Grow your glutes (without weights!) with the best glute isolation exercises! These at-home exercises target only the gluteal muscles and focus mostly on the hip joint. They won’t grow your legs but they will help build your lower glutes!
In my ten years of being a strength coach and coaching clients, almost everyone I’ve encountered wants a better butt!
Most people want to build muscle in their lower gluteal muscles and change the all-around shape of their butt. As a coach, I want more than that (I want you to have STRONG glutes) but the principle remains.
And though there are a variety of ways to grow your glutes (as there is for any goal), using focused exercises is a crucial element.
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What are the glute muscles?
The glutes are a series of three muscles that make up the buttocks. Broken down, these muscles are the gluteus maximus (the largest part of your bum), the gluteus minimus (on your outer hip), and the gluteus medius (just above the hip and is over top of the minimus).
Though there are three gluteal muscles, they all work together to bring you a variety of functions:
- Hip extension (think bridges)
- Hip abduction (taking your leg away from your body to the side)
- Hip external rotation (turning your leg outwards)
Every glute exercise you use will target all of the glute muscles. However, it is possible to place extra emphasis on one over the other.
Learn all the ins & outs of glute training with this blog post on Glute Training 101.
Benefits Of Strong Glutes
The glute muscles play an important and often overlooked function in our day-to-day life.
You can learn more about the benefits of strong glutes, but some of the common perks are:
- Less back pain
- Reduced knee pain
- Easier time carrying kids and day-to-day tasks
- Better posture
- Better performance (running, jumping, lifting, climbing)
- Less pregnancy related pain
Training glutes isn’t just about how they look.
The Best Glute Isolation Exercises To Do At Home
Below is a list of focused exercises you can do at home, without weights.
Though many of these exercises require no equipment, you’ll see faster results by including the exercises with a mini loop (though learn how to engage glutes first!).
Mini bands are inexpensive and one of the best tools you can use in your glute training!
Grab them from Prosourcefit (with code mamabearfit) or from Bebetterbodied with code mamabear (I love her cloth one!).
These isolation exercises are just what they’re named: they ISOLATE the glutes. While other muscles will kick in, these exercises won’t build them.
No Equipment glute exercises
The best glute isolation exercises to do at home that are perfect for beginners.
- Glute bridge (and all glute bridge variations)
- Single leg hip thrust
- Quadruped hip extensions
- Extended range hip abductions
- Posterior pelvic tilt
- Kickbacks
- Side lying hip raise
- Reverse plank
Resistance band glute Exercises
Step up the tension a bit with these resistance band glute exercises.
- Sumo walks
- Seated (knees bent), forward leaning abductions
- Monster walks
- Double band glute bridge
These exercises (even with a band) are very low-impact. Likewise, they can all be performed at pretty high repetition ranges.
Target those crucial muscles like your glutes with a mini band that can easily be taken anywhere you go!
1. Glute Bridge
A crucial exercise for any glute training this is one you need to learn to master before any other glute exercise. Learn how to engage glutes.
How to perform it:
- Lying on your back, bend your knees and bring your heels close to your bum. Feet shoulder-width apart roughly.
- Push through your heels and lift your hips by squeezing the glutes. Do not excessively arch the lower back.
- Pause at the top for one second with a maximum glute squeeze before releasing the tension and bringing the hips back to the starting position.
- Perform anywhere from 8-25 repetitions.
2. Single Leg Hip Thrust
Hip thrusts give a better range of motion to the glute bridge (which is why some people call them bench glute bridges).
How to perform it:
- Set up in hip thrust position with your back on the bench (running roughly along your bra strap) and the left knee bent and over the heel. The right leg will be raised.
- Dip your hips towards the floor making sure that the left knee stays facing forward and not caving. Squeeze the glutes and lift the hips towards the ceiling while squeezing the glute.
- Your back will extend flat on the bench. Lockout the glute briefly, release the tension and return to the starting position.
- Perform all repetitions on the left leg before moving on to the right leg.
- Perform 8-12 repetitions.
3. Quadruped Hip Extension
A popular glute isolation exercise that can be done with a resistance band, just bodyweight or even ankle weights!
