We’ll come right out and say it—your butt doesn’t get enough love. The glute muscles that pad your behind are responsible for supporting all sorts of daily movements, yet it’s all too easy to focus your fitness on other parts of the body.
Perhaps it’s time to focus your workouts on strengthening the muscles in your bum. By doing so, you'll build greater power for both athletic and everyday activities. Read on for your guide to glute strengthening.
What Are Glutes?
The muscle group that forms your butt is actually made up of three distinct parts—the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. This is why we call them your “glutes,” not one singular “glute.”
The gluteus maximus is, not surprisingly, the largest of the three muscles, stretching from the back of your pelvis to the top of your femur. In fact, it’s the biggest muscle in your entire body! It provides shape for your butt and allows you to extend and externally rotate your hip joint.
The gluteus medius sits above the maximus on the outer shelf of the pelvis. It’s responsible for the internal rotation of the thighs. The gluteus minimus, meanwhile, is the smallest of the three butt muscles. It hides beneath the medius, where it helps stabilize your hips.
Benefits of Strong Glutes
Though you may think of it merely as padding for sitting, your butt does so much more than cushion your bones. Your glute muscles provide support for your entire frame and having a strong derriere allows you to stand, walk, and sit comfortably.
Glutes are also a major force behind many common motions. Climbing stairs or hiking up a hill would be impossible without their energetic lift—and just try squatting and lifting something heavy without the power of glute strength. (Hint: You can't.)
By performing exercises for your glutes, you’re also staving off potential injury. Solid, strong glutes keep your hips in proper alignment, decreasing the likelihood of injuring your legs, knees, lower back, or groin as you run, walk, or climb.
Interestingly, having strong glutes might even help prevent pain elsewhere in the body, such as your knees and low back. If the gluteus medius muscle weakens, it can allow your thigh to pull inward, putting stress on your knees. It may also increase pressure on the low back. A 2016 study found that people with chronic, non-specific low back pain commonly had weakness in the gluteus medius.
Exercises to Strengthen Glutes
Keeping your glutes strong and functional will not only benefit your overall fitness routine, but it also will improve your functional movement—or how you complete your day-to-day activities. If you are looking for a glute workout to give your behind a boost, try these simple moves below.
Lunges
Lunges are an excellent exercise for increasing stability and building glute strength. For a quick, no-equipment move in a small space (or even while watching TV) you can practice these moves while standing in place. Here's how:
- Stand upright with your feet together.
- Step one foot straight forward (about 3 feet).
- Lift your opposite heel and bend both knees, sinking down and sending your back knee toward the floor.
- Lift off your back foot, resuming a standing posture.
- Repeat, alternating sides, for one to three sets of 12 to 16 reps.
Squats
There’s a reason squats are known as a classic glute exercise. Getting low in a squat works not just the muscles around your hips, but your calves, core, and thighs as well. Here's how to do a squat.
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
- Lower as though sitting down in a chair, keeping your torso straight, and pointing your butt out behind you.
- Resume a standing posture.
- Repeat for two to three sets of 12 to 20 reps.
Donkey Kicks
Donkey kicks may have a funny name, but research shows they’re highly effective for glute strength. A 2020 study found that a six-week exercise regimen of donkey kicks and squats built gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles and reduced bottom fat in young women. Here's how to do a donkey kick.
- Get on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees hip-width apart.
- Raise one foot up and back toward the ceiling, keeping your knee bent.
- Return to original position and repeat on the other side.
- Repeat for one to three sets of 10 to 16 reps.
Lower Body Exercises for Runners
Step-Ups
Step-ups fire up your glutes and provide some cardio if done quickly. All you’ll need for this exercise is a step or platform high enough to create a 90-degree angle in your knee. Here's how to incorporate step-ups into your fitness routine.
- Stand facing a step or platform.
- Place one foot on the step.
- Step up, pressing into your heel, and touch your opposite toes to the step.
- Return to standing and repeat on the other side.
- Repeat for one to three sets of 15 to 20 reps.
Glute Bridges
If you are feeling a little tired of standing exercises, glute bridges allow you to build your butt muscles while lying on your back. Here is how to do a glute bridge.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent upward and your feet flat on the ground.
- Lift your hips upward, pushing down into your heels and squeezing your glutes as you go.
- Hold for a moment, then slowly release back down to the ground.
- Repeat for one to three sets of 12 to 20 reps.
