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While many people are motivated to work their backside to achieve aesthetic goals, having strong glutes is important for much bigger reasons. The glute muscles help us walk and move safely and more efficiently, as well as sit with better posture. Strengthening the glutes also helps train the legs and back to work together, which reduces the potential for straining or injuring your back or legs.
The best news? Working the glutes is simple. It doesn't require complicated exercises or fancy equipment. In fact, many of the most effective exercises require just your bodyweight. Add them to your routine consistently for a few weeks and you will start to feel your glutes activate and you'll likely see a change in the way your body looks, too.
Glute muscles anatomy
The glutes consist of three major muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus.
- The gluteus maximus is the largest and is activated during hip extension, outward rotation and abduction.
- The gluteus medius and minimus are located underneath the gluteus maximus and are used to stabilize the pelvis during activities like walking, running and balancing on one leg.
Together, these muscles form a powerful group that is essential for various movements and maintaining overall lower-body strength and stability.
Glute exercise benefits
Performing glute exercises at home offers numerous benefits and it's a convenient and effective way to strengthen these crucial muscles. I always create bodyweight routines for my clients to do at home because it eliminates the need for a gym membership or equipment, saving both time and money, and can be easily integrated into a busy schedule.
Strong glutes create more stability and balance in the body, reducing your risk of falls and injuries. They aid in everyday movements like standing up from a chair, and assist in hip extension, helping propel us forward when walking or running. Strengthening the glute muscles can also help alleviate low-back pain and contribute to better posture, making daily activities more comfortable and efficient.
Best glute exercises at home
For a full glute workout, pick 5-6 exercises and perform 10 reps of each, for 3 rounds total.
Single leg deadlift
Stand tall with your feet hips-width apart. Put your weight into your left foot and come up on to your right toe, using it as a kickstand for balance. Begin to hinge at your waist, keeping your left knee soft. Place your hands on your hips for balance. Continue to hinge forward as you slowly lift your right leg up and back until your body forms a straight line from head to right toe. Ensure that your hips stay square to the ground. Pause, and then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.
Pilates frog
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Lift your legs up and bring your heels together with your toes apart and your knees as wide as your shoulders. Exhale as you press the legs out at about a 45-degree angle, bringing your inner thighs together. Inhale to come back to center. Repeat 10 times.
Good mornings
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands placed behind your head and elbows out to the sides. Focus on keeping your shoulders back and your core muscles engaged. Take a deep breath in and on the exhale, hinge forward at the hips and lower your torso until it is parallel to the floor, or as far as you can go until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings. If you feel any pain or uncomfortable pulling, you’ve lowered too far! Slowly raise your torso back into the standing position on your exhale. Perform 10 reps.
Wall squat
Lean against a wall with your back straight and your feet hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides as you slide down the wall, bending at the knees. Bend until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your feet should be far enough from the wall that you form a 90-degree angle at the knee joint. Squeeze your abs and glutes and hold for a few seconds before sliding your back up the wall to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.
Goblet squat
Stand with your feet wider than the hips with your toes facing slightly outward. Bring your palms together at your chest with your elbows bent. Squeeze your abs and look forward as you push your hips backward and bend your knees. Remember to keep your back straight as you continue to lower your butt until your hips are below your knees. Position your elbows so that they are inside your knees before pushing down through the heels to stand back up.
Squat into side leg lift
This progression from a basic squat will fire up your hamstrings, quads and gluteus maximus, while also targeting the gluteus medius (the side hip) during the leg lift. To perform this, first do a squat. Then, as you stand up extend the right leg out to the right and lift it up as high as the hip to work the outer right hip and thigh. Place the foot back down and lower into a squat. Repeat 10 times, then switch to the other side.
Forward lunge
Step your right foot forward and bend the right knee, making sure the knee tracks over the ankle. Bend the left leg so that the knee reaches toward the floor. Push down through the right heel to press back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.
Reverse lunge
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your hands in prayer position or at your sides. Step the right foot back into a lunge position. Brace your core and lower down until your knee almost touches the floor. Both knees should be at about a 90-degree angle. Step forward and return to standing. Repeat 10 times before switching sides.
Glute bridge
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Your knees should be hip-distance apart. Raise your hips by squeezing your glutes to create a straight line from your neck to your knees, being careful not to hyperextend your hips. Clasp your hands underneath your back for a deeper stretch or keep the arms extended on the floor, fingers pointing toward your feet. Hold the pose for 5 seconds. Don’t let your knees splay out to the side or collapse inward. Slowly lower down. Repeat 10 times.
Backward leg lift
Standing with your feet hips-width apart, reach your right foot a couple of feet behind you. Keep the leg straight as you lift the leg up off of the floor to engage your hamstring and glute. Lower the leg down. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides.
Curtsy lunge
Stand with your feet as shoulder-width apart. Step your right foot back and slightly to the left of your left foot. Bend both knees as you lower down into a lunge in this curtsy position. Then press down through your front, left heel to bring your right leg back to center. Perform 10 repetitions and then switch sides.
Fire hydrant
Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers spread wide, and knees directly below your hips. Press evenly into both hands and maintain this balanced pressure throughout. Keep the back straight by engaging the abs. Being mindful to keep the knees at a 90-degree angle, lift your right knee off the ground slightly. Maintaining the bend in your knee, reach the right knee out to the side and up to hip height (or slightly lower for a modification). Return back to the starting position. This is one repetition. Perform 10 repetitions and then switch sides.
Clamshell
Lie on your right side and prop yourself up on your right elbow. Bend your knees and stack them in front of you at a 45-degree angle. Keep your heels together and lift your top (left) knee toward the ceiling, opening your hips, while keeping your right knee on the floor. Repeat 10 times, then switch to the left side.
