lot to adapt to, due
to the brand new stimulus. People tend to see a lot of growth in the first few months to
a year of training, and the rate eventually slows down. During this ‘newbie gains’ period,
you may find that only maintenance calories are needed to see growth, however a
slight surplus will definitely ensure you are receiving the energy that you need.

ENERGY BALANCE

Energy balance refers to the energy that you intake every day (the calories you
consume), compared to the energy that you use (working out, NEAT and basal
metabolic rate).

If you want to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. This means that you are
consuming LESS calories than you are using.

If you want to maintain your weight, you need to be eating at your maintenance calories.

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The calories that you consume and energy that you use are the SAME.
For muscle gain, you need to be in a calorie surplus. Eating MORE calories than the energy you are
expending. For glute growth, muscle gain in this area will have to be achieved. I recommend a calorie
surplus 10-20% above your maintenance calories. To find this out, you need to work out your Total
Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) using the TDEE calculator. This will give you a rough estimate of
what your maintenance calories currently are. Remember to reassess this every 2-3 weeks, as your
body composition changes will impact on calorie needs.

Energy surplus is what you should be aiming for when working towards glute growth, or at the very
minimum maintenance.

Calorie intake Calories burned

Meals Drinks Exercise Daily activity

Snacks Body processes

CALORIE BALANCE

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ENERGY BALANCE
Macronutrients refer to carbohydrate, protein and fat intake. It’s important to have a
healthy balance of all three macronutrients to ensure you have adequate nutrition and
are on track to achieving your goals.

For muscle gain, protein intake is really important as it is the building block of muscle
tissue and assists with muscle repair. I recommend consuming between 25-30 grams
of high quality protein after your workout to assist with lean muscle growth and
repair. I use either EHPlabs OxyWhey or EHPlabs IsoPept Zero when using a protein
powder. Any source of high quality protein will work, for example eggs, lean meats,
high protein yoghurts and more. Daily protein intake ideally should be between 15-25%
total daily calorie intake in healthy individuals or between 1.2 grams to 1.8 grams per
kilogram body weight daily (as recommended by Australian Dietary Guidelines). It is
not recommended to exceed a daily protein intake of over 30% if you suffer from any
chronic diseases.

While meal frequency has minimal impact on fat loss, protein distribution throughout
the day does matter for optimal muscle protein synthesis. Studies have shown not only
does our daily protein intake matter, but also how we distribute protein across the day.
It has been suggested that 3-5 meals of 30-40g of high quality protein will maximise
muscle protein synthesis response in most people. To put it simply, aim to spread your
protein out in your meals over the course of the day, not just in one sitting.

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Carbohydrate intake is also really important when wanting to gain muscle, as carbohydrates are the
main source of energy for muscle contraction. Carbohydrates will help you to fuel your workout and
make strength gains, so don’t be scared to include a healthy amount in your diet! I usually prefer to
eat most of my carbohydrates in the morning and during the day where they will have the most benefit
to fuel my workout. An intake of between 45-65% carbohydrates daily (as recommended by Australian
Dietary Guidelines) is recommended, and is especially important when wanting to see muscle gains.

The remaining daily intake of calories will come from fats with 25-35% total calorie intake
recommended daily (as recommended by Australian Dietary Guidelines). Healthy fats are important
for healthy hormone function in women, healthy mood, blood pressure regulation, and lowering
the risk of heart disease. Fat is also important in performance nutrition, as it allows for stored
carbohydrates to be accessed for energy use during high intensity exercise. When you are performing
endurance or long-duration exercise, fat will be used as the main energy source after carbohydrate
energy stores have been used up.

A healthy macronutrient balance is of utmost importance when wanting to reach body composition
goals. Training hard in the gym but not focusing on nailing your diet will result in SLOWER or NO
results. Fuel your body to make it strong, rather than focusing on depriving yourself.