The Best Exercises for Activating Your Glutes
Tips for Building Stronger Glutes
Of course, strengthening your glutes means focusing your workouts on these muscles. But besides engaging the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus with targeted moves, there are other steps you can take to build strength in this area. Consider these tips:
- Vary your exercises and reps
- Add weights to your exercises
- Increase resistance and range of motion–progressively going lower in squats or lunges or higher with donkey kicks
- Add a glute-strengthening spin to other workouts, such as running on an incline or standing up straight while pedaling a bike
- Practice mindfulness as you perform each exercise, focusing your attention on the muscles you’re using
How to Avoid Injury When Strengthening Glutes
Strengthening your glutes comes with the bonus of helping prevent injury elsewhere in the body. The last thing you want is to injure yourself while working your butt. To avoid accidentally hurting yourself during a glute muscles workout, pay attention to your posture.
Engage your core and, if standing, maintain balance with your weight evenly distributed between both feet. Enlist a spotter if your are using heavy weights, wear proper footwear that won’t slip or slide, and stop an exercise if it causes undue pain.
Finally, don’t forget recovery days! Overtraining can increase your risk of injury—so allow yourself days off from glute workouts, knowing that rest is part of the process.
3 Sources
Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cooper NA, Scavo KM, Strickland KJ, et al. Prevalence of gluteus medius weakness in people with chronic low back pain compared to healthy controls.Eur Spine J. 2016;25(4):1258-1265. doi:10.1007/s00586-015-4027-6
Kitamura T, Kido A, Ishida Y, Kobayashi Y, Tsukamoto S, Tanaka Y. Muscle activity pattern with a shifted center of pressure during the squat exercise.J Sports Sci Med. 2019;18(2):248-252. PMID:31191094
Ekechukwu N, Okoh A. Effects of six weeks donkey kick and squat resistance exercises on gluteal adiposity, muscle strength, and muscle bulk of young Nigerian female adults: A randomized controlled trial.Int J Med Health Dev. 2020;25(1):28. doi:10.4103/ijmh.IJMH_36_19
By Sarah Garone, NDTR
Sarah Garone, NDTR, is a freelance health and wellness writer who runs a food blog.
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FAQs
Build Stronger Glutes: Exercises and Tips for a Stronger Butt? ›
The big three glute-building exercises are squats, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.
What builds glutes fast? ›- Glute bridge.
- Jumping squats.
- Walking lunge.
- Single-leg deadlift.
- Clamshell.
- Banded side step.
- Donkey kicks.
- Weight training.
The big three glute-building exercises are squats, hip thrusts, and deadlifts.
Which muscles lift the buttocks? ›Which Muscles Lift the Buttocks? The gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, and gluteus minimus are the three main muscles that lift the buttocks and make up the gluteal (butt!) anatomy.
What foods grow glutes? ›- Mixed Nuts. Nuts such as cashews, peanuts and almonds can pack as much as 135 calories per ounce. ...
- Whole Wheat. ...
- Tuna. ...
- Sweet Potatoes. ...
- Quinoa. ...
- Lean Beef. ...
- Eggs. ...
- Veggies.
Protein-rich food sources like eggs, salmon, brown rice, and quinoa help in muscle building and increase the size of glute muscles. These are rich in protein foods that go straight to your bum and add an extra layer of fat.
What makes glutes bigger? ›While it will take time to make your butt noticeably bigger, you'll see small improvements soon after you begin exercising your glutes. During your butt workout, do squats, squats with arabesques, jump squats, lunges, bridges, one-leg kickbacks, and step ups with a knee lift. Do 3 sets of each exercise.
How many times a week should I workout to grow my glutes? ›How often should you train the glutes for maximum results? The short answer is 2-6 times per week. The long answer requires you to read on, as there are variables you will need to adjust in order to optimize your recovery and ability to train effectively at a given frequency.
How long does it take to strengthen your glutes? ›Glute growth generally takes 6-8 weeks to see noticeable changes, however, some individuals may find it takes 10-12 weeks based on diet, training, and body type. When trying to grow your glutes faster, you should train them multiple times a week (2-3X) and make sure you are eating enough calories to build muscle.
Does squeezing buttocks strengthen glutes? ›Researchers found that those who performed gluteal squeezes increased their hip extension—or glute—strength by 16 percent compared to an 11 percent increase in those who performed glute bridges. Gluteal girth also increased in the group who performed gluteal squeezes.
Does walking lift your buttocks? ›
According to Los Angeles-based certified personal trainer, Daniel Saltos, also known as Train With Danny, the short answer is no. Walking alone won't help build your booty muscles, despite the rising trends you may have seen on social media.
How many squats should I do a day to get a bigger but? ›You need to do more squats with heavier weights to build bigger muscles. Aim for 4-6 sets of 6-12 reps. Finally, if you are trying to improve your overall fitness and get a bigger butt, aim for 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps.
