Rich, 33, has always admired butts—on everyone. As a kid, he grew up reading superhero comics and sketching exaggerated physiques, so a shapely backside was just part of the package.
“When I started taking fitness more seriously, a nice butt became my top goal,” he says. “I can’t lie, I like it when close friends grab or pat mine. It’s oddly comforting to know that all that hard work—and it’s so much work—has paid off.”
He feels more comfortable in shorts, too, because butt workouts have helped to build his thighs and hamstrings.
Queer men have long appreciated a good butt, and are often trailblazers when it comes to male aesthetic trends. But recently straight men have been catching on. And the tides are slowly shifting, one shapely bottom at a time.
After decades of gym culture prioritizing biceps and six-packs, glutes are finally having their time in the spotlight. In 2023, more than 400 men in the US got Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), and plastic surgeons say interest in male glute enhancements is growing. Brands are rolling out butt-enhancing leggings, underwear, and even chinos. Popular fitness influencers are now speaking directly to men about how to build a shelf butt, and guys are showing up to workout classes like Pilates that prioritize glute strength.
"It is trending more the last few years than the last few decades in my career,” John Rusin, the physical therapist and personal trainer behind Pain-Free Performance, says. “It was once laughed at. And now people are standing in line at commercial centers to use the hip thrust machine.”
Read more about how men are having their cake and eating it too
