The three Finest Glute Exercises and Workout routines for Girls

The most effective glute exercises observe a couple of rules: 

1. They embody workouts that successfully goal the glutes (many don’t). 
2. They contain taking every set comparatively near failure (the purpose you may’t transfer the load regardless of giving your finest effort).
3. They contain regularly growing the load over time. 

Seems to be easy, however that is completely totally different from what number of ladies suppose they need to be coaching to construct their butt. For instance, you might have heard that one of the best ways to develop your glutes are workouts just like the Stairmaster, Pilates, yoga, and even strolling. 

Nothing mistaken with this stuff, however they’re going to do nearly nothing on your butt. 

Thirty minutes of correct power coaching per week beats 10 hours of Stairmaster or Pilates. 

And particularly, you need to be primarily doing barbell and machine workouts to develop your butt. 

Body weight workouts like body weight bridges and squats are higher than nothing, however they merely aren’t as efficient for constructing your glutes as workouts just like the barbell squat or hip thrust machine.

Dumbbell workouts like goblet squats are higher than physique weight workouts as a result of they permit you to incrementally add weight to your exercises, however they’re typically extra cumbersome and fewer sensible than barbells or machines.

Lastly, it is advisable to prepare laborious. You have to be taking most units of your exercises comparatively near failure—the purpose the place you may’t transfer the load regardless of pushing as laborious as you may. 

The final couple of reps of each set ought to really feel tough and transfer noticeably slower than the primary few. Some tooth gritting and swearing ought to happen. 

And in case you prepare this manner, you additionally don’t must do many units per exercise or per week. In relation to coaching your glutes (and each different muscle), high quality beats amount. 

Under, you’ll discover three glute exercises constructed on these rules: a barbell model, which is what I encourage everybody to do, plus dumbbell and body weight variations for the women who don’t need to prepare with barbells.

The Solely Glute Exercise You Must Construct a Nice Butt

Barbell Again Squat: 3 units | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 units | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Hip Thrust (Machine or Barbell): 3 units | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Hip Abduction Machine: 3 units | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

The most effective glute exercise isn’t actually a “glute exercise” in any respect—it’s a lower-body exercise with glute emphasis. 

The workouts that construct the perfect butts additionally construct robust, shapely legs, so that you’ll be coaching your quads and hamstrings laborious whether or not you imply to or not.

If you wish to push your legs even tougher, you may add isolation work like leg extensions and hamstring curls on one other coaching day. However for most ladies, the exercise beneath is all of the lower-body coaching they want.

One final thing: skip glute activation workouts.

Whereas many glute-growth gurus declare that doing band walks, clamshells, and body weight bridges earlier than your working units primes your glutes for heavier coaching, there’s no good proof they accomplish something helpful, together with growing glute exercise or drive manufacturing within the workouts that observe.

And when you consider it, there’s no good purpose to suppose they might. You don’t want to fret about whether or not your glutes are “lively” whenever you squat, deadlift, or hip thrust heavy weights—they essentially have to be. In the event that they weren’t, you wouldn’t be capable to full a single rep.

So as an alternative of futzing round with a resistance band earlier than your exercise, do that easy, research-backed warm-up as an alternative:

• Estimate the load you’ll use on your first laborious set of your first train.
• Do 6 reps with about 50% of that weight and relaxation for 1 minute.
• Do 4 reps with about 70% of that weight and relaxation for 1 minute.

After this, you’re able to deal with your laborious units on your first train and the remainder of your exercise.

Now, right here’s the right way to do the workouts.

1. Barbell Again Squat

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The again squat is likely one of the most totally studied glute workouts—and for a lot of ladies, the simplest. No different carry allows you to prepare your glutes with such heavy weights, via such an extended vary of movement, and progress as persistently over time.

It’s no shock, then, {that a} 2025 meta-analysis discovered that again squats considerably grew the glute max (the most important a part of the glutes) in each examine that examined them.

One element price realizing: depth issues. Deeper squats produced extra glute progress than shallow ones throughout each examine that in contrast them. You don’t must drop “ass-to-grass” to see outcomes—squatting to roughly parallel (thighs parallel to the ground) is sufficient for most ladies. Go as deep as your comfortably can—your glutes will thanks.

Past that, don’t sweat the small stuff. You’ll hear {that a} wider stance, extra turned-out toes, or a low-bar place will “goal your glutes extra”—however the following pointers are principally simply distractions. Decide a stance that feels steady and robust, and put your vitality into including weight to the bar. Any tiny improve in glute activation from a selected change in your stance or bar place will probably be outweighed by merely getting stronger.