How to perform it:
- Come into a tabletop position on all fours.
- Keeping the knee of the working leg flexed the core strong and engaged, move through the hip as your raise the foot towards the floor.
- Do not let the low back drop and make sure to keep the knee bent. Return the knee towards the floor by releasing the tension in the glute.
- Perform for 8-12 repetitions per leg.
4. Extended Range Abductions
Doing a classic glute abduction exercise off the side of a bench (or table) gives more range to the exercise. more range of motion means more strength development (and mobility).
How to perform it:
- Laying on your right side on a bench (or table etc), bend your bottom leg so it’s out of the way. Keep the left leg straight and let it dangle off the bench while having your thighs together.
- Lift the left leg from the “deficit” position against the band. Pause at the top and return to the start potion.
- Perform 10-30 repetitions per leg
5. Posterior Pelvic Tilt
This is the basics of glute training and it can be done lying on the floor as a postpartum recovery exercise, in table top position (hands and knees), standing, or even in a plank.
How to perform it:
- Stand tall with your ribs stacked over the hips and feet hip distance apart. Neutral back.
- Keep your upper body where it is but gently tuck your bum under your hips (like a dog tucking it's tail).
- Squeeze your glutes for one full second. Release back to the starting position.
- Perform 10-15 repetitions.
6. Glute Kickback
Another exercise than can be done with a variety of tensions. You can also do this glutes exercise standing up with a band attached to an anchor.
How to perform it:
- Come into a table top position on all fours with a neutral back.
- Flex the foot of the right leg and keep the back stable as you raise the knee off the floor slightly and kick the heel back while squeezing the glute.
- Bring the knee back into the starting position and repeat.
- Perform 10-15 repetitions per leg.
7. Reverse Plank
Challenge your core muscles and your glutes with this isometric hold. Make it harder by elevating your feet.
How to perform it:
- Begin with your hips on the ground, legs straight out in front of you and your hands with fingers pointed out a few inches behind your hips.
- Squeeze the glutes and raise the hips high into the air coming into a posterior pelvic tilt. Open up the chest and hold.
- Perform for 20-40 seconds.
8. Side Lying Hip Raise
This glute exercise requires a lot of moving parts. To break it down work the two parts (the hip raise and then the leg raise) separately until you nail it down.
How to perform it:
- Lay on your right side with your knees bent and feet together. Hips and shoulders in one line and the right arm under the right shoulder.
- As you raise up into side plank position and lift the hips off the ground, raise the left leg up using the left glute. Keep the knee bent and flex the left foot. Pause and return to the starting position.
- Perform for 10-15 repetitions.
9. Sumo Walks
Great for any kind of pre-habilitation. Sumo walks can be done before a workout to isolate the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus and get them ready to train.
How to perform it:
- Standing upright you can place the band around the top of the knees, below the knees, or over the shoelaces for different tensions.
- Hinge forward slightly keeping your weight pushed backward and a flat back. Stand on one foot as you move the other foot sideways using your glutes to push against the band.
- Step down and continue this process one way before completing the same motion on the other side.
- Perform 10-30 repetitions
10. Seated Band Abductions
Use this exercise as a finisher on leg day as it's a sure-fire way to burn out the glutes (so are these glute finishers).
How to perform it:
- Place a mini loop below or above the knees and sit tall on a bench.
- Keep the back flat and the feet shoulder distance apart as you hinge forward.
- Let the knees cave in and then use your glutes to drive the knees out against the band. Repeat.
- Perform for 30 seconds
11. Double Band Glute Bridge
Take the glute bridge to a whole new level of tension. Using double the bands make it so that all three gluteal exercises are targetted at once. Check out a video of the double banded bridge here.
How to perform it:
- Place a mini loop around your legs below your knees. Also hook a strength band around your feet and over your hips as you lay on the floor with the knees bent and heels toward your bum.
- Squeeze the glutes and drive the hips up against the band as well as out against the mini loop.
- Pause and return to the starting position.
- Perform for 15-25 repetitions.
Do You Need Isolation Exercises?
Yes! The best way to build bigger, stronger glute muscles is to use a combination of glute-focused exercises (like deficit lunges, reverse hyperextensions, curtsy lunges etc) in conjunction with the at-home exercises listed above.
