17 Trainer-Approved Exercises For a Stronger Butt

Updated on 10/12/2023 at 11:32 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Chaunté Vaughn

Whether you want to get a bigger butt for aesthetic reasons or because strong glutes are important for moving well, you're not alone in the goal. Lots of people want to grow their glutes but don't know exactly how to do it.

For example, one common misconception when it comes to getting a bigger butt is that you should be doing tons of squats. The truth is, that squats are a quad-dominant exercise, meaning that the movement mainly targets your quadriceps, the muscles on the front of your thighs. Your glutes get some work but come secondary to your quads in this move.

In fact, research shows that strength exercises where you bend at only the hip are more effective at targeting your glute muscles than exercises where you bend at the hip and knee. That makes exercises like glute bridges, hip thrusts, or Romanian deadlifts better for engaging your butt than movements like squats or lunges — and the more you engage a muscle, the more it has the potential to grow.

So if you're trying to use workouts to get a bigger butt, you're going to need to focus on building your glute muscles and doing exercises that target them specifically. (You'll also need to make sure you're eating enough nutritious food to fuel your gains, including plenty of protein.) To help you get started on the workout side of things, we've rounded up some of the best exercises for building glute strength and, as a result, getting a bigger butt. We've included recommendations on the number of reps and sets to perform, but feel free to adjust based on your personal workout plan and needs.

Weighted Glute Bridge

Try this butt exercise with a medium-weight dumbbell (six to 20 pounds), or do this exercise using just your bodyweight.

How to Do a Weighted Glute Bridge:

Lie face-up on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Place the dumbbell on top of your lower abdominals (below your belly button and above your hip bones). Hold the dumbbell in place with both hands to prevent it from moving.
Raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body from shoulders to knees.
Hold for three seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
Lower your hips to the ground. That's one rep.
Do three sets of 12 reps.

Bulgarian Split Squat

Grab a pair of dumbbells, holding one in each hand by your sides, or do this glute exercise with just your bodyweight. If you do this move using a taller bench, it may be more comfortable to rest your back foot on the bench with your toes untucked.

How to Do a Bulgarian Split Squat:

Begin by placing the toes of your left foot behind you on a bench, box, stair, or chair, with your left leg straight and left foot planted on the ground.
Make sure your right foot is out far enough so that when you lower your hips, your knee stays directly over your ankle.
Bend your right knee to lower your body toward the ground. Keep your back straight and core engaged, and avoid leaning forward. Pause when your front thigh is parallel to the floor, or you're as low as is comfortable.
Then press your right heel into the ground to straighten your right leg and return to standing.
That's one rep. Do three sets of eight reps, then repeat on the other side.

Kickstand Deadlift

This deadlift variation centers the work in one of your legs, similar to a single-leg deadlift, but without the balance challenge; that way, you can focus on feeling it in your glutes instead of focusing on not tipping over.

How to Do a Kickstand Deadlift:

Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your hips. Stand with your right foot about 12 inches behind your left, balancing on your toes. Shift most of your weight into your left foot.
Keeping your back flat and core engaged, push your hips back, bend your left knee, and lean your torso forward to lower the dumbbells along your left leg until they reach your shin. Keep your right leg bent and heel lifted off the floor.
Lift your chest and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
Do three sets of eight reps, then repeat on the opposite side.

Hip Thrust

You can use a barbell for this butt exercise, do it using dumbbells (as shown), or just your bodyweight. If you go for a barbell, you may want to place a towel or shoulder cushion under the bar to make it more comfortable.

How to Do a Hip Thrust:

Sit on the floor with your legs extended and your back resting against a stable bench. Hold the weights directly above your hip joints, then bend your knees, so your feet are flat on the floor, lifting your hips up until they're bent at a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position.
Brace your core and drive your heels into the ground, squeezing your glutes and lifting your hips up to full extension, so your hips are level with your knees. Keep your neck in a neutral position throughout the movement; try not to drop it backward or tuck your chin forward.
With control, lower your hips to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
Do three sets of eight reps.