What is the strongest muscle in the buttocks? ›Gluteus Maximus
It is large and powerful because it has the job of keeping the trunk of the body in an erect posture.
You can train your glutes every day, but you shouldn't if your goal is to build bigger and stronger glutes. Instead, 2-3 times a week is a better option depending on your training age.
What is the strongest muscle of the body buttocks? ›Gluteus Maximus is the largest and heaviest muscle in the body. It is the most superficial of all gluteal muscles that are located at the posterior aspect of the hip joint.
What to avoid when growing glutes? ›In fact, while you're eliminating processed food, it's time to eliminate junk all together. That means no: chips, crackers, candy, cakes or anything else that will deter your buttock-toning process.” Instead choose foods that will help build your butt muscle mass (high in protein and healthy fat!),” says Belgrave.
What snacks grow glutes? ›- Tomatoes. Research has shown that tomatoes can prevent age-associated muscle strength decline, making them a great addition to your diet to keep your butt toned. ...
- Eggs. Eggs are arguably one of the most popular, convenient and affordable protein sources. ...
- Nut Butter. ...
- Salmon. ...
- Avocados. ...
- Tofu. ...
- Mushrooms. ...
- Spinach.
Weight loss or sagging in the buttocks area is caused by lack of strength training over time. After age 30, people begin to lose muscle mass every decade, which is why it’s important to continue regular resistance training — even for the glutes — throughout our lives.
What foods go to your bum and legs? ›- meats like sirloin steak, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, and tilapia.
- dairy like cheese, yogurt, and low fat milk.
- grains like oatmeal, quinoa, and whole-grain breads.
- fruits like bananas, grapes, watermelon, and berries.
- starchy vegetables like potatoes, lima beans, and cassava.
filling up on fiber-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils. eating lean sources of protein, including fish, tofu, and legumes. adding a source of beneficial fats to meals, such as olives, nuts, seeds, and avocado. avoiding processed foods and takeout meals.
Does oatmeal help grow glutes? ›
Yep, 'tis true. Combine a bowl of oats with a bottom-building workout a few times a week and you'll see your glutes improve. The logic is simple. Oats are rich in magnesium, vitamin E and zinc, which boost natural hormone production (think oestrogen).
How long does it take to see results from glutes? ›Patience and consistency is absolutely KEY when it comes to growing your glutes! Building muscle is a slow process, but with your diet and training on point, you will start to see results typically around 8 weeks or even longer in some cases.
Will my glutes grow if I train them twice a week? ›How often should you train the glutes for maximum results? The short answer is 2-6 times per week. The long answer requires you to read on, as there are variables you will need to adjust in order to optimize your recovery and ability to train effectively at a given frequency.
Does sitting weaken glutes? ›Sitting also contributes to muscle imbalances and weakness. Due to lack of activation, you could develop weak glutes and, possibly, even flattened glutes. So, getting up and taking a walk every hour, at the least, will keep your glutes strong and support your legs.
What are lazy glutes? ›Dormant butt syndrome aka lazy butt, basically means your glute muscles have forgotten what to do and are not activating properly or 'firing up' as it's often referred to. A common cause of this is sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time which causes the hip flexors to tighten and the glutes to become weak.
Why don't I feel my glutes working? ›The more you sit, the less you use your glute muscles. This can make it more difficult to activate them during a workout," he explains. In fact, "it's possible that you're squatting without actually activating your glutes," he says, and if your glutes aren't activating, they're not getting stronger.
What causes weak glutes? ›Typically, the most prominent cause of weakness in these muscles is lack of activity or sedentary lifestyle. As technology advances and more people are confined to desk jobs in which most of the day is spent in a sitting position, the glutes atrophy and the anterior hips become accustomed to a shortened position.
How long does it take to build strong glutes? ›Glute growth generally takes 6-8 weeks to see noticeable changes, however, some individuals may find it takes 10-12 weeks based on diet, training, and body type. When trying to grow your glutes faster, you should train them multiple times a week (2-3X) and make sure you are eating enough calories to build muscle.
Does squeezing glutes make them stronger? ›Researchers found that those who performed gluteal squeezes increased their hip extension—or glute—strength by 16 percent compared to an 11 percent increase in those who performed glute bridges. Gluteal girth also increased in the group who performed gluteal squeezes.
What weakens your glutes? ›The most common cause of weak glute muscles is lack of physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle. If you are someone who spends a lot of time sitting down at a desk for work, then you probably have weaker glutes.