15 Exercise For Glutes To Sculpture Your Best Rear
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A strong glute determines any heavy performance and protects the lower back and joints. Moreover, glute strength is vital for injury prevention, functional movement, and maintaining proper posture, which all add up to healthier years. These powerhouses of the lower body are responsible for pushing, pulling, and stabilizing the hips.
The key to sculpting the glutes lies in a variety of exercises that target all aspects of the glutes. Besides endless squats, one can try lunges, bridges, hip thrusts, and even fun, dynamic movements like step-ups and kicks. Here we present to you 15 such exercises that help to sculpt your glutes.
1. Bodyweight Squats
- Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, core
A bodyweight squat is simply a squat done using your body weight as resistance. These quad exercises need no weights or machines.
They are a powerhouse movement that sculpts the entire lower body, building strength and definition in the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Here is a simple step to perform this exercise:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly outward.
- Hinge at the hips, lowering the body as if sitting in a chair.
- Keep your back straight, your core engaged, and your knees tracking over your toes.
- Push through your heels to return to standing.
2. Lunges
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Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, and core
A lunge is a powerful exercise that works for multiple muscle groups at once, making it a real fitness champion. This versatile exercise improves balance and coordination, strengthens the legs, and increases flexibility.
With multiple types of lunges, here is a simple step to performing lunges:
- Keep your back straight and your core engaged.
- Bend the front knee at 90 degrees, and the back knee is almost touching the ground.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing.
- Start with bodyweight lunges
3. Glute Bridges
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
A glute bridge is like a mini-workout for glutes. It is all about lying back with knees bent and squeezing the glutes to lift the hips off the ground, forming a bridge shape.
This simple exercise strengthens and tightens the glutes, improves posture, and reduces back pain. Here is how to perform this exercise:
- Lie on the back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Lift the hips off the ground, squeezing the glutes.
- Hold for a beat, then slowly lower back down.
4. Deadlifts
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads, core, back
Deadlifts are like the kings of strength exercises that make you stand strong and confident. It works the whole backside, from legs to core and back, making you a stronger, more powerful person.
With many variations, the Romanian deadlift is a fantastic exercise for building lower body strength. This exercise can be performed through the following steps:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding weights in front of the thighs.
- Hinge at the hips, keeping the back straight and the core engaged, and lowering weights towards the ground.
- Pause, then stand back up to the starting position.
5. Hip Thrusts
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
The hip thrust is a super-charged bridge that builds beautiful and active bums, all while hitting the hamstrings for good measure. They can be performed with or without weight.
This exercise isolates and strengthens the glutes, improves hip mobility, and increases power. Here is how to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
- Place your hands on the floor behind you for support.
- Push through your heels and hips to lift your body off the ground, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Lower back down and repeat.
6. Step-ups
- Target: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves
Step-ups are a simple yet effective exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in your lower body, primarily your glutes and quads. They also engage your hamstrings and core for stability.
It benefits balance and coordination, increases leg power, and helps burn calories and build muscle. Follow these steps to perform this exercise:
- Start with your feet hip-width apart
- Foot placed firmly on the step
- Bring your other leg up to meet the first on the step.
- Slowly step back down to the starting position.
7. Banded Glute Walks
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Targets: Glutes, abductors, core
Banded glute walks are a simple but effective exercise that can help you sculpt strong, toned glutes. This exercise activates glutes differently, improves hip mobility, and strengthens lateral muscles.
Follow these simple steps to incorporate this exercise into your workout regime:
- Place a mini-resistance band around your ankles.
- Step sideways, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
- Take small steps, squeezing your glutes with each step.
- Walk 10 steps in each direction, then repeat.
8. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core, balance
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are like standing on one leg, bending down with the back straight, and feeling the fire in the booty. This exercise challenges balance and stability, strengthens individual legs, and improves coordination.
Here are some steps to perform this exercise:
- Stand one foot forward, the other back, and have a tall spine.
- Hold a weight or just balance.
- Bend at the hips, lowering like a controlled chair sit, feeling hamstring stretch.
- Back straight, core tight, like a superhero plank.
- Push through the standing heel, booty back to start, then switch legs.
9. Fire Hydrants
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core, outer hips
The fire hydrant exercise, also known as the quadruped hip abduction, is a fantastic bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the gluteus muscles. With benefits such as improved glutes, flexibility, and metabolism, performing this exercise is easy.
Here are the steps:
- Place hands shoulder-width apart under shoulders, knees hip-width apart under hips.
- Lift one leg, bent at 90 degrees, out to the side until parallel to the ground.
- Squeeze the glutes and hold for a second.
- Repeat on both sides.
10. Cable Pull-throughs
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core, back
Cable pull-throughs are a popular choice for building a strong and sculpted posterior chain. It helps to enhance the glutes diversely, improves posture, and strengthens the lower back.
Here is how to perform it:
- Attach a cable machine to a low pulley setting.
- Stand facing the machine, holding the handle in both hands.
- Hinge at your hips, keeping your back straight and your core engaged
- Pull the handle towards your body until your glutes are squeezed.
- Pause, then slowly extend your arms back to the starting position.
11. Bulgarian Split Squats
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Targets: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, balance
This exercise is a powerful glute-sculptor, targeting both sides of your backside and making them strong and perky. This leg-press alternative also isolates and strengthens individual legs, improves coordination, and increases the range of motion.
Steps involved:
- Place one foot elevated on a bench or chair behind you.
- Step forward with your other leg and lower into a squat, keeping your front knee over your ankle.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing. Repeat on the other side.
12. Barbell Hip Thrusts
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
The barbell hip thrust is a lower-body exercise that targets the glutes and hamstrings while also engaging the core. It provides a heavier weight option for glute activation, increases power, and builds muscle mass.
The steps to perform are:
- Place a barbell across your hips, resting on your pelvic bones.
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
- Push through your heels and hips to lift your body off the ground, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Lower back down and repeat.
13. Weighted Glute Bridges
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Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core
Weighted glute bridges are a variation of the standard glute bridge that adds intensity to glute bridges, increases muscle growth, and improves definition.
They are highly effective exercises for strengthening and toning the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the buttocks. Here is how to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a weight on your hips or stomach. Lift your hips off the ground, squeezing your glutes.
- Hold for a beat, then slowly lower back down.
14. Side Plank with Leg Lifts
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Targets: Glutes, obliques, core, shoulders
Although the side plank with leg lifts is primarily a core and oblique exercise, it does offer some benefits for the glutes as well. It improves stability and works the glutes from a different angle.
Follow these steps to indulge in this exercise for strong glutes:
- Start in a side plank position with your elbow under your shoulder and your feet stacked.
- Lift your top leg towards the ceiling, keeping your core engaged and your hips square.
- Repeat for 10 reps, then switch sides.
15. Donkey Kicks
- Targets: Glute, hamstring, core
This simple-looking exercise, the donkey kick, gets your glutes and hamstrings working effectively. It provides a specific focus on the upper gluteus maximus. and benefits hip mobility and burns calories, among others.
Here is a step-by-step guide to doing it:
- Start on all fours
- Kick back: Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees
- Hold the position for a second at the top
- Slowly lower the leg back and repeat on the other side.
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