Here are 5 of my go-to exercises for building stronger glutes. As you can see, these exercises do not require a lot of equipment so they can be done at home, the gym, or anywhere!
You can see part 1 of this feature here.
#1) Front Foot Elevated Reverse Lunges
With this reverse lunge variation you will elevate your feet on weight plates or another stable surface. The slightly elevated surface will allow you to use a greater range of motion during the lunge. Use a range of motion where you can do the exercise with good form, AND it feels good!
You may perform this exercise by alternating legs, or you may perform the target number of reps on one side before switching legs.
Coaching Tips:
- Elevate your feet on weight plates, a bench, box, or another stable surface, and adopt your preferred foot width. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- On the foot that is going to remain planted, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the rep (or full set if you are not alternating sides). Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush oranges in your armpits. This will help keep your arms and the weights from swinging.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now perform a reverse lunge. Once you hit your full range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), press away from the surface with your front/planted leg and return to the top/starting position.
- Aim to do most of the work (75% or more) with your planted leg, versus pushing off with your “stepping” leg.
- When you are performing the lunges, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
#2) Single Leg Hip Thrusts + Pause
Despite what you’ve been led to believe, you do NOT need to do barbell hip thrusts to build strong glutes! Here is one of my go-to hip thrust variations.
Coaching Tips:
- Set yourself up so your shoulder blade/upper back area, and upper arms are positioned on a bench, chair, or other stable surface. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position. You should feel very stable on the surface.
- If you are using weight, hold the weight on your hips. You may also use band resistance.
- On the working side, place your foot so it is roughly in line with your outer hip. Don’t cheat by placing your foot so it is well inside your hips. Many people do this to compensate!
- Lift one foot and bring your knee in towards your body. Keep your thigh tight to your body for the duration of the set/do not let your leg and foot drop.
- Make sure your knee on the working side is at about a 90 degree angle, and that your shin is vertical.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now lower your hips to a range where you can maintain proper form. Then use your glutes to return your hips to the top/starting position and gain a second of control before doing the next rep.
- Don’t let your weight shift to your forefoot.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee.
- When you get to the top position, hold for a count or more and really flex/squeeze your glutes.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
#3) Single Leg Assisted RDLs/Deadlifts
This single leg deadlift variation is awesome as it requires less balance than regular single leg deadlifts. So you can use more weight, and/or do more reps! This exercise also has a great carryover to learning unassisted single leg deadlifts.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand fairly close to a stable surface like a squat rack, door frame, etc. Lightly rest your hand on this surface. The entire time, you’ll lightly glide your hand down and up the surface as you perform the exercise. Use as little assistance from your upper body as possible.
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- On the non-working side, keep your knee bent at approximately a 90 degree angle, and close to the midline of your body. Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise. Flex your glutes and hamstrings on this side.
- Keep your arm rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are trying to crush an orange in your armpit. This will help keep your arm and the weight from swinging.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. When you are hinging, pretend you are “pulling” your body back/down with your posterior chain muscles. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the surface and back to the top/starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by using your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
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#4) Kickstand Glute Bridges + Pause
This exercise strengthens the glutes, and helps bridge the gap between double leg and single leg glute bridges.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Bend both knees to roughly a 90 degree angle. Your feet should be roughly hip width apart.
- On the working side, place your foot so it is roughly in line with your outer hip. Don’t cheat by placing your foot so it is well inside your hips. Many people do this to compensate!
- Now walk one foot forward so your heel is in front of the back foot/working side, or is in line with the toes on this side.
- Use as little or as much assistance from the front/supporting side as needed. Ideally, your working side should be doing 75% or more of the work.
- Keep your arms on the floor, and point your forearms up towards the ceiling. Or if you are using weight, keep your upper arms on the floor, and lightly support the weight using your hands. Aim to use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and lightly close the space in your midsection/think about wrinkling the front of your shirt like you would during a dead bug.
- Lift/extend your hips by pressing through the back of your foot and using your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back and flaring your ribcage.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knee. Pause for 1-2 seconds and really flex your glutes.
- Return to the starting position with control.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knees to fall inside or outside of your feet.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
#5) Banded Modified Skater Squats
This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.
Coaching Tips:
- Loop a band under the mid/back portion of your foot and rest the band over your upper traps (not on your neck). There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract/flex your glutes and hamstrings on this side. Aim to keep your heel close to your glutes for the duration of the exercise.
- Keep your weight centered over the middle of your foot the entire time. Your heel and the base of your big and baby toes should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
- Lightly rest one or both hands (if you are inside a doorway or rack) against a stable surface. Use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
- Perform a single leg squat.
- Once you hit your end range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.
- When you are performing the squats pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.
- Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
- For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked/level position.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 6-12 reps per side.
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