The best glute workout targets and engages all of your posterior, gluteus muscles and enables you to have a magnificent, strong backside. Exercises that target your glutes can be grueling and intense. After all, the gluteus is the biggest and one of the strongest muscle group in the human body.
Working these muscles can help decrease your lower back pain, increase the strength of your lumbar muscle, and boost your balancing capabilities. It makes everyday activities, such as climbing the stairs or running after your kids so much easier. What’s more is that there are many glute exercises that you can easily do at home.
If you don’t pay attention to your glutes and activate them with related exercises, the other muscles in your lower back and body will take on the extra load to compensate for weak glutes. It might lead you to face various issues, such as lower back, knee, and hip pain. It’s why you need to build those posterior muscles to avoid any such consequences.
Let’s take a look at fourteen exceptional glute workouts to help you build your posterior muscles and firm up your backside!
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14 Best Glute Workouts
Here are some intense glute workouts that work like a charm:
1. Step Up
It’s hands down one of the best glute workouts out there. Even though it might appear to be a beginner’s step, it is impressively effective at building posterior muscles. All you have to do is place your foot on a step and put your weight toward the center of your foot. Push back your hips as much as possible and then stand straight and tall so that you squeeze your supporting leg’s glutes. Hold this position and align your shoulders and hips while keeping your body erect. Lower your trailing foot to the floor as you push your hips again. It should take you 3 seconds to get back to your starting pose. Once you get the hang of the exercise, repeat it while holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Hip Thrust
Hip thrusts are one of the best glute exercises to do at home. They are easy to learn and safe to practice. Imagine that your hips are planks for your backside and the best way to activate them is with hip thrusts. To do a successful hip thrust, simply lie on your back and fold your knees at a right angle. Place your feet flat and a little apart from each other. Start crunching your abs and tilt your pelvis back till your lower back is plastered on the floor. Hold this position throughout the exercise. Push through your feet to lift up your hips. Try to lift them as high as possible without moving your lower back. Hold this posture for 3 to 5 seconds, and then go back to your starting position.
1. Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell hip thrust is certainly an intense glute workout. However, it can help you attain impeccable upper and lower glutes as it develops that sought-after deep burn in the gluteal muscles. According to research, it induces high neuromuscular activity in your hip extensor muscles, such as the gluteus maximus. To do the barbell hip thrust, ensure your upper back is leaning against a box or even a bench. Bend your knees, while making sure your feet are flat on the ground. Place a barbell across your hips, ideally one with a thick barbell pad, and adjust your glutes near the floor. Squeeze your glutes as hard as possible and lift your hips until they are in line with your upper body. Make sure that your lower back does not arch during the workout. Slowly return your body to the starting position and repeat.
2. Single-Leg Hip Thrust
The single-leg hip thrust is the best glute workout for balancing the strength between the sides of your hips and glutes. To do this exercise, you need to lie flat on the floor or on a bench with one foot placed firmly on the floor, with your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Bend the knee of your other leg until it reaches your chest. Tilt your pelvis back and crunch your abs to flatten your lower back against your hands on the floor. Maintain this pelvic position throughout the workout. Push your foot into the ground and lift your hips as high as possible without bending your lower back. Hold the position and then slowly get back to the starting position.
3. Barbell Squat
Even though people mostly do barbell squats for their quads, you can do this exercise to build your hip muscles as well. It’s because barbell squats engage your thighs, quads, and glutes. To perform a successful barbell squat, use an overhand grip to hold a barbell across your back. Put your head up and hold it chest high, push your butt back and slowly lower your body until your thighs are aligned to the floor. Ensure that your knees are following your feet instead of collapsing inward. Go back to the starting position.
1. Hip Hinge
If you want to become an expert at every lower-body workout, the best glute workoutto achieve that strength is the hip hinge. It’s because many exercises, such as lunges, squats, and deadlifts, start by hinging back at your posterior that houses your hamstring and glutes. To do a hip hinge, stand with your feet as wide apart as your hips. Keep your head in a natural position with your ear aligned with your shoulders, ankles, and hips.
Maintain your position as you slowly rest back on your heels and slightly bend your knees and bow while pushing your hamstrings and hips back as far as possible until your torso is parallel to the floor. Hold this position and then push your hips forward and come to a full standwhile squeezing your glutes at the top of the position. This is a simple exercise that you must do as it is the foundation of many glute exercises.
2. Barbell Deadlift
This is one of the most common glute exercises out there. It engages your entire body and helps you build a stronger, more defined butt. When done right, a barbell deadlift can target your glutes, hamstrings, lats, and core. It can also help you improve your posture.
