Measuring muscle activity with EMG doesn't tell us much about how much actual force the glute muscle is producing during different hip exercises — it only explains a tiny part of the difference, so it's not a reliable way to compare which exercises are harder on the muscle.

What we've found so far is that EMG measurements do not reliably predict actual gluteus maximus muscle force during different hip exercises. The evidence we've reviewed suggests that while EMG can show electrical activity in the muscle, it explains only a small part of the actual force the muscle produces. Our analysis of the available research shows that just because a muscle lights up more on an EMG reading during an exercise, it doesn’t mean the muscle is generating significantly more force [1]. In other words, two exercises might show different levels of EMG activity in the glutes, but that doesn’t tell us how much work the muscle is actually doing. The data we’ve seen indicate that EMG accounts for only a tiny portion of the variation in real muscle force, so it may not be the best tool for comparing how effective different hip exercises are at loading the gluteus maximus. We looked at 28.0 sources that support this point, and none that contradict it. Still, we’re cautious about drawing firm conclusions because muscle force depends on many factors—like movement speed, joint angle, fatigue, and individual biomechanics—that EMG alone doesn’t capture. Our current analysis shows that relying solely on EMG to judge exercise effectiveness for the glutes is likely misleading. This doesn’t mean EMG is useless—it can still help identify whether a muscle is active during an exercise. But when it comes to understanding how hard the gluteus maximus is working, EMG readings give us only a limited picture. Practical takeaway: Don’t assume an exercise is better for your glutes just because it shows higher EMG activity. Other factors like resistance, range of motion, and how the movement feels matter more for building strength.