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13. Mindset

A topic that not many people talk about,

yet is incredibly important and relevant,
is mindset when it comes to gaining
muscle. For so many years the main
focus for women was losing weight, and
trying to be as small as possible. I am
so relieved that this has changed, and
now so many women want to get strong!
However I understand that it is difficult to
completely change your way of thinking
and work towards growing instead.

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For 90% of the population, the words “weight gain” can be a scary thing. I am very passionate about
breaking the stigma with weight gain and it’s negative connotations with women because my own
transformation was initially one of weight gain. I know what it’s like to be terrified to increase my
calories, I know what it’s like to be scared to decrease amounts of cardio, I know what it’s like to look
down and slowly see those abs fade away. I get it, I have been there girls!

Before we delve further into this chapter, I want to point out that our mindset is something that always
needs to be worked on. It will still be a learning process. No matter how many times you shred down
and then want to undertake a building phase, you will still get these negative thoughts creeping in.

The number on the scale can be our worst enemy when on a weight loss journey, but even more so
on a weight gain journey! It takes time and nurturing to come around to accepting the number going
up, and being okay with it. As spoken about in previous chapters, you need to eat in a surplus to see
any decent amount of glute growth, which inevitably means weight gain. The key thing to remember
is that the weight added is mostly muscle! Since only a small surplus is being used, and paired with a
program like Power Booty 2.0, the glutes are going to be getting stronger and achieving hypertrophy!
This is a good thing!

There are a few ways that you can overcome the fear of weight gain, and nurture your mind into a new
way of thinking. I recommend the following.

• Taking progress photos and measurements instead of weighing yourself. Watch your body
transform exactly how you want it to, then weigh yourself at the end to prove that it really is just a
number!

• Unfollow anyone on social media that makes you feel as though you need to be thin to be worthy of
anything. Instead, follow accounts that promote strength and muscle in women!

• Look for things outside of how you look or how much you weigh to value about yourself.
Your kindness, selflessness, dedication and much more!

Understand that a building phase is just a short term sacrifice of abs for long term gains!

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NON AESTHETIC GOALS
While gaining muscle and building your glutes is
a great goal, having goals that have nothing to do
with aesthetics will help to improve your mindset.

Strength goals
While we know that progressive overload is
important for muscle growth, getting strong
should be a goal in the gym, outside of this!
The feeling of adding weight to the bar and
lifting heavier and heavier than you have before
is such an empowering feeling, and will boost
your confidence through the roof. This gives you
something to be proud of at the gym, not centred
around how you look but what you can lift!

Performance goals
The feeling of getting your first unassisted pull
up, or repping out push ups on your toes is like
no other! Being able to perform movements that
are super difficult and thought of as unattainable
will make you feel like a boss. Working towards
any movement or exercise that you have always
wanted to achieve is incredibly important and
should not be neglected, even when working
towards an aesthetic goal.

This goal setting extends to all areas of your life.

Maybe you are studying and want to achieve
good grades, working towards a promotion at
work, or you are a mum trying to achieve balance
in your life. All of these things are important
and should be prioritised just as much as any
aesthetic goal, if not more.

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BODY CONFIDENCE

If you are working towards a physique goal and

think ‘I will love my body once I have *insert
goal here*’, then let’s put on the breaks.

A number on the scale, certain measurements

or looking like someone else is never going
to make you happy, which is the hard truth.
Unfortunately we all tend to never be satisfied
when working towards these things. You
might hit the number on the scale that you
had in mind, but you will likely always think
that it is not enough. The same can be said for
measurements. Instead I urge you to love the
body that you are in right now, and accept it as
is. You can have goals to better yourself and
improve your physique, but do not rely on this
for your happiness. Seek happiness in more
wholesome things, and when you reach your
aesthetic goals this will be the cherry on top,
not the pie!

When it comes to looking at other women as

‘goals’, just remember that every single body
is different and you will probably never look
exactly like her. Once again, the hard truth, but
genetics play a huge role in the structure of
your body and every structure will be slightly
different. So when looking to another’s body as
inspiration, use it as that, not the end goal.

