Some people seem genetically blessed to naturally have a round, full butt, and others have to work for it. Whether your goal is to fill out your favourite dress, completely transform your butt, or just tone it up, you're going to have to change your workout routine, focusing on building more muscle in your glutes (and you'll probably need to increase your daily caloric intake in order to sustain your gains).
As a trainer, a few of my favourite exercises for toning and sculpting a booty are lunges, hip thrusts, and split squats. If you're just beginning to strength train, don't have access to a gym, or want some extracurricular at-home sculpting work, continue reading.
The Workout
Since these moves will activate your glutes, there's no need to warm up in advance. Feel free to stretch and do mobility work beforehand if you'd like. You'll perform the moves in a circuit, taking little to no rest in between exercises. Once you complete a set, take two minutes of rest and then repeat for a total of four rounds.
Glute bridges: 12 reps
Reverse lunge with a knee drive: 12 reps on each leg
On your mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Plant your palms by each side, face down.
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 a few seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
Lower down to the ground; this is considered one rep.
Stand with your feet together. Take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
As you lunge back with your left foot, drive your left arm forward to maintain your balance.
Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
From the ground, drive your left knee up, coming into a standing position with your left leg lifted at a 90-degree angle. Simultaneously drive your right arm up to maintain your balance.
If it's too hard to come into the knee drive from the lunge, step your left foot in to meet your right, then raise your left knee up.
This is considered one rep.
Complete 12 reps on each leg.
2 / 4
3Single-Leg Bridges
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography
Lie on your back and place your hands on the floor for stability as you bend one leg and lift the other leg off the ground.
Pressing your heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
Slowly lower your body to the floor. This counts as one rep.
Complete 10 reps on each leg.
3 / 4
4Clamshells
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios
Lie on your left side with your head resting in your hand and your knees bent in toward your chest at a 90-degree angle.
Stack your right leg on top of your left leg.
Keep your feet together as you lift your top knee up toward the ceiling.
