There are many effective butt exercises out there that are designed to work out the glutes. Your glutes are comprised of 3 separate muscles – gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus. The gluteus minimus and medius make up the side of your butt, and are collectively known as hip abductor muscles, while the gluteus maximus which is, as its name suggests, the biggest of the 3, is focused on when doing extension and flexion movements.
The glutes help you with abduction, rotation and hip extension which is why you need to do a breadth of moves instead of just a single movement. Moreover, you should also work in one-sided exercises to isolate each side.
Best Butt Muscle Workouts
Here we outline the best workouts that work on your glutes and what’s great about them is that you can do these workouts just about anywhere – whether at home or even in Club Fitness.
1. Glute Bridge
To do this exercise you need to lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and hands on your sides. Squeeze your glutes and keep your core engaged as you lift your hips a few inches off the ground. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds. Then slowly lower your hips to the starting position. This makes 1 rep.
2. Barbell Hip Thrust
To do this exercise, sit on a flat surface with your back to a bench. Then place your feet on the floor and bend your knees. Feet should be hip-width apart. Rest your upper back on the bench’s edge and slowly slide the bar over your legs and place it in the crease of the hips. If you’re using plates, let them rest on the floor. Drive through your heels so you can raise your hips upward. Hold this position and squeeze your glutes for a few seconds. Then slowly lower your butt to the floor. This makes 1 rep.
3. Reverse Lunge
Stand straight, both feet flat on the ground shoulder distance apart. Clasp your hands and place in front of your chest. Then lift your left foot and step back 2 feet or so, landing on the ball of your foot. Next is to bend your knees until your right quad and left shin are parallel to the floor. Your right knee should be above your right foot. Keep your core engaged. Push through the heel of your right foot and then go back to the original position. This makes 1 rep.
4. Single-Leg Deadlift
Stand straight with both feet together. In each hand, hold a dumbbell in place them in front of your legs. Shift your weight to your left leg and slightly bend your left knee. Raise your right leg back and hinge at the hips as you lower your torso. With a flat back, your torso and right leg should now be parallel to the floor. Keeping your core engaged push through your left heel to stand up pulling the weight back from the ground. This makes 1 rep.
5. Squat to Standing Crunch
Your starting position would be to have both feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart and your core engaged. Hands held together at chest level and then lower your body, hinging at the hips and bending both knees. As you raise your body back up, lift your left knee and twist to tap your right elbow to do a standing twist crunch. Place your left foot back on the floor and drop to perform a second squat. This time you raise your right knee up and twist to tap your left elbow. Do reps for each side.
6. Sumo Squat
You’ll need a kettlebell for this exercise. Stand with both feet wider than hip-distance apart and both toes turned out slightly. Then holding a kettlebell by the handle, raise both hands towards chest level. Keep your core engaged and your chest lifted as you move your weight to your heels with your hips pushed back and knees bent to a squat position. Drive through your heels to return to standing and squeeze your glutes for a moment or two.