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REMINDERS WHEN YOU CANNOT SEE PROGRESS
As we discussed in the previous chapters, building muscle takes time so you may not see
visual progress right away. I am going to share some of the things I wish I knew when I
first started out on my journey. These are the mindset shifts I’ve had over the years that
have helped keep me grounded, helped me c ontinue on my journey and most importantly
- not give up.

I know what it’s like to feel upset when you have been working so hard and feel like it’s
not showing. All those hours spent meal prepping, the hours spent working out just aren’t
paying off. News flash, they are! You might not just see it yet.

01.
How you feel is more important than how you look: Since you started working on your
transformation - do you feel happier, more energised, confident, stronger, vibrant? More like
you? It’s not always about looking a certain way. What’s the point of looking good if you
don’t feel good? I’ve been in a place of ultimate leanness (before my bikini competitions)
and yet it was just the exterior that was looking on point - mentally I wasn’t myself, I
wasn’t more productive, and I definitely was not more confident. Physically fit isn’t always
associated with confidence. Don’t get so fixated on how you look and discredit how you
feel. Learn how to be at peace with your body. How you feel will then reflect on how you
look. Retrain your brain so that it’s not just a physical transformation journey you are on.

02.
You are healthier than before. You have already taken the first steps on your journey just by
getting started with LSF! From the moment you start just know you are transforming from
inside out. Move your body. Nourish it with good food. If you are changing things in your
daily habits then your body is definitely changing! Sometimes even when you are at your
healthiest and strongest you might not still fit those jeans! Don’t put all the emphasis purely
on clothes size etc. Celebrate being healthier than you ever have been.

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 03.
You are getting stronger mentally. There are going to be days where you don’t want
to workout but it’s when you push on anyway - that is the mental transformation that’s
occurring! How many times have you wanted to quit your workout or your journey? How
many times did you think I’ll just do a few less reps, just a couple sets, but then talk yourself
into doing more? How many times do you have low energy but push through and then feel
on top of the world?
Mental victories lead you to mental transformation. Small wins over time will compound.
These small acts of discipline are training your brain, and their value surpasses anything
physical you may be doing. Power Booty is not just a workout program - it’s helping
mentally bring you strength. Celebrate the mental victories as they are literally changing
your life.

04.
Your relationship with your body is more important than the transformation of your body.
If you are upset with not seeing results instantly then any self talk or inner voice will be
even worse. Don’t let the frustrations on your body lead you to speak poorly about yourself.
Learn to love your body and speak kindly to yourself NOW or even when you get a result
you still won’t have a good relationship with your body. You won’t love your body when you
get there. Hard truth - you may not even notice you get there because you will be too busy
hating on it. Your body will transform when you are consistent. Eat well, move consistently.
Applaud yourself for being kind to yourself. Speak highly of yourself always!

05.
YOU ARE YOU.
Regardless of the transformation that you can’t see. You will always be worthy, unique,
capable, amazing, beautiful. Your life purpose is not to change your physical appearance -
you don’t get your job or your friends because of your clothing size or body fat %.
YOU ARE YOU regardless of your transformation. You need that internal approval.

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GYM CONFIDENCE
First stepping into a gym can be incredibly scary
and is enough to make anyone nervous! It can
feel intimidating and as though everyone is
watching you. However I can confidently say that
they probably aren’t.
The gym is a place for people of all experience
levels, size and fitness level to attend. It could
be someone’s first day, and someone else’s
10th year! The point is that anyone can go to
a gym with the goal of bettering themselves,
no matter where they are in their journey. So
never feel like you don’t belong there or that you
aren’t experienced enough! It is a huge learning
process for everyone, and no one first stepped
into a gym knowing everything. Most still won’t
after years of doing so.
Although it may feel like everyone is looking at
you, and you are being judged, it is far more likely
that everyone is too consumed within themselves
to notice you! Most like to get to the gym,
concentrate on their session, and leave. The gym
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is a generally friendly environment as everyone is
in the same boat of working towards their goal.
If you feel nervous, here are a few tips to
overcoming that and being confident every time:
• Listen to music. Pop your headphones on, turn
up the music and focus on your workout. Lose
yourself in the music and session, and don’t
worry about anyone else!
• If you are lost or confused about machines,
weights or technique, then ask a PT! They
are there to help the clients and they will be
more than happy to assist in making you feel
comfortable there.
• Look at your workout before you arrive.
Get an idea of all the equipment that you
need that day so that you don’t feel too lost
or confused between exercises. Do a big walk
around the gym first so that you can locate
everything that you will need.
• Own it! You deserve to be there just as much
as everyone else!
 TRAINING CONFIDENCE

