No matter what workout you’re doing, odds are your glutes are involved. (Even if just a little bit!)
Basically, your backside plays a major role in your body’s overall strength levels—which means you should definitely know all the best butt exercises to incorporate into your workout routine for keeping that *big* muscle strong. (Yep, the glutes are actually one of the largest muscle groups in the body.)
In case you missed it, all sports and fitness activities can benefit tremendously from strong glutes. For example, our glutes aid in our ability to hinge and squat, keeping us in a pattern of safe, secure movement while we exercise. Strong glutes also mean a strong back and pelvic stability, helping to minimize lower back discomfort throughout the day.
Simple activities such as walking, hiking, and going up and down the stairs all incorporate the glutes, too, and being able to use your butt muscles while carrying out these activities makes movement overall so much easier and injury-free. (Meaning: no more pain or aches as you climb up the basement steps or chase your kiddos around the park.) Plus, strong glutes can also make you a better runner—and even help you avoid knee injuries.
Now that you’re all up-to-date when it comes to glute strength, it’s time to get into specifics. The following are the 35 best butt exercises to add to your workout routine this week. These exercises are worth incorporating into your lower-body days or string them together as a DIY glutes workout.
Time: 15 minutes
Equipment: You can do all of these moves with just your bodyweight, but if you want to keep challenging your bod, add a stability ball (or elevated surface, like a couch), resistance band (long or looped), and set of free weights into the mix.
Good for: Glutes, butt muscles
Instructions: Choose at least three moves below. Perform 15 reps of each, then continue to the next exercise. Once you’ve completed all movements, rest for up to one minute. Then, repeat three times for four total rounds.
1. Mini Band Kickback
How to: Get on hands and knees, and put one end of the mini band around right foot, positioning the other end on the left thigh, just above the knee. While keeping abs tight, contract the glutes to slowly kick right leg back until it’s straight. At full extension, squeeze the glutes for an extra second. Carefully bring it back down. That’s one rep.
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2. Reverse Lunge With Knee Drive
How to: Begin in low lungeing position with right foot forward, left foot back. Both legs should be bent at 90 degrees, torso parallel to floor, right hand on right thigh, and left arm extended, fingertips on mat. Pushing through the right (or forward) leg, take a small jump into the air, lifting your left knee off the floor and driving it upward toward the chest, swinging bent right arm forward until elbow is in line with shoulder. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep.
3. Heel Elevated Split Squat
How to: Stand on your right foot, with the left knee bent and foot off the ground. Bend your right knee, extending your left leg down until the knee is a few inches off the ground, keeping your arms out in front of you for balance. (Feel free to use a block or ball as a marker of where your knee should land.) Slowly return to start. That’s one rep.
4. Butt Kicks
How to: Start in a standing position with your feet under the hips and hands at your sides. Move by bending the left or right leg, raising the heel to the glute. Then, quickly return it to start. Repeat on the opposite side. That’s one rep.
5. Jumping Jacks
How to: Begin in a standing with both hands by your sides. Jump and land with the legs open (slightly wider than hip-distance), while also bringing your hands up overhead. Jump again, landing with your legs back together and the arms at your sides, then repeat.
6. Kettlebell Swing
How to: Start with your hips back, knees slightly bent, and torso leaned forward at 45 degrees. Hold the handle of a kettlebell with both hands, arms extending straight toward floor. Squeeze glutes, straighten legs, lift torso, and thrust hips forward all in one motion, ultimately swinging the weight to chest height. (Keeping the arms straight and core tight!) Then, in reverse, bring the kettlebell between thighs this time when you hinge. That’s one rep.
7. Bear Crawl
How to: Start in with your shoulders over the wrists, knees under hips and have your entire body elevated a few inches off of mat. Step left hand and right foot forward at the same time, followed by right hand and left foot. Keep your back flat and hips stable. Count every three steps forward as one rep.
8. Step Up
How to: Stand facing a box, step, or stairs. Hold the dumbbells in front of your chest. Place left foot on the bench, and keep your right foot on the floor. Pushing through the left foot, lift your body up until you’re in a standing position at the top of the bench. Drive the right knee up until it forms a 90-degree angle. Pause, then slowly return to start. That’s one rep.
