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Best Butt Exercises From a Trainer

I'm a Trainer, and These Are My Favourite Muscle-Building, Butt-Sculpting Exercises

Mar 14 2019

There's nothing wrong with squats; I like programming them to help increase overall lower-body strength. But if your goal is to transform your butt and build muscle, squats alone won't cut it. The reason being that squats are quadricep dominant, meaning your quadriceps (thigh muscles) are the main muscles targeted when performing squats.

That being said, if done correctly, you should feel your butt working as you squat since the gluteus maximus (your butt muscles) act as a synergist, muscles that help create the movement, but it's not the best exercise for building muscle in your butt.

You don't have to cut squats out of your workout plan completely, but if you want a larger butt, the best exercises to do are the ones that primarily target the gluteus muscles. Ahead, you'll find 15 exercises that will work your glute muscles like no other.

Just in case you were wondering, this is not a workout. Doing all 15 exercises at once will make it insanely hard and uncomfortable to walk, sit down, and do anything else without pain. Instead, choose three to four exercises (avoid choosing every glute bridge variation to do at once) to add to a lower-body or total-body workout.

Check out my favourite butt exercises ahead and don't forget to activate your glute muscles before you do them to maximise your results.

Image Source: Getty / Emir Memedovski

1. Fire Hydrant Exercise

  • 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, as you should keep both hips squared toward the floor.
  • With control, lower your leg back to the ground to complete the rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

2. Weighted Glute Bridge

  • Grab a medium to heavy dumbbell; 20 pounds is a great starting point. You can also do this exercise using just your bodyweight.
  • 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. 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 down to the ground; this is considered one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

3. Bulgarian Split Squat

  • Grab a pair of 10-pound dumbbells. Begin by placing the toes of your left foot on a bench, box, stair, or chair, with your right leg straight.
  • 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, squeeze your left glute, and lower your pelvis toward the ground.
  • Press your right heel into the ground to straighten your right knee. This completes one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

4. Lateral Band Walk

  • Place a resistance band around your ankles. Start with a lighter band and work your way up to a heavier band.
  • Begin standing with feet directly underneath your hips and your hands on your hips.
  • Squat halfway down and sidestep to the right, leading with your heel to make the glute muscles engage as far as you can manage without allowing your knees to rotate toward each other. Bring the left leg toward the right with enough space to keep some resistance in the band. Concentrate on keeping your pelvis level as you move sideways.
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5. Dumbbell Walking Lunge

  • Stand upright, feet together, with 10-pound dumbbells at your sides. Take a controlled step forward with your left leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. The back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over the ankle.
  • 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. This completes one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

6. Romanian Deadlift

  • Stand holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
  • Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at your hip joint (not your waist) and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight.
  • Now squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up (don't use your back). This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Studios

7. Barbell Hip Thrust

  • Sitting on the floor with your legs extended, rest your back against a stable bench.
  • Place a towel or shoulder cushion on the bar for comfort (optional). Roll the barbell over your thighs until the bar is directly above your hip joints.
  • Brace your core. As you drive your heels into the ground, squeeze your glutes, lifting your hips up to full extension, meaning your hips are even with your knees.
  • With control, lower back down to the ground.
  • This is one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

8. Donkey Kick

  • 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 behind you until your thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Pulse your flexed foot toward the ceiling by squeezing your glutes. Your back should remain perfectly still in a neutral spine. The motion should be small and controlled with the muscle doing the work and not momentum.
  • Return to start position to complete one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

9. Leg Press

  • Before getting started, add weight to the machine. 25-35 pound plates on each side is a good starting point. If this is too heavy or too light feel free to adjust the weight.
  • Sit on the seat and place your feet hips-width apart on the footplate.
  • Once your feet are in place, press the footplate with both feet as you simultaneously disengage the safety latches on the side of the seat with your hands.
  • With your feet still on the footplate, bend your knees letting the footplate come toward your body. Once your knees are at a 90-degree angle, press the footplate up and straighten your legs. Be sure not to lock your knees.
  • This counts as one rep.
  • Once you've completed a set, press the footplate and engage the safety latches.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

10. Single-Leg Bridge

  • 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 completes one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography

11. Reverse Lunge With a Knee Drive

  • Stand with 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 to perform the knee drive from the lunge, step your left foot in to meet your right, then raise your left knee up.
  • This completes one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

12. Hamstring Curl

  • Start by lying face down on the hamstring curl machine. The pad of the machine should be on the back of your legs at the bottom of your calves.
  • Keeping your body flat on the bench, lightly grasp the handles near the front to stabilize your upper body. Bend your knees to bring your heels toward your glutes, stopping once your knees have reached a 90-degree angle. Hold for one second.
  • Slowly lower down for three seconds.
  • That's one repetition.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

13. Hex Bar Deadlift

  • Load the hex bar with the weight of your choice. If you're new to the move, start by just using the bar without any additional weight.
  • Stand in the centre of the hex bar with your feet hip width apart.
  • Bend at your hips and knees as you grab the handles of the hex bar. Raise your hips up slightly, keeping your back flat, to create tension in the back of your legs (your hamstrings will feel tight).
  • Keeping your back flat and shoulders relaxed, drive your heels through the ground as you stand straight up.
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift to ensure you get full hip extension.
  • Continue to grasp the handles as you lower the weight to the ground with control. Be sure to keep your chest open and your back flat. This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

14. Glute Kickback

  • Adjust the carriage so that it's at the bottom of the cable machine. Place the ankle strap attachment around your left ankle, and then attach it to the machine. You should be facing the pulley.
  • Next, select a weight that will challenge you — 10 to 20 pounds is a great starting point. As you begin to become more comfortable with the movement, feel free to increase the weight.
  • Step one to two feet away from the pulley, and place your hands on the frame to maintain your balance.
  • With a slight bend in your knees and your core engaged, kick your left leg back as high as it can go. Hold for one second, then return it to the starting position with control. This counts as one rep.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

15. Cable Machine Romanian Deadlift

  • Adjust the carriage so that it's at the bottom of the cable machine. Attach a triceps rope handle to the pulley on the carriage of a cable station. You should be facing the pulley.
  • Next, select the amount of resistance you want — 20 to 30 pounds is a great starting point. As you begin to become more comfortable with the movement, feel free to increase the weight.
  • Facing the pulley, grab the rope, and step approximately three feet away from the machine.
  • With a slight bend in your knees, slowly bend at your hips (this is a hinge movement pattern) as you simultaneously extend your arms forward. Your core should be engaged, and your back should be flat.
  • Then squeeze your glutes to stand back up as you simultaneously pull your elbows back (like you're performing a bent-over row). Pull with power, and continue to squeeze your glutes at the top to get full hip extension. Be sure to keep your core engaged.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Tamara Pridgett

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