Increasing the weight on the bar can be scary once you reach a weight that you feel confident
and comfortable lifting. This is especially true for exercises like squats or bench press where
failing a repetition feels high risk. It is completely understandable that you may feel nervous
to keep pushing yourself, but remember that it is important to do so and you are fully capable!

Ensure that you increase the weight slowly. Make sure you are comfortably executing the
repetitions at a certain weight, with a few left in the tank before increasing. If you can do this,
then only add a small amount of weight to the bar and don’t jump too high. For example if you
can squat 30kg for 10 repetitions comfortably, then try adding just 1.25kg to each end. You
are unlikely to even notice the difference in weight and will feel when you need to stop and
re-rack far before you fail a rep.

Prioritise technique.
If you have been prioritising your form above the weight that you are lifting, then feel
confident that you can increase! Don’t let your repetitions be sloppy or lose technique just
so that you can lift heavier. Instead, spend another week or two using the same weight but
instead improving the form. Once you feel confident that you are performing them well, only
then think about adding weight.

Use safety measures.

Ensure that you have set up the safety bars when you are performing any exercise in the
squat rack, or setting the stopper on the leg press machine. This will give you peace of mind
that in the unlikely event that you can’t finish the repetition, the bars will be there to help you!
If possible, attend the gym with someone you know or ask someone that you trust in the gym
to spot you when you have just increased the weight or feel unsure.

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 Power Booty 2.0
This program was designed as a progression from Power Booty 1.0, to build your glutes using a
variety of new methods. We spoke about periodisation in an earlier chapter, and touched on Daily
Undulating Periodisation. This method is used throughout Power Booty 2.0 as an advancement to the
first installation!

Daily undulating periodisation uses multiple repetition ranges across a singular week, so each day
you will see lower to higher repetitions prescribed. This allows you to train the same muscle group
multiple times a week but using heavy, moderate and lighter loads. By varying the repetition ranges,
this allows for different muscle fibres of the same muscle to be stimulated each workout, which then
increases the frequency that you are working said muscle groups (resulting in more potential for
growth!).

THE DIFFERENT REPETITION RANGES

THAT YOU WILL SEE ARE:
Heavy which is from 6-8 repetitions.
In this repetition range aim to lift heavier weights so that you are feeling challenged on your last 2,
however maintaining good technique. There will be less exercises on these days as the load will be
higher.

Moderate, which is 10-12 repetitions.

Moderate ranges are focused on typical hypertrophy training. Getting strong for repetitions is a simple
key to building muscle. Unlike strength training which has very low repetitions, “getting strong for
reps”, meaning 10-12, allows for greater hypertrophy of a muscle group as there is greater time under
tension.

LIGHT, WHICH IS 12-15 REPETITIONS.

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The goal for lighter repetition ranges differs to moderate or heavy ranges, as it aims to push
a different pathway while training. There is less focus on strength and more focus on the
increased blood flow, oxygen delivery, and increased metabolite build-up (eg. lactic acid/
lactate).

THE PROGRAM IS SPLIT UP AS FOLLOWS:

Week 1 & 2
In the first fortnight of the program you will be working through heavy, moderate and light
weights each day. The first few exercises will be lower repetitions, moving to moderate and
finishing with high. Keep in mind that the lower the repetition range of an exercise, the higher the
weight you should be able to lift.