9. Speed Skaters
How to: Start in a standing with the knees slightly bent. Jump sideways, to the left, bringing right leg behind you and reaching right arm in front of your body for balance. Jump to the right side, bringing left leg behind you and left arm in front of you. Your chest should stay up and your hips should stay low the entire move. One jump on one side is equal to one rep.
10. Roll-Up Jumps
How to: In a seated position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, have your arms at your sides, palms pressed into mat, fingertips facing forward. Roll back onto shoulders, lifting your hips off the mat, and extending your legs straight into the air. Then, using momentum, roll forward, bending legs to return feet to the floor, and pushing through soles to stand and jump straight up. Keep your arms extended at sides and land with bent knees. That’s one rep.
11. Walking Lunges
How to: Start standing with feet together holding a pair of weights at shoulder height, elbows bent in front of body. Step right foot forward and bend knees to lower down into a lunge, stopping when both legs form 90-degree angles. Press through right heel to stand and step left foot forward, lowering into a lunge. That’s one rep.
12. Stability Ball Hip Thrust
How to: Start with arms behind head (elbows wide), upper back pressed into stability ball (or elevated surface, like a couch), legs bent, feet flat on floor, and hips hovering above the floor. Lean back into stability ball and lift hips toward ceiling until thighs are parallel to mat. Return to start. That’s one rep.
13. Single-Leg Deadlift
How to: Start standing on right leg with left leg slightly back behind body, toe pointed and resting on the floor, right arm on hip, and left arm extended straight down at side. Engage abs and slowly lean forward, lifting left leg straight back behind body and lowering torso toward floor until both are parallel to ceiling and left hand is almost touching floor. Drive into right heel to return to start position. That’s one rep.
14. Supported Single-Leg Deadlift
How to: Start standing on left leg with a weight in right hand, arm extended straight and weight in front of thighs, palm facing toward body, left arm by side and right leg straight and a few feet behind body with heel high. Keep slight bend in left knee, then lean forward, hinging at the hips with a flat back while lowering the weight toward the floor. Drive into left heel to return to the standing position. That’s one rep.
15. Step Up
How to: Start standing facing a bench or stair, hands on waist and feet under hips. Step right foot onto bench or stair and pull left knee up toward chest. Reverse movement to return to start. That’s one rep.
16. Banded Lateral Step-Out Squat
How to: Start standing with a resistance band wrapped around shins, feet under hips, with hands clasped in front of chest. Take a big step to the right, then bend knees, sit back, and lower until thighs are parallel with the floor. Engage glutes and press back up through heels to starting position. Repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
17. Banded Glute Bridge
How to: Wrap a resistance band around thighs then lie down with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms by sides on floor. Engage core, then press into heels and squeeze glutes to raise your hips toward the ceiling—maintain tension on the band the whole time. Hold the position for a second before lowering to start. That’s one rep.
18. Isometric Glute Bridge
How to: Start lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms by sides on floor. Engage core, then press into heels and squeeze glutes to lift hips toward the ceiling. Maintain space between chin and chest and keep upper back on the ground. Hold for up to 30 seconds. That’s one rep.
19. Glute Bridge March
How to: Start lying on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Engage core, then press into heels and squeeze glutes to raise hips until body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Lift right knee toward chest. Pause, then lower right foot. Repeat with the other leg. That’s one rep.
20. Stability Ball Bridge
How to: Start lying on back with arms by sides, legs bent to 90-degree angles (shins parallel to floor), and feet on stability ball (or elevated surface, like a couch). Push down into feet, upper back, and arms to lift hips off ground a few inches. Return to start. That’s one rep.
21. Weighted Goodmorning
How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold two weights in hands, bend arms, and place them behind shoulders onto back. This is your start position. Keep knees slightly bent and torso straight, then slowly hinge forward from hips until upper body is parallel to the floor. Hold for a moment, then return to start. That’s one rep.