The glutes respond best to a variety of training protocols. This means that you should use a variety of:
- Sets and reps (some love volume work and some higher volume work)
- Exercises (using only glute bridges results in only building the glute max)
- Loads (play with tempo, resistance bands, and dumbbells)
It also means you need to vary your glute exercises to specifically target each muscle of the glutes (the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus).
Some exercises are more geared toward one muscle than the other. For example, hip abductions will primarily hit the gluteus medius while bridges target the gluteus maximus (though the other muscles do kick in!).
Aim for either 30-40 seconds per exercise if using a timer. Or, vary your rep ranges from 12-40 per exercise for maximum results.
How To Progress Your Glute Training
Once you’re ready to kick it up a notch or notice that your glutes have hit a plateau, you’ll want to step it up.
Begin using some resistance (bands or dumbbells), adding pauses, increasing reps or time under tension, working until failure etc.
All of those are ways to scale your glute training to continuously see results.
Stronger glutes = less back pain, better posture, more power.
This no-gym workout plan builds serious strength in just minutes a day.
Next Steps & Amazing Resources For Glute Training
To get started, choose 4-6 exercises and create a mini glute circuit. You can perform this circuit 2-4 times per week or choose one of the many glute-focused workouts on my YouTube Channel.
Another option to build your glutes is to add glute workout finisher into your current training program.
Learn how to boost the intensity of your workouts without adding weight so that you can make them harder at home.
Nail down how to fit your workouts into your schedule and learn more about getting started with strength training.
Below are some good resources, workouts, and informational tips on why strong glute muscles are awesome.
- Glute training 101: Everything you need to know
- How to reduce back pain
- Gluteus maximus exercises
- How to do a bench glute bridge
- Benefits of strong glutes
- Strong glutes during pregnancy
- Glute workout finishers
- Glute exercises for pregnancy
- Follow along home workouts
- Follow along glute workouts at home
Quick Reminder
Remember that the most important part of training glutes is activation. Make sure you’re fully contracting the glutes on each and every rep.
Some ways you can tell that you’re on the right track:
- Your glute muscle changes shape
- You can SEE you glutes moves and change shape
- Your glutes start to “burn” after a few reps
Frequently Asked Questions About Glute Training
Glute training seems complex but it doesn’t have to be! Remember, getting started is the hardest part.
Start training your glutes regularly, scale the exercises & continue to watch your butt grow!
Results from glute training vary from person to person. Beginners will see improvements in strength and activation within a few weeks of starting. In order to grow your glutes, you’ll also need to make sure you’re not in an extreme calorie deficit. Restricting calories will stagnate progress on your glutes.
You want to use a variety of hip extension exercises like the glute bridge and hip thrust. Those two exercises can be done unilaterally (with one leg), with resistance, pauses, etc. Use multiple variations of those exercises and progressively load them (add tension) to really target your lower butt.
No! although it’s not necessary to work your glutes every day, they do respond well to volume. So long as you’re not training heavy, compound lifts (like loaded barbell hip thrusts to failure) or eccentric exercises (deficit lunges) daily, your glutes will adjust to the stimulus.
Keep in mind though that strong glutes and hip mobility go hand in hand to optimal performance.
Exercises like lying abductions, side-lying hip abductions, and clamshells all focus on the gluteus medius.
Any exercise that primarily focuses on hip extension will target the gluteus maximus. Exercises like glute bridges, hip thrusts, reverse hyperextensions are great options.
Obtaining strong glutes and building the buttocks takes a lot of work. However, typically the glutes respond well to a higher volume of training. Meaning, you can train glutes anywhere from 3-6 times per week depending on your goals, movement patterns, and the program. If you’re just getting started, I’d recommend choosing 4-6 exercises and creating a circuit with them. Perform each exercise for 30-45 seconds and slowly build up in sets. You can do this circuit a few times per week and mix and match the exercises each time.
Ally says
Fantastic Advice! My goal is to have bigger glutes, and I now know how to get it! I'm now working on it as my top priority.
fitasamamabear says
Wahoo!@ Enjoy the sweat sessions.