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Strong glutes are not born; they’re made. Genetics play a role, as NFL linemen know, but most of us lose pronounced glute muscles by sitting all day and skipping stairs. Making matters worse is we head to the gym and devote most of our time to our upper bodies, ignoring leg workouts and arguably our most important muscles: the glutes. In short, you need dedicated butt workouts.
Skipping butt workouts can lead to muscle dysfunction and injury, leaving your body asymmetrical. Tight hamstrings are a product of tight hips caused by deactivated glutes. That leads to hamstring strains and lower back pain. You want to train your glutes in the gym, outdoors (i.e. at a track), and with at-home leg workouts.
Is It Important to Train Glutes?
Combined with the hamstrings, calves, and back, the glutes are the most powerful muscles in the human body.
This muscle group—collectively called the “posterior chain”—generates more force than any other human movement, whether that means power cleans, deadlifts, box jumps, or simply lifting a heavy suitcase off the floor and into the overhead compartment.
Will glute exercises make your butt bigger? Yes, and that’s a good thing. You want the glutes to be firmer and more muscular, though, as with any transition from flab to muscle, the result is a bit of an optical illusion since you’ll be leaner and perhaps lighter.
Related: 50 Best Ab Exercises of All Time
How to Program Butt Workouts
Don’t expect to head to the gym and do every single glute exercise we’ve highlighted below in a single session. The glutes may be strong, but they’re not invincible.
Instead, break up this list of moves into four or five different groups of exercises to hit your gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus (this is the biggest muscle in the body). Piece together a few moves that require the same piece of equipment—like, say, the suspension trainer, Swiss ball, or barbell. Workout equipment needed for glute exercises can run the gamut from machines to free weights to no equipment at all (think sprints, bodyweight squats, and lunges)
You can combine them as a circuit: Do as many reps as possible of each exercise in 45 seconds, rest for 15 seconds, then move on to the next exercise; rest for 2 minutes after each round.
Alternatively, do these glute exercises in traditional straight sets—say, 2 to 5 sets of 8-15 reps, with 60 seconds of rest in between. Vary your rest, sets, reps, and exercise selection to ensure you make the most of these glutes exercises.
Related: 50 Best Arm Exercises of All Time
How Can You Get the Most Out of Your Glute Workouts?
The glutes, perhaps more than any other body part, benefit from bodyweight training, though dumbbells, barbells, and cables can play a role, too. Since most of us spend little time thinking about glute activation, be conscious of firing (squeezing) those glutes during butt workouts. Go slow, maximizing time under tension during the eccentric part of the lift, holding, then finishing with a fast concentric movement.
By varying the workload, training your muscles from multiple angles, and incorporating instability into your workout routines, you can strengthen your glutes (and sculpt your butt while you’re at it).
In addition to your effort in the gym, think of life as one daily glute workout. For instance, simply squeeze each cheek one at a time. This can be done while sitting in a meeting, on a conference call, or while stuck in traffic. Look for opportunities throughout your day to train your glutes, whether taking the stairs instead of the elevator or squatting to pick something up rather than bending over at the waist.
How to Warm Up Your Glutes
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For a proper lower-body warmup, you want to release and mobilize muscles, as well as wake them up. Your glutes can become inactive if you sit most of the day. These exercises—some of which require a mobility ball, resistance band, and light dumbbells—will activate glutes, as well as increase range of motion for heavier weighted lifts like sumo squats.
20 Best Glute Exercises of All Time
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Hi! I’m a dedicated health blogger sharing valuable insights, natural remedies, and the latest scientific breakthroughs to help readers lead healthier lives. With a holistic approach to wellness, I empower individuals with accessible and actionable content, debunking myths and offering practical tips for incorporating healthy habits.