Fitness & Exercise
The Best Bodyweight Exercises to Target Glutes
Nov
At home workouts are the new normal for a lot of women. That means a lot of us are making due with minimal (if any), equipment. If that’s you, and you’ve been wondering how to target glutes with bodyweight exercises only, here’s how you do it!
How do you build your booty with a squat rack, a leg press machine or cable kickbacks?
You don’t need special equipment to build a stronger, more powerful, and perkier butt. In fact, you don’t need any equipment at all to target your glutes.
The 20 exercises below will help you warm up, activate, strengthen and build your glutes wherever you are, equipment or not.
For the best results, include the mobility exercises regularly. For strength and power, complete 15-20 total sets of a variety of exercises each week. If you’re working between 8-20 reps per set, and pushing yourself not quite to failure (but close), you’ll find yourself seeing results quickly!
Program that in whatever manner works best for you:
- Choose 2-3 exercises to include in total body workouts a few times per week.
- Or mix-and-match 4-5 exercises as part of a lower body focused workout.
The Best Mobility Exercises to Warm Up You Glutes
Starting off with 2-3 mobility exercises each workout can really help you improve range of motion, form and recovery. While mobility and warming up in general aren’t the sexiest or most exciting part of the workout, here are 3 good reasons not to skip it:
First, these exercises increase your range of motion. Range of motion is important because mobility allows you to move further, and more comfortably, into each exercise (i.e. deeper into the squat or lower into the deadlift). Why is THAT important? That’s important because the deeper into an exercise you can comfortably get without losing form requires more muscles to work together. The more muscles that engage, the faster your growth and the bigger the burn.
Second, mobility exercises activate the right muscles and muscle groups. Do you ever start a workout cold (without warming up) and find that you’ve got some aches and pains, some stiffness and “oooooh, I’m getting old” muscle hesitation? That’s because the muscles that you should be engaging might not be doing so properly. When that’s the case, your body will compensate by using other muscle groups and joints that aren’t meant for the job. This is a common reason why your lower back might hurt during a deadlift, or your knees might hurt during a lunge.
Finally, you’ll recover faster which means you’ll be back in the gym, challenging those muscles to grow sooner, rather than later.
If performing these exercises before your workout, keep them dynamic! Why “dynamic”? Dynamic means constantly changing or in motion, and that’s just the case for these pre-workout mobility drills. Your muscles aren’t completely warmed up (although you should for 5-8 minutes of light cardio before dynamic stretching) so they aren’t ready for a tight hold in a lengthened position. Save that for after your workout.
If you’re doing mobility work post-workout, you can absolutely hold these movements and poses for 30-60 seconds.
Onwards!
Kneeling Hip/Ham Stretch
This simple stretch will start to stretch the hip flexors and iliopsoas of your rear leg, and the glutes of your front leg. As you move your hips backwards, the stretch will move to the glutes, calf and hamstring of your front leg.
How-to:
Kneel with your left foot flat on the ground in front of you and your right knee on the ground behind you. Place your hands on the floor on either side of your body for support and balance. Gently shift your weight forward onto the front heel, straightening out your back leg but leaving the knee on the floor. Pause, and then shift your hips back while straightening your front leg. Pause with your butt over your back knee and your torso leaning slightly forward to emphasize the stretch. Repeat that back and forth movement for 30-45 seconds before switching legs.
90/90 stretch
This exercise is primarily about hip mobility. This is a huge bonus for your glutes, since hip mobility plays a major role in in functional leg movement and efficiency.
How-to:
Sit on the floor with your left leg in front, knee bent at a 90 degree angle and hip rotate outward. Your knee should be inline with your hip, lower leg and knee resting on the ground. Position your right leg behind you with your knee bent at a 90 degree angle and hip rotated inward. Your knee should be inline with your hip, shin and ankle remain on the ground. Keep your back straight. Use your hands as needed to keep your hips even. Switch sides after 30-45 seconds.
Lying Piriformis Stretch
You can perform this exercise seated or lying down. Either way, this stretch provides relief from tightness and even sciatic pain.