To do a barbell deadlift, put a barbell against your shins. Bend your knees and hips and hold the bar with an overhand grip. Make sure that your hands are just beyond the width of your shoulders. Keep your lower back arched naturally and pull your torso up.
1. Back Extension
The back extension allows you to strengthen your hamstrings and glutes. You can perform a back extension to help your lower back. You can change back extensions that target your lower back into one of the best glute workouts. You can target your posterior muscles by turning your feet outward at an acute angle of45degrees. It will allow you to shift your weight to the glutes.
To begin the back extension, hook your heel and turn your toes away from each other. Make sure to keep your feet at the aforementioned acute angle. Keep your back naturally arched and your torso lowered until your body bends at a right angle. Slowly lift your torso back up as it aligns with your lower body. This workout will extend your hip and squeeze your glutes.
2. Single-Leg-Straight-Leg Deadlift
This glute workout will boost your single-leg balance. When done correctly, it makes your glute and hamstring muscles stronger. Since this exercise requires balancing your weight, it’s best if you start without the weights, and once you have the hang of the workout, you can add dumbbells to it.
To do this exercise, hold a barbell in front of your hips with an overhand grip. Move your front foot in a way that you’re in a tripod position. Slightly bend your knee and pump the foot of your training leg into the floorwhile squeezing your other glute as hard as possible.
Push your hips back as far as possible and raise your back leg in the air. While you do this, your body needs to be parallel to the floor as your lower back arches naturally. Hold the position for a moment and then move your hips forward as you come to a full stand.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
This squat will activate your quadriceps and boost single-leg stability. This exercise is guaranteed to be an intense leg workout as it engages your hamstrings, calves, and quads. What’s more is that it’s great to beef up your glutes as well, and you can easily do this glute exercise at home.
To perform this workout, stand a couple of feet from a bench with your back to it. Firmly put your right foot on the bench and bend your leg so that it is sitting on top of the foot. Put your hands behind your head while putting your foot on the bench. Make sure that your body is upright. This will be your starting position. Slowly bend your left leg and lower your torso till your leg is at a right angle. Push back to the starting position and repeat the movement.
4. Cable Standing Hip Abduction
Even though this glute workout might sound scary, it will help you work your neglected glute muscles. Although it’s commonly used as a leg and hip exercise, you can use this workout to work the side of your butt and your upper glutes. It will benefit your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.
To perform this workout, stand so that your side is close to the cable machine and your foot is behind the cable. Level the arm of the machine to your ankle. Put your other foot into the ankle strap and hook it onto the machine. Use your glutes to pull your leg out to your side. Hold your posture for 3 to 5 seconds and then return to the starting position.
5. Kettlebell Glutes Workout
If you’re looking for an exercise that can help you become a stronger athlete, the best glute workout for that has to be the kettlebell glutes workout. It works your backside and targets your glutes and muscle fibers.
If you keep your back in a natural position and squeeze your posterior at the top of the movement, you will be able to activate your glutes. This exercise is a combination of the hip hinge and a squat movement. It enables you to use your posterior chain muscles to move the kettlebell, loosens your hips, and strengthens your glutes.
To do this exercise, you need to hold a kettlebell and bend your hands at your hips. Then, rock back into a hip hinge position and swing the equipment between your legs. Put pressure on your glutes while you thrust your hips forward and swing the kettlebell until it reaches your shoulder. Reverse the movement and bring the kettlebell through your shoulders again.
1. Cable Kickback
This workout targets your gluteus maximus and strengthens your butt. You certainly need your own space and a pair of sturdy ankle straps to do this exercise. To perform a cable kickback, stand in front of a cable machine with your feet apart andbring its arm to your ankle level. Keep your chest lifted and put one foot through the ankle strap. Keep your back straight while youuse your glute to pull your foot with the cable behind you. Hold the position and then return to the starting point.
2. Lateral Hip Circle Walk
Place a hip circle around the top of your shins and move side to side. It will ensure that the hip circle hits yourgluteus medius, the fan-shaped muscle on your upper buttock. This muscle helps rotate your thighs. When you work the gluteus medius, you are effectively building glute strength. It’s one of the easiest glute exercises to do at home.
For this workout, put your feet inside the circle hip. Place your feet a little farther apart than the width of your shoulders. Put the band right by your ankle or at the top of your shins. Make sure to maintain the distance between your feet and take small steps to create a square. Take ten steps to your left, ten steps forward, ten steps to your right, and then ten steps backward to complete the square. Repeat the movement while ensuring that you keep your feet far apart.
The Bottom Line
Your glute muscles can help you gain lower body and back strength. However, to ensure that they remain robust, you need to perform the aforementioned glute exercises. They are some of the best glute workouts out there as they target various gluteal muscles and also strengthen other parts of your body, such as your hamstrings and calves.
