The 12 Best Glute Exercises to Build Your Butt

The glutes are not just for sitting; they play a crucial role in our overall body strength, posture, and aesthetics. Whether you're looking to improve your athletic performance or simply want a toned and lifted rear, incorporating effective glute exercises into your workout routine is essential. Here are the 15 best exercises to target and build those glute muscles:

1. Squats

   • How to: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Keep your chest up and back straight. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
   • Benefits: Engages the entire lower body, especially the glutes and quads.

2. Lunges

   • How to: Start standing. Step forward with one leg and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Push off the front foot to return to the starting position.
   • Benefits: Targets glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

3. Hip Thrusts

   • How to: Sit on the ground with a bench behind you. Roll a barbell over your hips. Lean back against the bench and thrust your hips upwards, squeezing the glutes at the top.
   • Benefits: Isolates the glutes for maximum engagement.

4. Glute Bridge

   • How to: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Lift your hips off the ground by squeezing your glutes until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
   • Benefits: Strengthens glutes and improves hip mobility.

5. Step-Ups

   • How to: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, step onto a bench or platform with one foot, then push through that heel to lift your body up.
   • Benefits: Engages glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

6. Deadlifts

   • How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Holding a barbell in front of you, bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight. Lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees.
   • Benefits: Works the entire posterior chain, including glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

7. Clamshells

   • How to: Lie on your side with legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Keeping feet together, open your knees like a clamshell.
   • Benefits: Targets the gluteus medius.

8. Donkey Kicks

   • How to: Start on all fours. Kick one leg back and up, keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees.
   • Benefits: Isolates the glutes.

9. Bulgarian Split Squats

   • How to: Stand a couple of feet from a bench. Extend one leg back and place it on the bench. Lower your body by bending the front knee.
   • Benefits: Engages glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

10. Fire Hydrants

    • How to: Start on all fours. Lift one leg out to the side, keeping the knee bent.
    • Benefits: Targets the outer glutes.

11. Single-Leg Deadlifts

    • How to: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand on one leg and hinge forward at the hips, letting the weights lower towards the ground.
    • Benefits: Engages glutes, hamstrings, and challenges balance.

12. Goblet Squats

    • How to: Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell close to your chest. Perform a squat while keeping the weight close to your body.
    • Benefits: Engages glutes, quads, and core.