How-to:
Lie on your back with knees bent, both feet flat on the floor. Put the ankle of your left leg on the opposite thigh near your knee. Use your hands to gently pull your right leg in towards your torso. Repeat on the opposite leg.
Lying Glute Stretch
This stretch is super simple and effective in increasing mobility and movement through the hip and glute region.
How-to:
Lie on your back with legs fully extended. Bend on knee and gently draw it up and in towards your chest. Apply gentle pressure with your hands on your shins to increase the range of motion for your hold. Hold or pulse for 30-45 seconds. Repeat with the opposite leg.
Downward Dog
This yoga pose stretches the back of your legs, calves, and back. It’s also a great way to connect with your muscles and breathing pattern as you prepare for, or cool down from a good workout.
How-to:
Start on all fours on the mat, hands shoulder width apart. Inhaling deeply, press your hands into the mat and lift your hips towards the ceiling, straightening your knees as you go. As you exhale, release the tension from your upper body and let your shoulders relax into the stretch, gently pressing towards your toes.
Strength Exercises to Target Glutes
Time for the meat and potatoes: glutes. Besides the fact that exercising your glutes results in a perkier, aesthetically advantageous look over your shoulder in the mirror, why should you work your glute muscles regularly?
Biggest reason: to prevent injury and improve functionality. Whether you are actively working out to get stronger or build muscle, or you exercise to improve athletic performance, or your goal is simply to move well through life’s obstacles for a long time to come, your glutes play a major role. Weak or imbalanced glutes can cause a lot of issues in other areas of the body: ankles, knees, hips, back. Because the glutes engage during every lower body movement (and a lot of upper body movements as well), if they are underdeveloped then other areas of the body step in to play a role they shouldn’t have to play. The result? Painful movement and increased possibility of injury.
There are other reasons of course. Strong glutes:
- Boost athletic performance. Think of the foundational moving patterns used during sport play, running or any other athletic event: jumping, lunging, pivoting, swinging, sudden stopping, pushing and twisting, to name a few. All of these movements benefit from increased strength, power, balance and stability in the glutes.
- Improve posture. This is again, all about muscle imbalance and proper engagement. The glutes are the biggest muscle group in the body. Any misalignment, unevenness or weakness here can prove to be a problem for other muscles and joints, and ultimately for posture. Think about how you feel after sitting at your desk all day. Because there’s no glute activation, your hips might start to tilt, your lower back might round and your neck might feel like it’s pushing forward. This is called “lower cross syndrome” and it’s a direct consequence of weak glutes.
As you pick and choose the exercises that you want to include in your workout remember: for the best overall results and the best aesthetic, you want to include variety in a few different ways. Choose exercises that require both feet on the ground, uneven stances, or single leg balances. Include exercises that move you in a forward/backward motion as well as on a lateral plane. And always (always!), perfect your form at the basic, foundational level before increasing the challenge.
Wall Sits
This simple exercise will fire up your glutes as well as your quads and calves. You’ll build strength and endurance – build the burn!
How-to:
Stand with your back against the wall and feet shoulder width apart, about 2 feet from the wall. Slowly slide your butt down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Adjust as needed so that your knees are directly over your ankles. Hold 20-60 seconds.
Sumo Squats
Any squat will engage your glutes, given that you drop into the movement low enough. But sumo squats effectively target your quads and glutes as well as your inner thighs (adductors).
How-to:
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart or wider, toes angled out. As you bend your knees to squat, keep your back straight and draw your tailbone straight down towards the floor. Your knees should track out in the same direction that your toes are pointed. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower, as long as your form stays intact. Drive through the heels to return to your start position.
Sumo Squat Pulses
Think sumo squat, but after one too many coffees.
How-to:
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart or wider, toes angled out. As you bend your knees to squat, keep your back straight and draw your tailbone straight down towards the floor. Your knees should track out in the same direction that your toes are pointed. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower, as long as your form stays intact. At this bottom part of the movement pause, pulse 1-2” up and down, 2-3 times before driving through the heels to return to your start position.