Single-Leg Squat

You can do this move unsupported or, to modify, sit back onto a chair or bench.

How to Do a Single-Leg Squat:

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and raise your right leg just off the floor, flexing your ankle to point your toe toward the ceiling.
Bend your left knee and sit your hips back into a one-legged squat. Try to keep your knee behind your toes and your whole foot pushing firmly into the floor. Make sure to activate your core by gently pulling your abs toward your spine.
Lower as far as is comfortable, or to sit onto a chair or bench.
Hold for a beat, then press into your standing leg to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
Do three sets of five to eight reps, then repeat on the other side.

Stability Ball Hamstring Curl

Hamstring curls might primarily target the hamstrings (the muscles on the backs of your thighs), but your glutes also get in on the action — especially when you do them on a stability ball like this.

How to Do a Stability Ball Hamstring Curl:

Start by lying flat on your back with your legs extended and an exercise ball under your heels. Place your arms straight out to your side for support.
Lift your hips a few inches off the ground. This is your starting position.
Flex your feet and dig your heels into the ball to slowly roll the ball toward your body, bending your knees. Keep your hips lifted in a bridge position; don't thrust them toward the ceiling as you do the move.
Pause when your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, then slowly roll the ball away from you to return to the starting position.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Step-Up

For this butt exercise, you can use a low step, like shown, or a taller box; the higher the platform is, the harder the move will be.

How to Do a Step-Up:

Stand in front of a stool, step, stair, plyo box, or low, stable bench. You can do this move using your bodyweight or holding a kettlebell or dumbbells.
Place your left foot in the center of the box.
Push through your left heel to step up onto the box. Bring your right knee forward and up until it's at hip height. Keep your back flat and your abs engaged.
Reach your right foot back and bend your left knee to lower your right foot to the floor with control. Step the left foot down to the floor to return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side. That's one rep.
Do three sets of 10 reps.

Lateral Band Walk

Using a small-loop resistance band like this fabric hip band will really add to the glute burn of this move, but you can also do it with just your bodyweight.

How to Do a Lateral Band Walk:

Place a resistance band just above or below your knees. The closer it is to your feet, the harder it will be.
Begin standing with your feet directly underneath your hips, and squat about halfway down.
With the right foot, take a big step to the right, landing flat on your foot (not on your toes).
Resist the pull of the exercise band as you bring your left leg slowly toward your right, returning to the starting position. Don't step your feet too close together; keep the tension in the band.
That's one rep. Do five to 10 reps to the right (depending on how much space you have), then switch directions and repeat going to other way. Do four sets.

Dumbbell Walking Lunge

Walking lunges are a functional strength move that works your glutes and so much more: the balance challenge forces your core to activate and also helps light up other stabilizer muscles in your hips. If you're a beginner, you can do this move without the weights.

How to Do a Dumbbell Walking Lunge:

Stand with your feet together, holding a medium-weight dumbbell (six to 20 pounds) in each hand by your sides. You can also do these with just your bodyweight.
Take a big step forward with your left leg. As you set your left foot down, bend your knees until they both form 90-degree angles. Your back knee should be hovering just off the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your ankle. Keep your back flat and core tight, making sure not to lean forward.
Press your left heel into the ground, and push off with your right foot to bring your right leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Slider Lunge

Grab a set of sliders or simply use a small folded towel on a smooth floor. You'll be surprised how much this lunge variation burns in your standing-leg glute.

How to Do a Slider Lunge:

Stand with your feet together and your right toes on a slider, heel lifted. Clasp your hands in front of your chest or put them on your hips. Keep your left knee softly bent, not locked.
Engage your core to help keep your balance, then bend your left knee to lower into a lunge, sliding your right foot backward with the slider. Make sure your left knee doesn't move forward beyond your toes. Pause when your front knee is bent at 90 degrees or as low as is comfortable.
Press into your left foot to straighten your standing leg, and slide your right foot toward you to return to the starting position.
That's one rep. Do three sets of eight reps, then repeat on the other side.

Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is all about the hip hinge, which is an important functional movement pattern and is also the best way to target your glutes. The key here is to keep your knees softly bent, but not to bend them too much more.

How to Do a Romanian Deadlift:

Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells (six to 20 pounds) in each hand in front of your hips with your knees slightly bent.
Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend forward from your hips to lower the weights along the front of your legs. Pause when you feel a stretch in the back of your legs, or when the weights are at about shin height.
Squeeze your glutes to lift your torso up and return to the starting position, keeping your back flat.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 12 reps.

Single-Leg Bridge Kick

Single-leg glute bridges are tough, but a great glute exercise; if this one is too difficult, build up your strength with regular glute bridges first. Then progress to short single-leg glute bridge holds.

How to Do a Single-Leg Bridge Kick:

Lie face-up on a mat and place your hands on the floor by your sides. Bend your right leg, placing your right foot flat on the floor about a foot away from your hips. Lift your left leg a few inches off the ground, flexing your foot so your toes point to the ceiling. This is your starting position.
Press your right heel into the floor and tighten your core as you lift your pelvis up until your body forms a straight line from knee to shoulders.
Pause here for a beat, then slowly lower your hips to the floor without lowering your left leg to the ground.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift

If you don't have a kettlebell, you can do this deadlift with dumbbells, a barbell, or any other type of weight like a sandbag.

How to Do a Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift:

Start standing with your feet wider than hip-width apart with a kettlebell between your feet.
Bend at your hips and knees as you grab the handle of the kettlebell with both hands, keeping your back flat and core engaged. Think about pulling your shoulder blades back and down.
Keeping your back flat and shoulders relaxed, push your heels into the ground as you stand up, lifting the kettlebell, so it's hanging between your legs.
Squeeze your glutes at the top, then hinge at the hips and knees to slowly lower the weight to the ground.
That's one rep. Do three sets of eight reps.

Weighted Donkey Kick

Adding weight to donkey kicks will increase the challenge on your hamstrings and glutes. You can use ankle weights, as shown, or hold a small dumbbell behind your knee.

How to Do a Weighted Donkey Kick:

Start on all fours, with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
Keeping your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle and your back straight, lift your right leg up until your knee is about level with your hips. You should feel your right glute engage.
Pause for a beat, then lower your right knee to return to the starting position without lowering the right knee to the floor. Throughout the movement, think about keeping your core engaged and avoid tilting your hips or shifting your weight towards your left leg.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Fire Hydrant

Similar to the move above, you can do this glute exercise with your bodyweight or up the ante with ankle weights.

How to Do a Fire Hydrant:

Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
Keep your right knee at a 90-degree angle as you slowly raise your leg to the right until it is parallel to the ground. Avoid lifting your right hip, and try to keep both hips squared toward the floor. Keep your core tight and avoid shifting your weight towards the left.
With control, lower your right leg back to return to the starting position without lowering the right knee to the floor.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 15 reps, then repeat on the other side.

Hip Band Squat

Grab a resistance band and loop it under your feet or hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your chest. Both add resistance, making the move more difficult and thus increasing the challenge to your glutes.

How to Do a Goblet Squat:

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly out. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands.
Keeping your back flat and core tight, bend your knees and sit your hips back to lower into a squat.
Pause when your thighs are parallel to the floor (or as low as is comfortable for you).
Push into both feet to stand and return to the standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 12 reps.

Banded Booty Kick

Another glute exercise that can be done with bodyweight or with a resistance band, this one should really make you feel the burn.

How to Do a Banded Booty Kick:

Start on your hands and knees, holding on to both ends of a long resistance band, one end in each hand. Place the center of the band around the sole of your right foot, and hover your right knee just off the floor. Lower your elbows to the ground, keeping your back straight and core tight. This is your starting position.
Hold the band firmly, pull your abs toward your spine, and extend your right leg straight behind you, pushing against the resistance.
Draw your right knee forward to return to the starting position, without lowering it to the floor.
That's one rep. Do three sets of 12 reps, then repeat on the other side.