Easy methods to:

1. Set a barbell in a rack at about chest top.
2. Step beneath it, pinch your shoulder blades collectively, and relaxation the bar throughout your higher again.
3. Raise the bar out, step again, and set your toes barely wider than shoulder-width along with your toes turned out.
4. Retaining your again straight, sit down and push your knees out in the identical course as your toes.
5. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: Take into consideration spreading the ground aside along with your toes by driving your toes into the bottom and away from one another (although they shouldn’t truly transfer). This prevents your knees from caving inward and allows you to carry extra weight with a decrease threat of ache or damage.

Alternate options:

2. Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 6–8 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The Romanian deadlift trains your glutes via an extended vary of movement, with heavy weights, and whereas stretched—three elements that drive muscle progress. Whereas no analysis has examined it particularly for glute hypertrophy, loads of associated proof suggests it’s a worthwhile addition to your coaching.

As an illustration, a 2024 examine discovered that including the stiff-leg deadlift (a detailed cousin of the RDL) to a squatting-style train (the leg press) grew the glute max by 6% in 10 weeks. That implies that pairing a squat with a “hip hinge” is an efficient one-two punch for glute progress.

(Or if you wish to prepare your glutes tougher, analysis suggests the deficit RDL prompts the glutes much more than the common model.)

Easy methods to:

1. Stand along with your toes hip-width aside and maintain the barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip.
2. Maintain your again flat and push your hips again to decrease the bar straight towards the ground.
3. Decrease till you are feeling a deep stretch in your hamstrings or simply earlier than your decrease again rounds.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: Faux there’s a automotive behind you with the door open, and it’s important to shut it along with your butt. This cue encourages you to push your hips again slightly than squat down, which ensures your glutes and hamstrings take the load.

Alternate options:

3. Hip Thrust (Barbell or Machine)

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The hip thrust is likely one of the solely workouts that trains the glute’s fundamental operate (hip extension) with heavy weights, with out considerably involving the remainder of your leg muscle tissue. That makes it one of the best ways to develop your glutes with out rising the remainder of your thighs.

It’s additionally backed by analysis: one examine discovered that including the barbell hip thrust to a program that already included squatting and hinging actions boosted glute max progress by greater than 50% over 10 weeks (from 6.0% to 9.3%)—a considerable bump from a single added train.

The hip thrust additionally has sensible benefits over the squat and deadlift—it causes simply as a lot muscle progress, however doesn’t compress your backbone or fatigue your decrease again or legs. This lets you preserve coaching your glutes after the remainder of your physique is gassed or you probably have an damage that makes squatting or deadlifting off limits. 

That mentioned, the hip thrust isn’t fairly the “non-negotiable” glute train it’s typically made out to be. Analysis exhibits that the squat grows the glutes simply as a lot because the hip thrust, so deal with it as a beneficial addition to your squatting and deadlifting, not a substitute for it. 

Easy methods to:

1. Sit on the ground along with your higher again towards a bench set perpendicular to your physique.
2. Roll a barbell over your legs so it rests in your hip crease.
3. Plant your toes shoulder-width aside and about 12–18 inches out of your glutes.
4. Drive via your heels to carry your hips till your torso is parallel to the ground and your shins are vertical.
5. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: Two cues to make each rep safer and simpler. First, tuck your chin to your chest and look straight forward all through each rep. Second, preserve your again flat from begin to end (no arching), and as you thrust up, tuck your tailbone towards the ceiling to maintain the work in your glutes.

Alternate options:

• Machine Hip Thrust
• Smith Machine Hip Thrust
• Cable Pull-By

4. Hip Abduction Machine

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–12 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: There’s little direct proof that hip abduction workouts just like the hip abduction machine develop the glutes meaningfully greater than different workouts, however there’s a strong theoretical case for together with it.

The squat, RDL, and hip thrust all prepare hip extension—driving your hips from a bent place to a straight one. The hip abduction machine trains a totally totally different motion: hip abduction, the place your thighs transfer away out of your physique’s centerline. 

This preferentially recruits the smaller glute muscle tissue (the gluteus minimus and medius) that the larger compound lifts don’t prepare as straight.

And for the reason that abduction machine is simple to carry out and get well from, there’s nearly no draw back to together with it.