Good Mornings
How-to:
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hands placed gently on the back of your head, elbows wide. Brace your core and bend your knees slightly. Maintain a straight spine as you push your hips back and lean your chest forward. Continue until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings then pause, engage your glutes to draw your hips forward and back into the starting position.
>> Goodmornings: The Exercise Your Workout Needs (Onnit Academy)
Walking Lunges
I call lunges the Unsung Hero of leg exercises. They do it all: glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves. They require balance and core strength. And you’ll feel them tomorrow!
How-to:
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Step forward with your right foot, shift your weight to your right heel and bend your knee to lower into a squat. Push through the front heel to draw yourself forward and up. As you stand, bring your left foot forward and repeat the same movement pattern, bending at your knee to drop into a lunge. *Make sure to take a big enough step so that your legs form 90 degree angles.
Reverse Lunge
How-to:
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Step backwards with your right foot and gently bend both knees until your right knee is inches from the floor. Push through the front heel to draw yourself forward and up. As you stand, bring your right foot forward to complete the rep with that leg. Repeat the same movement pattern with your left leg.
*Make sure to take a big enough step so that your legs form 90 degree angles.
Forward Lunge
How-to:
Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Step forwards with your right foot and gently bend both knees until your back knee is inches from the floor. Push through the front heel to straighten your legs and push back to the start position. Repeat the same movement pattern with your left leg.
*Make sure to take a big enough step so that your legs form 90 degree angles.
Split Stance Lunge
How-to:
Stand with feet staggered: right foot stepped forward and inline with the right hip, left leg stepped backwards and inline with the left hip. Brace your core and stare straight ahead as you bend both knees at the same time, lowering slowly towards the ground. Pause and then push back up.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Consider these a level up version of regular split stance lunges. The single leg stance forces your core to engage to stabilize you, and the elevated back foot brings a bit more quad burn into the game.
How-to:
Stand 1-2 feet in front of a workout bench, facing away from the bench. Extend your right leg behind you and place your toes on the bench, knee slightly bent. Inhale as you bend your left leg, lowering your right knee towards the floor. Pause, then push through your front foot to return to the start position.
Forward Step Ups
Done correctly, step ups not only work your glutes and legs, but strengthen your hips, knees and ankles, too.
How-to:
Stand facing a workout bench, arms straight down at your sides. Begin by placing your entire right foot firmly on the bench. Press through the heel of your right foot to draw the rest of your body up and forward onto the bench. Draw your left foot onto the bench and stand up tall. To reverse direction, slowly step back with your left foot, smoothly lowering your weight back to the ground and to the start position.
Lateral Step Ups
Lateral step ups mimic the movement pattern of a squat. They increase balance, decrease imbalances in muscle strength and mechanics, and really turns the attention to your glutes and hip flexors.
How-to:
Stand next to a workout bench, arms straight down at your sides, facing 90 degrees away from the bench (your right side will be closest to the bench). Place your right foot firmly on the bench. Press through the heel of your right foot to draw the rest of your body up and forward onto the bench. Draw your left foot onto the bench and stand up tall. To reverse direction, slowly step back with your left foot, smoothly lowering your weight back to the ground and to the start position.
Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are a great exercise at any fitness level. They’re a great way to target glutes, but also to strengthen your quads and core, improve your mind-muscle connection and stay safe!
How-to:
Lie face up on a mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms at your sides. Keeping your back straight, squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up off the floor, pushing towards the ceiling until your knees, back and shoulders forma straight line. Pause and the slowly drop hips back towards the floor.
Glute Bridge Walk Out
Want to bring you hamstrings into the picture a bit more? Try this…
How-to:
Lie face up on a mat with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms at your sides. Keeping your back straight, squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up off the floor, pushing towards the ceiling until your knees, back and shoulders forma straight line. From this position, engage your core and take small, alternating steps way from your body. Reach the furthest point that you feel comfortable with and then take small steps back.
