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!
#1) Posterior Chain Dominant Reverse Lunges
With this reverse lunge variation you will have more of a forward lean in your torso, a slightly bigger stride back, and will keep the shin of your planted/working leg in a more vertical position and knee closer to your heel (less ankle dorsiflexion and forward knee tracking). This will target more posterior chain muscles.
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:
- 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) Negative 1.5 Rep Hip Thrusts
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.
- Place your feet so they are approximately hip width apart. Figure out what position works and feels best for you.
- Bend your knees to roughly a 90 degree angle, and place your shins in a relatively vertical position.
- 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 take 3-5 seconds and lower your hips to a range where you can maintain proper form. Once you get to the bottom position, use your glutes to lift your hips halfway to the top position, back to the bottom position, and finally, back to the top position (all at normal speed). This is one rep.
- Don’t let your weight shift to your forefeet.
- In the top position, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to knees.
- 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 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.
- 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.
#3) Single Leg Rear Foot Elevated RDL’s (back foot against a couch/wall)
This exercise strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, and is a great example of a “loaded stretch.” In this exercise you will rest the sole of your foot on the supporting side (back leg) against a couch, wall, or other stable surface. This will be more challenging than when your foot is pressing down on a surface. This side will serve as a “kickstand,” and will provide minimal assistance.
Coaching Tips:
- Stand on one foot, and rest the sole of your foot on the supporting side (back leg) against a couch, wall, or other stable surface. Figure out what stride length works and feels best for you.
- Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- On the foot of the front/working leg, 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.
- Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing oranges in your armpits. For the duration of the exercise, your arms/weights should not travel ahead of your body.
- 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, use your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.
- Perform the lockout by flexing/squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee. Use as little assistance from the supporting leg as possible.
- 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.
- 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) Single Leg Glute Bridges With Yoga Block Squeeze + Pause
This exercise strengthens the glutes and hip flexors. Adding the yoga block makes these tougher and helps eliminate any compensating (people often compensate by arching the back), so your range of motion will likely be a bit smaller. If you don’t have a yoga block, you may use another similarly sized object.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Keep your upper arms on the floor, and point your forearms up towards the ceiling. Aim to use as little support from your upper body as possible.
- Get into a single leg glute bridge position. Bend one knee, and place your shin in a vertical position.
- On one side, place a yoga block between your thigh and torso.
- For the duration of the exercise, maintain pressure against the yoga block with your thigh.
- 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. Hold for 3-5 seconds 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, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
Do 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps per side.
#5) Negative 1.5 Rep Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats
This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg. You will use a negative 1.5 rep tempo, which I will describe below.
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a split squat position, and adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Elevate the forefoot or top of your back foot on a bench, box, or other stable surface.
- Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- 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.
- On the front foot, 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.
- 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 split squat and take 3-5 seconds and lower yourself down to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Stand halfway up, squat back down, and finally, press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position (all at normal speed). This is one rep.
- When you are performing the split squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your legs. 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 5-10 reps per side.
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