Easy methods to:

1. Sit on the machine and place the outsides of your knees towards the pads.
2. Grip the handles and preserve your again towards the seat.
3. Push your knees out so far as the machine or your flexibility permits.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: You don’t need to mount the hip abduction machine in a number of other ways (dealing with towards it, dealing with away, half-standing, and so forth.) to get the advantages. Discover a place that’s snug, allows you to prepare via a full vary of movement with heavy weights, and keep on with that.

Alternate options:

• Cable Hip Abduction
• Banded Lateral Walks

The Finest Dumbbell Glute Exercise for Girls

Bulgarian Break up Squat: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 3–5 minutes relaxation

Single-Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Dumbbell Hip Thrust: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Dumbbell Strolling Lunge: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

The most effective exercise you are able to do to construct your glutes is the barbell model above. But when that’s not an choice proper now—since you prepare at house, your health club is proscribed, otherwise you’re touring—a dumbbell exercise is a good substitute.

It follows the identical common format: a squatting train, a hinging train, and a thrust. The principle distinction is that there’s no good dumbbell substitute for the hip abduction machine, so this exercise ends with a strolling lunge—a single-leg dynamic train that challenges the smaller stabilizing glute muscle tissue to spherical out growth.

Simply remember that this exercise will ultimately change into limiting, so graduate to the barbell model when you may.

1. Bulgarian Break up Squat

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 3–5 minutes relaxation

Why:  The Bulgarian cut up squat is the perfect dumbbell substitute for the barbell again squat. By placing your rear foot up on a bench, you shift many of the load onto your entrance leg, which makes lighter dumbbells really feel a lot heavier and allows you to prepare your glutes laborious with no need huge weights.

Easy methods to:

1. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand and stand 2–3 toes in entrance of a bench.
2. Place the highest of your left foot on the bench behind you, along with your proper heel planted on the ground.
3. Decrease your hips by bending your proper knee till it reaches about 90 levels.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
5. Full all reps in your proper leg, then swap sides.

Professional Tip: To search out the proper entrance foot place, sit on the bench, lengthen one foot out in entrance of you so far as you may whereas preserving it flat on the ground, then get up with out transferring it. That’s the place your entrance foot ought to keep.

Alternate options:

READ MORE: The 7 Finest Bulgarian Break up Squat Alternate options

2. Single-Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The only-leg RDL is the perfect dumbbell substitute for the barbell RDL. Just like the Bulgarian cut up squat, taking many of the load on one leg makes lighter dumbbells more difficult. It might additionally recruit the gluteus medius and minimus extra, since they need to stabilize your pelvis on one leg.

Easy methods to:

1. Stand upright holding a dumbbell in your proper hand in entrance of your proper thigh.
2. Maintain your again flat and push your hips again as you decrease the load straight towards the ground, letting your left leg lengthen behind you for steadiness.
3. Decrease till you are feeling a deep stretch in your proper hamstring or simply earlier than your decrease again rounds.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
5. Full all reps in your proper leg, then swap sides.

Professional Tip: In case you wrestle with steadiness on the single-leg RDL, arrange an incline bench beside you and relaxation your free hand on it for assist. At house, something round waist top will work—a chair, a sturdy desk, or a countertop.

Alternate options:

3. Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The dumbbell hip thrust has all the identical advantages because the barbell model. The one downside is that it’s a lot tougher to load closely.

Easy methods to:

1. Sit on the ground along with your higher again towards a bench set perpendicular to your physique and a dumbbell in your hip crease.
2. Plant your toes shoulder-width aside, 12–18 inches out of your glutes.
3. Drive via your heels to carry your hips till your torso is parallel to the ground and your shins are vertical.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: Place a folded towel, small cushion, or pad in your hip crease earlier than resting the dumbbell on prime. With out it, the dumbbell can dig into your hips, and also you’ll typically finish the set due to the ache—not as a result of your glutes are fatigued. 

Alternate options:

4. Dumbbell Strolling Lunge

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 8–10 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The dumbbell strolling lunge could recruit the gluteus medius greater than different dumbbell workouts, due to the steadiness calls for of stepping ahead onto one leg at a time. That issues in a dumbbell-only exercise as a result of you might have fewer good methods to focus on the smaller glute muscle tissue straight.

Easy methods to:

1. Maintain a dumbbell in every hand and stand along with your toes about shoulder-width aside.
2. Step ahead 2–3 toes along with your proper foot, then decrease till your left knee touches the ground.
3. Push off your proper foot to face again up, bringing your left foot ahead to fulfill it.
4. Repeat, main along with your left foot.

