Try this ultimate glute workout
There is no such thing as a shortage of glute workouts when trying to improve your lower body strength and glute shape. Picking the best glute exercises are a matter of choice on leg day.
Strong glutes not only look fantastic, but they also boost athletic performance, improve posture and reduce injury risk. But let’s ditch the unrealistic quick fixes and build a sustainable, effective glute workout plan that fits YOUR needs.
This guide deepens into crafting the ultimate glute workout, regardless of your equipment access, fitness level, or specific goals. Whether you’re a gym rat or a homebody, a beginner or a seasoned exerciser, we’ll equip you with the knowledge and exercises to sculpt, strengthen and define your glutes like never before.
Benefits of strong glute muscles
- Improved posture and stability: Strong glutes play a key role in maintaining proper posture and stability. They help support the spine and pelvis, reducing the risk of lower back pain and promoting a more upright posture during various activities.
- Enhanced athletic performance: Strong glutes contribute significantly to lower body strength and power. Whether running, jumping, or participating in sports, powerful glutes can improve performance by providing a strong base and efficient hip movement.
- Injury prevention: Well-developed glutes can help prevent injuries, particularly in the lower body. They stabilize the hip and knee joints, reducing the risk of common issues like IT band syndrome, knee pain, and hamstring strains. Strong glutes also contribute to better knee alignment during movements, minimizing joint stress.
Glute muscles that make up the muscle group
The glute muscles are a group of three muscles that make up your butt: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. They’re some of the strongest muscles in your body, and they help you do many things, like walking, running, jumping and climbing stairs.
Gluteus maximus
The gluteus maximus is the strongest and largest muscle in your whole body. It sits right at the back of your hip, giving your butt its round shape. SOMEETEHING.
The glute max is the powerhouse that helps you kick a ball with all your might, jump high in the air, and climb stairs like a champ
Gluteus medius
The glute medius works under the glute max, kind of like a sidekick. The glute medius helps you move your leg out to the side (imagine doing the splits!), turn your hip when you dance, and keeps you balanced.
Gluteus minimus
This is the smallest of the three, but don’t underestimate it. It works to help with hip movement and stability.
Glute exercises used in workout
Pulsating Smith machine reverse curtsy lunge
- Adjust the bar on the Smith machine to a comfortable height, around shoulder level. Stand under the bar with your back straight, core engaged and feet hip-width apart. Grip the bar with an overhand grip (palms facing you), hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Take a large step backward with one leg, crossing it behind your standing leg as if doing a curtsy. Keep your toes pointed outward on both feet. This creates a diagonal stance.
- Lower your body down by bending both knees until your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and your back knee is almost touching the ground (but not actually touching). Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle and avoid letting your toes point inwards.
- Pulse near the bottom of the lunge for the desired number of times.
- Repeat the lunge on the other side, remembering to cross your back leg behind and keep your toes pointed outward.
Deficit reverse lunge with curtsy
- Stand on a bench with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides (optional).
- Take a large step backward with one leg, landing on the floor with your entire foot. This is your deficit leg.
- Instead of stepping backward straight, cross your back leg (the one on the deficit) behind your standing leg as if doing a curtsy. Keep your toes pointed outward.
- Lower your body down until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles. Keep your front knee directly over your ankle and your back knee close to the ground (but not touching).
- Engage your core and push through your front heel to rise back up to the starting position. As you rise, bring your back leg forward and step it onto the same level as your front leg.
- Repeat the lunge on the other side, crossing your back leg behind as you step back onto the deficit.
Ankle weights kick ups
- Place ankle weights on your ankles.
- Get on your hands or forearms and your knees on a bench or floor.
- Engage your core and raise one leg in a bent position with the sole of your foot facing the ceiling.
- Push your foot toward the ceiling.
- Control the movement as you slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position.
- Repeat on one leg, then switch sides.
Ankle weights fire hydrant
- Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Lift one leg out to the side, keeping your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Imagine presenting the outside of your knee to the ceiling. Engage your glute and core to lift your leg as high as comfortably possible.
- Hold for a second or two, feeling the squeeze in your glute and core.
- Slowly lower your leg back down to the starting position with control.
- Repeat on one leg, then switch sides.
Tip: Keep your core engaged throughout the movement to stabilize your spine.
Bulgarian split squat with twist
- Stand with your back to the bench, one foot placed on top with the shin parallel to the ground. Your front foot should be about a big step forward, hip-width apart from your back foot. Keep your core engaged and back straight.
- As you inhale, initiate the squat by bending both knees simultaneously. Lower your body down until your front thigh is almost parallel to the ground and your back knee nearly touches the floor.
- The twist comes here: As you reach the bottom of the squat, slightly twist your torso towards the front leg, engaging your obliques and core muscles. Imagine turning your upper body to look at your front knee.
- Keep your weight primarily on your front heel and push through it to return to the starting position, simultaneously reversing the torso twist and returning to an upright posture.
- Exhale as you complete the rep and repeat on the other side, placing your other foot on the bench and performing the squat and twist with the opposite leg.
Some of the most popular glute exercises
Barbell hip thrust
- Sit on the ground with your shoulder blades against a bench or elevated surface and a barbell resting on your hips.
- Place your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Drive your hips up towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Lower your hips back to the ground, keeping tension in your glutes throughout the movement.
- Repeat
Once you master the basic bridge, you can add progressions like:
- Single-leg glute bridge: Raise one leg straight towards the ceiling as you perform the bridge with the other leg.
- Resistance band glute bridge: Loop a resistance band around your upper thighs just above your knees for added challenge.
Kettlebell swing
- Keep a slight bend in your knee, but there shouldn’t be any squat movement. This is a hip hinge pattern. As the kettlebell comes between your legs. You are using a hip hinge and bringing your back down without arching your back.
- Squeeze your glutes when you reach a standing position and the kettlebell is up at shoulder level with your arms extended.
- Keep your abs tight as the kettlebell comes down.
Sumo squat
- Adjust the bar of the Smith machine so that it’s just below shoulder height.
- Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the bar, and lightly grip the bar with an overhand grip.
- Get under the bar and position at the base of your traps looking straight ahead.
- Stand with your legs in a wider stance and your toes pointed out.
- Shift your weight back into your heels. Brace your core muscles as you begin to lower into a squat, keeping your head and spine in a neutral position.
- Once your quadriceps muscles are at 90-degree angle with the floor, reverse the movement by driving your feet into the floor and stand back up. Be sure to squeeze your glutes at the top of your squat.
Walking lunge
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and shoulders back.
- Take a large step forward with one leg, landing with your heel first. Aim for a stride length that creates 90-degree angles at both knees when you lower your body.
- As you step forward, bend both knees, lowering your body until your front knee is directly above your ankle and your back knee hovers close to the ground (but doesn’t touch).
- Press firmly through your front heel and extend your front knee, pushing yourself upwards and forwards. As you rise, simultaneously lift your back leg and bring it forward, stepping it past your front foot to land in a lunge position on the other side.
- Repeat the lunge with the other leg, maintaining a steady walking motion.
Conventional deadlift
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip (palms facing your body).
- Hinge at your hips, pushing your hips back and keeping your back straight.
- Lower the barbell down your thighs until it reaches your shins.
- Stand back up by driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes.
TIP: Keep your feet planted on the ground without rocking.
Ultimate glute workout
pulsating reverse curtsy lunge
deficit reverse lunge with curtsy
resistance band squat
ankle weights kick ups
ankle weights fire hydrant
bulgarian split squat with twist
