Who is Bret Contreras?
Bret Contreras is a veteran of the fitness industry and is widely regarded as the leading authority on glute training. Is there anything this sports scientist, innovator, researcher, author, and gym owner can’t do?
Body Measurements of Bret Contreras
| Full Name: Bret Contreras |
| DATE OF BIRTH: July 26, 1976 |
| ERA: 2010 |
| PROFESSION: Personal Trainer, Researcher, Author, Inventor Gym Owner |
| NATIONALITY: American |
| AGE: 45 |
| HEIGHT: 6’4″ (193cm) |
| WEIGHT: 225 – 235lbs (102.1 – 106.6kg) |
Accomplishments
- Ph.D. in Sports Science
- Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist with Distinction from National Strength & Conditioning Association
- Research Associate AUT University
- Author and Co-author of multiple books
- Founder of Booty by Bret, BC Strength, The Glute Lab
- Inventor of Barbell Hip Thrust and Hip Thruster
Biography
Bret Contreras is an identical twin who was born and reared in Arizona. Before making the switch to the fitness industry, he began his career by teaching mathematics for six years.
He was a certified personal trainer at the same time he was teaching, but this was always more of a pastime.
Since I was 16 years old, I’ve been working with individuals as a strength coach, personal trainer, training partner, and writer.
He chose to concentrate on exercise science for his thesis while pursuing his master’s degree.
Bret built up his strength training facility after being inspired by his professor, who advised him to follow his passion for fitness, and within three months had attracted a sizable clientele.
Every spare moment Bret had was spent reading, researching, and studying conditioning, strength, and fitness. He “went back to school” to pursue his goal of turning his passion into a career.
He worked to obtain FMS (Functional Movement Screen) and CSCS (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist) certifications from the NSCA (National Strength & Conditioning Association). He earned a Ph.D. in sports science as well.
The Glute Guy
Bret became fascinated with glutes and how to develop them. Over several decades, he immersed himself in their study, earning the moniker “The Glute Guy.”
Bret got the idea for the barbell hip thrust while watching a UFC match in 2006. He observed that one of the fighters had a weak hip bump during the fight, which he attributed to weak glutes. He played about with his bench in his garage while there, sitting against it with his feet on the ground, holding a weighted barbell in his lap, and extending his hips fully. The excellent glute-focused exercise allowed for a full range of motion and the ability to load weight.
Today, Bret has made a name for himself as the foremost authority in gluteal muscle development, strength training, and program design.
Sprinting, jumping, cutting, twisting, and protecting the knees and back, not to mention looking athletic and seductive, all require strong glutes. For the majority of sports, especially strength sports, they are essential.
Bret created the Hip Thruster, a flexible piece of equipment used to perform the hip thrust, in addition to creating a comprehensive glute-training system and the barbell hip thrust.
Bret Contreras also frequently contributes to Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, and Oxygen, among other fitness publications.
Training
As you might have suspected, Bret loves glute-building exercises of all kinds, but he especially loves the barbell hip thrust (he’s the inventor after all). That is not to mean that he lacks interest in the methods of strength training required to achieve increases.
According to Bret, “generic” huge lifts like these provide 80% of the possible improvements from strength training.
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Bench press
- Bent over rows
- Military presses
- Farmer’s walks.
“I believe that the big lifts can and should be modified to be more joint-friendlier or replaced by biomechanically-similar exercises for lifters who don’t tolerate the big lifts very well.
“For example, front squats, hex bar deadlifts, incline presses, inverted rows, and neutral grip dumbbell military presses are suitable alternatives which are generally safer but will yield nearly identical adaptations.”
Bret enjoys entire-body exercises as well as much-needed cardio; he always goes for a walk after strength training at least four to five times a week.
Nutrition
Bret likes to “fuel up to train.” He needs to eat enough food to fuel his workouts successfully and get the most out of each session. That entails a significant intake of carbohydrates, fiber, lipids, and of course proteins.
Bret mostly ate whey protein drinks, skimmed milk, eggs, tuna, chicken, lean beef, Greek yogurt, orange juice, fruit, dried fruit, mixed vegetables, cheese, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, pickles, and fish oil capsules when he was dieting. This indicates that the vast bulk of his meals is complete, little processed, and rich in fiber and variety.
But he doesn’t enjoy placing too many limitations on himself. He can enjoy a cheeseburger just like the rest of us, but moderation is crucial.
Bret always made careful not to exceed his daily calorie allowance, and if he did, he would go for a quick nighttime walk to make up the difference.
He doesn’t take pre-workout supplements, although he does enjoy drinking a diet energy drink before working out.
What is Bret Contreras teaching us?
We learn from Bret Contreras that it’s never too late to follow your dreams. Despite having secure employment and a successful teaching career, Bret was aware that the world needed to see more of him.
His narrative can teach us to always follow our dreams and go after everything that ignites a fire within us.