Professional Tip: Take lengthy steps—roughly 2–3 toes—every time. Brief, uneven steps make the train really feel tougher however shift the load onto your quads. An extended stride retains the work in your glutes and hamstrings, which is what you need.

Alternate options:

The Finest Body weight Glute Exercise for Girls

Body weight Break up Squat: 3 units | 10–20 reps per leg | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Body weight Squat: 3 units | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Body weight Glute Bridge: 3 units | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Facet-Mendacity Clamshell: 3 units | 10–20 reps per facet | 2–3 minutes relaxation

The body weight exercise is probably the most restricted of the three. With no exterior load, you may’t apply progressive overload previous the primary few weeks, so your outcomes will rapidly plateau.

That mentioned, it’s a wonderfully good place to begin in case you’re new to power coaching and need to construct a base earlier than including weights. Simply deal with it as a stepping stone, not a vacation spot.

1. Body weight Break up Squat

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 10–20 reps per leg | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The body weight cut up squat is the perfect body weight choice for exciting glute progress. Taking most of your weight on one leg masses every glute with considerably extra of your body weight than an everyday squat does—which is what makes the train truly difficult with out exterior load.

Easy methods to:

1. Stand upright along with your palms in your hips.
2. Step your left foot again 2–3 toes so the ball of your left foot is on the ground and your proper heel is planted.
3. Decrease your hips by bending your proper knee till it reaches about 90 levels.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
5. Full all reps in your proper leg, then swap sides.

Professional Tip: Take an extended step ahead—roughly 2–3 toes. A shorter stance shifts the load onto your quads, however an extended stride retains the work in your glutes, which is what you need.

Alternate options:

• Body weight Bulgarian Break up Squat
• Body weight Lunge
• Body weight Reverse Lunge

2. Body weight Squat

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The body weight squat trains the identical motion because the again squat, simply with a lot much less load. Doing it after the cut up squat is intentional—your legs are already fatigued from the single-leg work, which suggests the lighter resistance of a two-leg squat is sufficient to push you near failure with no need weight.

Easy methods to:

1. Stand along with your toes barely wider than shoulder-width aside and your toes turned out.
2. Maintain your again straight, sit down, and push your knees out in the identical course as your toes.
3. Decrease till your thighs are parallel to the ground.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: Sink as little as you comfortably can—ideally to the purpose the place your thighs are parallel to the ground or beneath. Stopping above parallel means your glutes need to do much less work, which typically leads to much less glute progress.

Alternate options:

3. Body weight Glute Bridge

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 10–20 reps | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The glute bridge is the perfect body weight choice for coaching your glutes with out involving the remainder of your legs a lot, which makes it a helpful addition to a exercise that’s in any other case heavy on squatting actions.

Easy methods to:

1. Lie in your again along with your knees bent and your toes flat on the ground, about hip-width aside.
2. Plant your arms by your sides for stability.
3. Drive via your heels to carry your hips till your torso kinds a straight line out of your knees to your shoulders.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Professional Tip: When the common glute bridge turns into too simple, swap to the single-leg model. Plant one foot and carry the opposite off the ground, then carry out the rep utilizing solely your planted leg. This successfully doubles the load on every glute and allows you to preserve progressing with no need weights.

Alternate options: 

• Single-Leg Glute Bridge
• Body weight Hip Thrust
• Frog Pump

READ MORE: Glute Bridge vs. Hip Thrust vs. Kas Glute Bridge: Which Is Finest?

4. Facet-Mendacity Clamshell Elevate

Units, Reps, and Relaxation: 3 units | 10–20 reps per facet | 2–3 minutes relaxation

Why: The side-lying clamshell increase is the closest body weight equal to the hip abduction machine. It received’t develop your glutes meaningfully by itself, but it surely provides a unique motion sample to a exercise that in any other case leans closely on hip extension.

Easy methods to:

1. Lie in your facet along with your forearm on the ground, your knees bent, and your knees and toes stacked collectively on the ground.
2. Press your backside knee into the ground to carry your hips, and on the identical time, rotate your prime knee up and away from the underside one.
3. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.
4. Full all reps on one facet, then swap.

Professional Tip: Drive your hips up and ahead till your physique kinds a straight line out of your knees to your shoulders. This provides a thrusting movement to the kidnapping motion, which will get a little bit extra out of the train.

Alternate options:

• Facet Plank with Hip Abduction
• Fireplace Hydrant

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