How To Strengthen Weak Glutes

I became obsessed with glutes when I realized how important they are for real life, especially during pregnancy and postpartum (here are the best hip strengthening exercises for pregnancy).

Strong glutes don’t just look good, they support better posture, reduce back pain, improve performance, and lower your risk of injury (learn more about the daily glute exercise benefits).

If you want to know how to strengthen your glutes, it starts with understanding how much they impact everything you do.

6 Glute Strengthening Exercises

Listen, there are a ton of exercises out there that will hit your glute muscles. Here are the best gluteus maximus exercises and great gluteus minimus exercises. Classic exercises like clamshells, side lying abductions, and seated abductions are all great staples.

However, the exercises below are the ones I use most often for weak glutes.

Though you can easily vary the load or tension on the exercises (bands, dumbbells, etc), you can also use them with different repetition variations (pause reps, 1.5 reps). Choose 2-3 and work them into your weekly program to get you started with some glute strength.

1. The Hip Thrust

This move is the KING of all glute exercises (sometimes referred to as a bench glute bridge). And rightfully so.

It targets your glutes through hip extension (and hyperextension) and the elevated back gives you a better range of motion so that you can target them MORE.

Learn how to do a hip thrust, how to do a weighted hip thrust, and know that this exercise can be done with multiple variations: single leg, banded, feet elevated etc.

How to perform

1. Begin by placing your mid to upper back (right about the bra strap line) on a bench (or table, or couch).
2. Feet flat on the floor and hips dipped towards the floor. The feet will be slightly outside of your hips. At this bottom position, your knees should be slightly behind the bridge of your feet/your heels. Beginners will normally hook their elbows on the bench. This is fine so long as you don’t press into the bench with them for support.
3. Start to push through the heels, squeeze the glutes and lift the hips towards the ceiling.
4. As you do, the shins should come into a vertical position. Keep the upper back slightly rounded as you look forward and not straight up. Meaning, do not lay your upper back flat on the bench.
5. At the top of the movement, “lockout” with a big glute squeeze. Reverse the movement leading with the hips breaking and moving back toward the floor and the starting position.

The exercise can be used from anywhere between 3-30 repetitions depending on tension levels.

3. Reverse Hyper Extensions

Now, this is an exercise most people think can only be done in a gym... wrong! Learn how to do a reverse hyperextension at home.

A great exercise to really nail down the posterior pelvic tilt. A reverse hyperextension can be done with a band, straight-legged, straddle-legged, or froggy legs!

How to perform

1.  Lay belly down on a bench with the end of the bench at your hips (legs hanging off).
2. You can do this with straight legs or bent knees. Squeeze your glutes so that your legs raise up and your hips extend (go from bent to open). Pause and return the feet to the floor.

Perform this exercise for 12-30 repetitions.

4. Sumo Walks

Not as fancy or intense as the exercises above, but this one has merit. It places the focus on the outer glutes (gluteus minimus and gluteus medius) and not just gluteus maximus (big glute).

It’s amazing for hip stability and one of my most prescribed for runners. I use it in this glute HIIT workout for busy days.

How to perform:

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 your right foot as you move the left leg 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.

Perform for 10-20 repetitions each way.

5. Fire Hydrants

Another one that focuses more on the smaller glute muscles and great for beginners. With fire hydrants, weak glutes must actively work to raise the leg through a large range.

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.

 Aim for 30 seconds per leg.

6. High Step Ups

A powerful way to build glute strength while improving pelvic stability, hip control, and balance. By driving through one leg to lift your body upward, you challenge your glutes to stabilize and control movement, something especially important if you struggle with hip drop or wobbly knees.

1. Find a high bench or chair with support as needed. Your hip should be below your knee.
2. Place the full foot of the working leg on the high bench, lead forward slightly, and use the working leg to PULL your body up (don't push off the ground) to stand tall.
3. Reverse the movement by slowly bending the knee, leaning forward, and coming back to the ground. Aim for this to take at least 2-3 seconds.
4. Continue on the same leg for 8-10 repetitions.

Know that lateral step ups are also a great way to work the glutes and especially if you focus on the eccentric part (the lowering).

What Actually Makes Glutes Stronger

To strengthen your glutes, you need to challenge them with resistance, take them through a full range of motion, and train them consistently over time.

That’s what drives real progress: gradually increasing the demand so your muscles adapt and get stronger. Learn more about ways to increase intensity of workouts at home.

How Long Does It Take to Strengthen Glutes?

1. Noticeable strength: 2–4 weeks
2. Visible changes: 6–8+ weeks

Want a plan that actually walks you through this step-by-step? My Glute Guide For Moms gives you simple, effective workouts you can follow at home, without you having to map it all out yourself.