Single Leg Deadlifts
Single leg deadlifts are a fairly advanced exercise. Before trying these, make sure to perfect your goodmorning!
How-to:
Start with feet hip width apart, arms at your sides, knees soft. Maintain a straight, strong spine and level hips as you shift your weight to your stance leg and hinge back at the hips. Allow your back leg to move up towards the ceiling. When you feel a stretch in your hamstring pause, and then engage your glutes and return to the starting position.
Side Steps
Side steps require you to hold in a partial squat position for an extended period of time – great for building muscular strength and stamina!
How-to:
Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, bend your hips and knees and point your toes forward, finding a partial squat position (the lower you go, the harder it is). Take 2-3 steps to the right, pause, and then take 2-3 steps back to the start.
Plyometric Exercises to Build Glute Power!
Plyometrics build power. The muscles that make up your glutes and legs are the largest, most stable muscles in your body. It makes sense to maximize that! Lower body plyo (or power) exercises include jumping, bounding, hoping, and power steps. They are explosive and require total engagement from your glutes.
Here’s why you will love these plyometric glute exercises:
- You’ll get better at the “strength version” of the exercise. Since most plyometric exercises mimic a lower body exercise you already know (i.e. squats, lunges, curtsy lunges), you’ll develop more muscle, stability and strength to perform those movements more adeptly.
- The intensity of these exercises require more energy, so you’ll burn more calories with each rep. Plyometrics are tough. They require big energy, and big push. So you should use them sparingly but…use them!
- Plyometrics improve athletic performance. If it is important to you that you can run faster, jump higher or take off with greater velocity, plyometrics should be a big part of your routine. But these benefits are good for non-athletes, too. As much as plyos teach you to be powerful on take off, they teach you to be graceful and efficient with your landing which is so important for staying injury free!
Squat Jumps
Adding some power to an exercise that already strengthens and builds your glutes levels up the game. These get exhausting, but in a Superwoman kind of way!
How-to:
Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Squat down with your weight in your heels, your chest tall, knees tracking over toes, and spine neutral. At the bottom of your squat, squeeze your glutes and drive hard through your legs and heels as you launch straight up, pelvis forward, pushing off your toes at the last moment. Land softly, then use the momentum from landing to go right into your next squat.
Lunge Jumps
Everyone has an “ohhhhh, no” exercise. This is mine.
How-to:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Jump your left leg forward and your right leg back into a lunge, with both knees at 90 degrees. Jump up and switch your legs in midair so that you land in a lunge with your right leg in front. Continue jumping back and forth, pausing as little as possible.
Skater Jumps
Skaters require strength, power, and stability through your ankles and knees especially. Try these slowly, adding speed, distance and power as you get comfortable.
How-to:
Start with your legs slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and arms at the sides. Bring one leg behind at a slight angle into a reverse lunge. The front knee will come to a 90-degree angle. Swing the arms in front of that bent knee and leap the back leg forward to switch sides in a skating motion. Arms alternate as you switch sides like you’re Apolo Ohno.
Lunge Knee Drives
These are a great way to build up to jump lunges. You’ll move through the same mechanics, with the same form, but slow it down slightly so that you can develop strength, form and confidence.
How-to:
Stand with your feet together, chest tall and core engaged. Take a large step back with your right foot. Lower your hips until your left thigh (front leg) is parallel to the floor, with your left knee positioned directly over your ankle. Your right knee should be at a 90-degree angle, pointing toward the floor with the heel lifted. Drive your right knee up toward your hands, maintaining that 90-degree angle. Immediately go back into a lunge, and repeat with the same leg until the set is over.
Plank to Frogger
Froggers are a great way to target glutes. Doing them from a plank position pushes you to improve your coordination, core strength and mobility!
How-to:
Begin in a straight arm plank position with your body in a straight line and your legs and arms shoulder-width apart. Stack your hands under your shoulders. Jump forward like a frog into a wide squat position, feet wider than your hand placement. Your knees and feet should land just outside of your elbows. Jump back to the full plank position.
