15 Gluteus Minimus Exercises For Strength & Stability

Glute training is getting more attention (finally), but most people still focus only on gluteus maximus exercises like bench glute bridges, aka hip thrusts.

The problem? Your glutes are made up of three muscles, and if you’re not training them all, you’re leaving strength, stability, and results on the table.

To build strong, functional glutes (and actually feel them working), you need to train them in multiple planes, not just up and down.

Best Gluteus Minimus Exercises

While many lower body exercises (like glute bridges, squats, and deadlifts) engage the glutes, the exercises below place more direct emphasis on the gluteus minimus.

1. Side-lying hip raise
2. Side lying hip abduction (regular and extended range)
3. Lateral lunges
4. Sumo walks
5. Seated band abductions
6. Quadruped hip abductions
7. Glute march
8. Fire hydrant
9. Standing bent knee abduction
10. Side plank dips

Exercise Tips

Use the exercises below with intention, don’t rush through them. Focus on control and actually engaging your glutes (learn how to engage glutes).

Pick 4–5 moves to create a quick workout, or add a few into your current routine. This is how I program glute training inside my Glute Guide, so you’re building strength consistently.

You can do these with bodyweight, but adding a mini band (loop) is the easiest way to increase resistance and see better results (check out these other mini band exercises).

1. Side Lying Hip Raise

This glute exercise targets both the core and your glute muscles forcing them to work together to get stronger.

How to perform it:

1. 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.
2. As you raise up into side plank position and lift the hips off the ground, raise the top leg up using the left glute. Keep the knee bent and flex the left foot. Pause and return to the starting position.

reps: 10-15 repetitions.

2. Extended Range Abduction

Taking abductions to a whole new level by adding a bigger range of motion to double up on strength.

How to perform it:

1. Lying 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.
2. Lift the left leg from the “deficit” position against the band. Pause at the top and return it to the start position.

Reps: 20 repetitions per side.

3. Lateral Lunges

These lunges target the glute in every rep and can be done with a variety of weights and ways as you progress.

How to perform it:

1. Stand upright.
2. Step out to the side with your left foot.
3. Push the hips backward and sink them down while keeping the heel on the floor.
4. Pause briefly.
5. Push up through the foot to extend the hip and bring the foot back into the starting position.
6. Perform all the repetitions on one leg before moving on to the next.

Reps: 8-10 repetitions per leg.

4. Quadruped Band Hip Abductions

Anything in the quadruped position forces your core and glutes to work together to stabilize during movement. This exercise magnifies that as the glutes have to work to do the movement as well.

How to perform it:

1. For this exercise, you’ll need to anchor a strength band. This can be done on a beam, a deck post, or with a dumbbell placed behind a door.
2. Come into table top position and hook the strength band onto the left foot which is furthest from the anchor point.
3. Engage the core for a stable back and keep the left leg straight, move the foot away from the body at hip height.
4. Pause briefly and return the it to the center position.

 Reps: 15 reps per leg.

6. Single Elevated Leg Bridge

Single leg training means that one side can't take over for the other. This bridge variation is a great way to reduce injury risk.

How to perform it:

1. Lay on the ground with your heels elevated on a couch, stairs or bench.
2. Raise your right foot into the air.
3. Push through the left foot and lift the hips high without excessively arching the low back.
4. Pause and return the hips toward the floor.
5. Perform all the repetitions on one leg before moving onto the next.

 Reps: 10-15 repetitions per leg.

7. Glute March

Stability and strength in this glute exercise. The addition of a band provides tension.

How to perform it:

1. Laying on the ground on your back, bring the heels close to the bum. Raise the hips into a glute bridge position. Keeping the glutes squeezed and the hips squared, begin walking each foot out away from the bum.
2. Walk the feet out until you can no longer support the low back or the hips and then walk them back into the bum again.

Reps: 30-45 seconds.

8. Fire Hydrant

Another one in the quadruped position, with fire hydrants the glute must active work to raise the leg through a large range.

How to perform it:

1. In a tabletop position, place the band below the knees.
2. Maintain core engagement and try not to twist the hips as you cock your leg (keeping the knee bent at ninety degrees) out to the side against the band.
3. Pause and return the knee to the starting position. Perform all reps on one side before moving to the next.

 Reps: 30 seconds per leg.

9. Deficit Lunge

Increasing the range of motion in a lunge and the ability required to perform it means more stress on the smaller glutes.

How to perform it:

1. Using a bottom step or yoga blocks, stand upright, chest lifted, on the step.
2. Step the left foot back onto the floor and begin bringing the knee down towards the floor as you hinge the upper body forward slightly.
3. Pause at the bottom and then reverse the movement and pull up your body with the right leg (don't push off the left foot!), extending the hips back into a standing position.

Reps: 8-12 repetitions per leg.

10. Single leg hip thrust

A great one to train unilaterally to get stronger. Learn more about unilateral exercises and how they reduce injury risk.

How to perform it:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Your back will extend flat on the bench. Lockout the glute briefly, release the tension, and return to the starting position.
4. Perform all repetitions on the left leg before moving on to the right leg.

Reps: 8-12 repetitions.

11. Sumo Walks

My favorite exercise for a glute finishers, because they require stability in one glute and strength in the other. I use them in workouts like this glute HIIT workout, and they burn so perfectly.

How to perform it:

1. Standing upright you can place the band around the top of the knees, below the knees or over the shoelaces for different tensions.
2. 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.
3. Step down and continue this process one way before completing the same motion on the other side.

 Reps: 30-45 seconds.

12. Side Plank Hip Dip

Similar to the hip raise but this time with a longer level for more challenge.

How to perform it:

1. Set up in side plank position with your elbow under your shoulder and feet stacked.
2. Raise the hips off the floor.
3. Once at the top, dip the bottom hip toward the floor (without shrugging).
4. Use your glutes and obliques to lift the hip back to the starting position.

Reps: 10 repetitions on one side before moving to the next.

15. Seated Band Abductions

Another one perfect for a glute finisher these abductions can be done double banded for more tension.

How to perform it:

1. Place the band right below the knees and sit up tall on the couch (or chair or bench) with feet on the floor. Take the feet slightly wider than hip-width and let the knees cave in slightly.
2. Keeping the feet on the floor, squeeze the glutes and drive the knees out against the band. Pause and release the movement.

 Reps: 30 seconds.

How To Feel Your Glute Minimus Working

If you’ve ever done these exercises and felt them everywhere but your glutes… this is why:

• Slow down your reps: rushing shifts the work away from the smaller stabilizing muscles
• Don’t let your hips roll back: keep them stacked so the side glutes stay engaged
• Think “lift from the side of your hip”: not your lower back or quads

A lot of glute training is tweaking the position until you FEEL them working. if you don't feel them, make a minor adjustment until you do. When done right, you should feel a deep burn on the side of your hip, not your front thighs or low back.

Want to know exactly how to train your glutes?

If you’re tired of guessing which exercises to do (and how to progress them), my programs take care of it for you.

Glute Guide For Moms is a simple, at-home plan designed for busy moms, so you can build stronger glutes, improve stability, and actually see progress without overthinking it.