22. Isometric Squat
How to: Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart and hands by sides. Push hips back and bend knees until thighs are nearly parallel to the ground bringing hands to clasp in front of chest. Hold for up to 30 seconds. That’s one rep.
23. Dumbbell Donkey Kick
How to: Start on all fours with a dumbbell tucked in the crease of right leg. Keep that leg bent at a 90-degree angle and foot flexed, then press up through sole to kick leg straight up until knee is in line with hip and parallel to floor. Reverse the movement to return to start. That’s one rep.
24. Banded Leg Lift
How to: Get on hands and knees with a resistance band wrapped around thighs. Straighten left leg and raise it into the air until in-line with hips and parallel to floor, foot flexed. This is your starting position. Engage glutes to lift leg up a couple more inches, then lower back to hip height. That’s one rep.
25. Isometric Lunge
How to: Stand up tall, then take a large step forward with your right foot, coming on to the ball of your left. Arms are by sides. This is your starting position From here, bend knees and lower body until knees are bent to 90-degree angles while bringing hands to clasp in front of chest. Hold for up to 30 seconds. That’s one rep.
26. Goblet Squat
How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a weight in front of chest, elbows pointing toward the floor. Push hips back and bend knees to lower into a squat. Push yourself back to start. That’s one rep.
27. Single-Leg Box Squat
How to: Start standing facing away from a box (or chair) with weight in left foot, right foot hovering, and arms at sides. Engage core, bend left knee, and push hips back to sink down into a single-leg squat until butt touches box, simultaneously extending arms out straight in front of body and right foot out slightly for balance. Once seat taps box, press through left foot to return to standing position.
28. Jump Squat
How to: Start standing with feet shoulder-width apart, toes forward, arms at sides. Bend knees, stick butt back, and lower down into a squat, bringing hands together in front of chest. Then explosively jump up as high as possible off floor, swinging arms straight behind body for momentum. Land softly on the balls of feet and immediately lower into next squat. That’s one rep.
29. Staggered Stance Deadlift
How to: Start standing on left leg with right foot back slightly and right heel lifted. Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of body. Push hips back and lower torso forward to 45-degree angle. Drive through left heel to reverse the movement to return to starting position. That’s one rep.
30. Curtsy Lunge
How to: Start standing tall with feet under hips and arms clasped in front of chest. Engage core, lift right foot off the floor and take a big step back and to the outside of left foot. Then, bend at knees until right knee taps floor behind left foot. Drive through feet to reverse the movement and return to start position. That’s one rep.
31. Lateral Lunge with Reach
How to: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, hands at your side. With your right hand, reach down toward your foot, lowering your body until your left knee is bent 90 degrees. Immediately repeat on the other side. That’s one rep.
32. Standing Glute Kickback
How to: Stand with weight on right foot and left leg long behind body with toes pointed and resting on floor. Bend right knee slightly and hinge at hips to lower torso forward slightly. Clasp hands in front of body. This is your starting position. Then, engage through left glutes to kick straight left leg back and up until nearly parallel with floor. Slowly and with control, reverse the movement to return to start.
33. Bird Dog
How to: Start on all fours in tabletop position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Raise your left arm in front of you and right leg behind, forming a straight line from left hand to right foot. Hold for a second, then pull arm and leg in beneath torso so left elbow and right knee connect. Extend out long once more, then return to start. That’s one rep.
34. Romanian Deadlift
How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a pair of weights in front of thighs, palms facing body. Keeping knees slightly bent, press hips back as you hinge at the hips and lower the weights toward the floor. Squeeze glutes to return to standing. That’s one rep.
35. Deadlift to Squat Clean
How to: Start in a deep hinge position (hips back, knees slightly bent, and torso leaned forward almost parallel to floor), with hands gripping a kettlebell on floor between feet. Squeeze glutes and press hips forward to straighten legs and lift weight up keeping it close to shins. When bell reaches knees, bend elbows and pull it up to chest. Then, bend knees and sink hips back and down into a squat. Once thighs are about parallel with floor, press through feet to extend legs and return to standing position. That’s one rep.
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Source: Women’s Health Mag