Week 3 & 4
This fortnight follows a similar repetition range structure, with the first exercises being low
repetitions using higher weights, the middle exercises being moderate repetitions and weights
and finishing with higher repetitions with less weight (or bodyweight).

Each day will begin with a compound exercise (squat, deadlift, hip thrust or their variation),
which is generally when you will be completing lower repetitions and higher weight. The
accessory and isolation exercises will generally use moderate to high repetitions with lower
weight.

Hip thrusts are included multiple times throughout the week, using a variety of different
repetition ranges and variations to target different muscle fibres and promote maximum growth
potential.

Week 5 & 6
During the last fortnight of your program the set numbers of your compound exercises will
increase. This will help to continue progressively overloading even when you may not be able to
increase the weight.

Throughout this fortnight you will see new methods introduced. This includes triple
contractions, eccentric training and 1 & ¼ repetitions. Think about maximising mind to muscle
connection when performing these methods to ensure you are not rushing through them and
using them to their fullest potential.

There is less focus on strength and more focus on the increased blood flow and increased
metabolite build up.

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WARM UP
Let’s face it, many of us are primarily sedentary for most of the day! Especially if our jobs are not
active i.e. corporate workers. For a lot of us who are sitting down most of the day, our glute muscles
can tend to become dormant. This will mean a warm up is especially important when training glutes
as it will activate the muscles and essentially ‘wake them up’.

I like to start my workouts with 5-10 minutes of walking at an incline on the treadmill to get my body
warm and blood flowing.

Following this I will always do a glute and core activation circuit. This ensures that all of these
muscles are ‘awake’ and ready to engage in my big lifts like squats, deadlifts and hip thrusts. Aim to
activate the muscles and feel them engage in the exercises, however keep in mind that they should
not be tired by the end of the warm up. We want them at their peak for the main workout!
This circuit is perfect as a warm up before each of your workouts!

Inchworms 10 REPS X 3 SET

REST: NONE
Stand up straight, then bend down keeping your legs long, and place your hands on the
floor. Walk out to a plank position, keeping the hips steady. Walk back in and stand up.

Single Leg 10 REPS Each leg X 3 SET

Glute Bridge REST: NONE
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet drawn up towards your glutes.
Lift one leg up and drive through the heel of the foot that remains on the ground to
push up fast, and squeeze at the top to engage your glutes. Slowly lower down each
rep. If you don’t feel it in your glutes, lift your toes off the floor so only your heels are in
contact.

Booty Band 10 REPS Each leg X 3 SET

Clams REST: NONE
Lie on your side with a booty band around your knees. Your elbow is on the floor to
support your upper body. Knees and heels together, with knees bent. Open your top knee
towards the ceiling, squeezing the glute then slowly lower back down. Complete reps on
one side before moving to the other.

Plank 45 secs X 3 SET

REST: NONE
Drop onto the floor and place the elbows on the ground directly underneath shoulders.
Extend the legs out straight behind you, tuck your toes under and make a straight line
from your shoulders down to your heels. Hold for the prescribed time frame.

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GLUTE FINISHERS
In the Power Booty programs I have included some of my favourite ‘glute finishers’ or ‘glute burnouts’.
There will be 1-3 glute finishers per week in the program.

The goal with the finishers is to get a good booty pump (cause metabolic stress on the muscles) and
finish the session with some fun! The finisher is always secondary to the base work that we have
done in the workout. You will focus on getting stronger with the basics like your hip thrusts, squats,
deadlifts and lunges, then finish off your glutes with this!

Remember, the basics is where you will get the most glute growth from, however the banded finishers
are fun, give you a good pump, you can do them with your bestie, take some cute booty selfies and
leave the gym on a high note! #LSFBABES

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 NOW LET'S
BUILD YOUR
BEST BOOTY
YET GIRL!

www.laurensimpsonfitness.com

support@laurensimpsonfitness.com

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