Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings
This article is verified by 2 studies/publications.
Plan overview
Muscle focus
See how the planned working sets are spread across muscle groups.
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Contributing exercises
How are these percentages calculated?
Each working set counts once for every distinct muscle group listed for that exercise in the training.fit library. Two muscles in the same group still count as one. Warm-up sets are excluded; optional exercises count only when selected.
The percentage is a group’s set count divided by the total of all group counts. One exercise can contribute to several groups. This describes planned sets, rather than measured muscle activation, effort or expected growth.
“All listed sessions” counts each session once. A group with no counted sets may still work during an exercise. Muscle groups without a separate area on the body map appear in the list only.
Exercises included in this view
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is the twelve-week beginner programme in Bret Contreras and Kellie Davis’s book. It combines full-body training with a glute emphasis. The examples below refer to weeks 1–4 of the original workout logs.
Who this plan suits
It suits beginners who want to train their glutes alongside the upper body and core. The opening phase combines bodyweight movements with dumbbells, a barbell, a bench and a cable station. Choose the exercise version prescribed for your current phase.
Schedule and workout structure
These are the complete A, B and C workouts from the original weeks 1–4 logs. Alternate the first two exercises as a pair, then the next two; finish with the remaining movements. The calculation covers each listed workout once. Later phases change the exercises and prescriptions, so this is a view of the opening phase rather than an average of all twelve weeks.
A
| Exercise | Sets | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight glute bridge | 3 | 10–20 |
| Single Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 8–12 per side |
| Bodyweight box squat | 3 | 10–20 |
| Bench Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | 3 | 10–20 |
| Side-lying hip abduction | 1 | 15–30 per side |
| Front Plank | 1 | 20–120 s |
| Side plank from the knees | 1 | 20–60 s per side |
B
| Exercise | Sets | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| Single-leg glute bridge with the foot elevated | 3 | 10–20 per side |
| Cable Lat Pulldown | 3 | 8–12 |
| Step Ups | 3 | 10–20 per side |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Bodyweight back extension on a 45-degree bench | 3 | 10–20 |
| Side-lying clamshell | 1 | 15–30 per side |
| Crunches | 1 | 15–30 |
| Side crunch | 1 | 15–30 per side |
C
| Exercise | Sets | Repetitions |
|---|---|---|
| Glute Bridge March | 3 | 60 s |
| Cable Row | 3 | 8–12 |
| Squats | 3 | 10–20 |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | 3 | 8–12 |
| Bodyweight single-leg Romanian deadlift | 3 | 10–20 per side |
| X-band lateral walk | 1 | 10–20 steps per side |
| RKC plank | 1 | 10–30 s |
| Horizontal cable rope chop | 1 | 10 per side |
How progression works
Record your repetitions and resistance and follow the original phase-specific targets. Add resistance when you can complete the prescribed work with control. Keep bodyweight movements distinct from the loaded versions introduced later.
What the science says
A dose-response review associated more weekly training volume with greater gains, with diminishing returns. It supports considering the workload across the whole week, not assuming that every extra glute set will improve results. [1]
Failure training did not show a clear muscle-growth advantage in a meta-analysis. Glute emphasis does not require every exercise or every set to reach absolute failure. [2]
These papers examine training principles and prescriptions. They do not establish that Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings is superior to other well-designed programmes.
Programme source and version
The tables reproduce the complete A/B/C sessions in the original weeks 1–4 logs. Bret Contreras & Kellie Davis – Strong Curves.
Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings alternative exercises
You can perform the following exercises as alternatives to Strong Curves: Bootyful Beginnings.
Filter the exercises below by muscle group and difficulty.
| Exercise | Main muscle group | Difficulty | Type of training |
| Band Shoulder Press | Shoulder training |
Easy |
Compound exercise |
| Bench Press | Triceps training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Cable Bent Over Reverse Grip Row | Shoulder training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Cable Lat Pulldown | Upper back |
Easy |
Compound exercise |
| Cable Row | Neck training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Box Squats | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Front Squat | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Glute Bridge | Thigh training |
Easy |
Isolation exercise |
| Dumbbell Goblet Squat | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Incline Hammer Press | Upper chest |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | Lower back |
Hard |
Compound exercise |
| Dumbbell Shoulder Press | Shoulder training |
Easy |
Isolation exercise |
| Dumbbell Sumo Squat (Handle Grip) | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Front Plank | Abs workout |
Easy |
Compound exercise |
| Glute Bridge March | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Incline Dumbbell Press | Upper chest |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Resistance Band Single Arm Overhead Shoulder Press | Shoulder training |
Easy |
Compound exercise |
| Single Arm Dumbbell Row | Neck training |
Medium |
Isolation exercise |
| Smith Machine Bench Press | Chest training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Smith Machine Shoulder Press | Shoulder training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Squats | Thigh training |
Medium |
Compound exercise |
| Step Ups | Thigh training |
Easy |
Compound exercise |
Sources
- The Resistance Training Dose Response: Meta-Regressions Exploring the Effects of Weekly Volume and Frequency on Muscle Hypertrophy and Strength Gains. Pelland JC et al. Sports Medicine. 2026; 56(2):481-505. doi: 10.1007/s40279-025-02344-w.
- Influence of Resistance Training Proximity-to-Failure on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis. Refalo MC et al. Sports Medicine. 2023; 53(3):649-665. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01784-y.