Looking to fill out your favourite jeans, do some damage in a bodycon dress, or simply just have a rounder backside? The following moves will leave your booty sore for days — which means they're working — and have you on your way to a plumper butt in no time!
Image Source: Unsplash / Jakob Owens
1. Single-Leg Deadlift With Kettlebell
Hold a kettlebell (between 10 and 20 pounds) in your right hand, and lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
Keeping your back neutral, lean your entire torso forward while raising your left leg, which should stay in line with your body. The kettlebell will lower toward the ground. Keep your left shoulder blade pulled down your back.
With your back straight, return upright, coming to your starting position. This completes one repetition. Maximize this move by keeping your right foot off the ground as you go through your repetitions.
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2. Barbell Hip Thrusts
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.
Lie with an exercise ball under your belly and walk your hands out until the ball is under your shins. Your hands should be directly under your shoulders.
Draw your navel toward your spine to engage your abs and stabilize your torso.
Lift your left leg up, squeezing your glute, then slowly lower your leg back onto the ball. Switch sides and lift the right leg keeping your pelvis square. This counts as one repetition.
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4. Single Leg Squats: 60 Seconds
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and raise your right leg, flexing your right ankle and pushing your hips back.
Lower your body while keeping your right leg raised (a squat with one leg). Keep your knees behind your toes and your heels firmly on the floor.
Hold and then return to standing. Repeat for 30 seconds completing one repetition, then switch legs.
You can use a bench to squat/sit on to work your way toward doing the single-leg squat if needed.
Image Source: Unsplash / Jakob Owens
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5. 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 repetition.
Stand in front of your stool and place your left foot in the center of the stool.
Step up onto the stool and bring your right knee forward and up.
Lower yourself back to the floor, with your foot landing quietly.
Switch legs and repeat to complete one repetition.
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8. Dumbbell Squat
Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart, holding a dumbbell at shoulder level with your palms facing inward.
Slowly bend your knees as if you were going to sit in a chair, keeping all the weight in your heels. Don't let your knees move beyond your toes, and don't let your knees roll out or in. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your head and chest lifted, your spine long, and your shoulders relaxed. Keep your arms steady as you lower down.
Press through your heels and slowly straighten your legs to stand up, completing one repetition.
Stand upright, feet together, with 10-pound dumbbells at your side. Take a controlled step forward with your left leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. Your back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your 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 repetition.
Place the top of your left foot on the ball. Keep your right knee soft — do not lock your standing knee.
Reach your arms forward at shoulder height. If balancing in this position is too challenging, open your arms out to the sides. Inhale to prepare.
Exhale and actively pull your deep abs toward your spine. Bend your right knee, engage your right glute, and lunge. The ball will move back and your shin will move to top of the ball. Make sure your right knee doesn't move beyond your toes.
Inhale to straighten your front leg. This completes one repetition.
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11. 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. Looking forward, not at the ground, will help you avoid rounding your back. Keep the weights close to, almost touching, your legs.
Squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up. This completes one repetition.
Be sure not to use your back or round your spine!
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12. Superman Ball Lifts
This is a butt-challenging variation on your standard Superman.
Lie on your belly, holding an exercise ball between your feet.
Engage your abs and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
As you inhale, squeeze the ball and lift your knees, arms, and chest off the floor. Hold for a count of 10, and then slowly release your body back to the floor. This completes one repetition.
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13. Single-Leg Bridge Kicks
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 to complete one repetition.
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14. 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 center 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 repetition.
Start on all fours, and place a dumbbell in the crease of your right knee.
Keeping your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle and your back straight, lift your right leg up until you feel your right glute engage. Flex your foot, and slowly pulse the foot toward the ceiling by squeezing your glute. Do not move the torso at all — the motion is just in the hip joint.
This completes one repetition.
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16. 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, as you should keep both hips squared toward the floor.
With control, lower your leg back to the ground.
This completes one repetition.
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17. Single-Leg Forward Reach
Stand with all your weight in your left foot, abs engaged and chest lifted.
Reach your torso forward as you lift your right leg behind you. Reach your arms out in front of you for balance as your torso and leg come parallel to the floor.
Hold this position for a moment, and reach through your right heel to engage the back of the right leg.
Moving in one piece, lower your right leg toward the floor as you return to standing upright, resting the right foot lightly on the ground. This completes one repetition.
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18. Goblet Squat
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width and with your toes pointed slightly out. Hold your dumbbell at chest level with both hands. Keeping your back flat, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your elbows touch your knees.
With your weight focused on your heels, push yourself up to the starting position.
Holding a 10-pound dumbbell in your right hand, stand on your left leg with your right foot lifted.
Keeping your back flat, bend your left knee while bending forward at your hips to lightly touch the dumbbell to the ground. Keep your right knee bent and your right leg close to your body.
Push through your left heel and return to the starting position to complete one repetition; try to keep your right foot off the ground as you complete all your repetitions.
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20. Side Lunge to Curtsy
Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, side lunge to the left, bringing your right hand to your left foot. Lower your booty as much as possible. Keep your toes pointed forward and your left knee bent to no more than 90 degrees.
Push off gently with your left foot, and come into a curtsy position with your left leg crossing behind your left as you press your weight overhead. Keep your hips square and your curtsy tight. Both feet should be pointed forward. This completes one repetition.
Repeat by stepping immediately into a side lunge from the curtsy.
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21. Standing Booty Kicks
Stand tall and place your hands on your hips.
Put all the weight in your left leg, keep both legs straight, and lift your right leg directly behind you. Let your glutes do all the work. Keep your right foot flexed, and work on lifting your heel as high as you can without leaning your torso too far forward. Engage your abs to help you stay balanced.
Then, lower your right leg so it's parallel with your left, but don't let it touch the ground. This completes one repetition.
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22. Banded Booty Kicks
Hold on to either end of your resistance band, and place the center of the band around the sole of your left foot. Place your elbows and knees on the ground so your back is straight.
Hold the band firmly, draw your belly in, and extend your left leg straight behind you. Then draw your knee forward, but don't let it touch the ground.
This completes one repetition.
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23. Dirty Dog
Start on all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keeping your knee bent 90 degrees, lift your left leg until it's parallel to the floor.
Keep your left thigh still as you straighten your left knee, kicking your leg out to the side. Don't let your leg lower as you kick it.
Bend your left knee back to 90 degrees, then lower your leg. This completes one repetition.
Do three sets of 20 repetitions per side.
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24. Hamstring Curls
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.