5 Best Exercises for Glutes: Complete Guide to Building Strong and Toned Muscles

Most people focus on building their upper body and forget about one of the most important muscle groups—the glutes. These muscles matter for athletic performance, balance, and just looking good in jeans.

Strong glutes do more than look nice. They support your lower body during daily activities and help prevent injuries.

When you train your glutes, you also end up strengthening supporting muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. That gives your whole body a solid foundation.

1) Squats

Squats build strength and size in your legs, especially your glutes and thighs. This movement targets the quadriceps from all angles and works the glutes hard.

Even though squats look simple, they can be pretty challenging. They’re a staple for a reason.

Setting Up the Movement

Start by getting under the barbell in the rack. Rest the bar across your shoulders, not your neck.

Grip the bar with both hands and keep it steady. After you lift the bar off the rack, step back a couple of steps.

Keep your feet flat, or put your heels on a small block if that helps your balance. Go with what feels right for your body.

Proper Form and Technique

Keep your head up, chest out, and back straight. Bend your knees slowly until your thighs drop below parallel to the floor.

This deep position really hits the muscles. From the bottom, push through your heels and drive your hips forward to stand back up.

Move smoothly and don’t rush either direction. Control matters more than speed here.

Stance Variations for Different Results

Stance Width	Primary Benefits
Wide stance	Works inner thigh muscles
Narrow stance	Targets outer thigh area
Shoulder-width	Best for power and glute development

Most people do best with a shoulder-width stance. Point your toes out just a little for better balance and knee tracking.

Form Tips for Better Results

Focus on keeping your back as straight as possible. Looking forward helps keep your chest up and your posture solid.

This way, your glutes and quads do more of the work, and your lower back stays safer. If you lean forward too much, you shift the load off your target muscles and risk a sore back.

Engage your core and imagine pushing the floor away with your feet. That mental cue can help.

Important Safety Notes

Going below parallel is important for full muscle development. Shallow squats can actually increase your injury risk when you start adding more weight.

If you’re new to squats, start light or just use bodyweight. Nail the movement first, then add weight as you get stronger and more confident.

2) Lunges

Lunges build the outer muscles of your thighs and strengthen your glutes too. You can do these with a barbell on your shoulders or by holding dumbbells in each hand.

Setup and Form:

• Put a barbell across your upper back and shoulders
• Stand tall with your feet together
• Keep your head up and your back straight
• Step forward with one leg into a long stride

Movement Pattern:

1. Bend both knees and lower down
2. Drop your back knee until it almost touches the ground
3. Make your front thigh parallel to the floor
4. Push through your front heel to stand back up
5. Bring your feet together again

Training Options:

Do all your reps on one leg, then switch. Or alternate legs each rep—whatever feels right for you.

The main thing is to step far enough forward. Short steps don’t challenge your glutes and thighs as much.

3) The Standing Leg Curls

Standing leg curls hit your hamstrings and glutes. This machine exercise lets you work one leg at a time, which is pretty handy for balance.

Setup and Form:

• Face the machine
• Hook your heel under the padded lever
• Keep your torso upright and steady
• Hold the handles for balance

Movement Pattern:

1. Curl Phase: Bend your knee and pull your heel toward your glutes
2. Control Phase: Lower your leg back down slowly
3. Complete: Do all reps on one leg, then switch

Key Training Tips:

• Move slow and steady
• Keep your supporting leg stable
• Squeeze your hamstrings at the top

Adjust the weight to match your strength. This exercise is great for building up the back of your thighs. Working one leg at a time also helps fix strength imbalances.

4) The Straight Leg Deadlifts

The straight leg deadlift mainly targets your hamstrings and glutes. You’ll feel it in your calves and lower back too.

Setup and Starting Position:

• Grab a barbell with both hands, overhand grip
• Stand up straight with feet close together or shoulder-width apart
• Hold the bar in front of your body

Movement Technique:

Bend forward at the hips and keep your legs straight. Keep your back in its natural curve as you lower down. Bend until your torso is nearly level with the floor.

The barbell should hang down naturally, not scraping your shins but not too far away either.

Return Movement:

To stand back up, straighten your body and pull your shoulder blades together. Keep that natural arch in your lower back the whole time.

Important Tips:

Since your legs stay straight, use lighter weights than you would for regular deadlifts. Focus on smooth, controlled reps. Never let your back round forward.

5) The Hack Squats

The hack squat machine targets your lower quads and glutes. The machine helps you stay on track with your form.

Setting Up Your Position

Get yourself set up based on your machine’s design. Most have shoulder pads or handles for support.

Put your feet together and point your toes out a bit. Keep your back flat against the pad—don’t cheat that.

Movement Execution

Press down with your legs to lift the weight. Stop just short of locking your knees to keep tension on your muscles.

Lower yourself by bending your knees. Go deep—deeper than with regular squats if you can. The machine makes this safer.

Control the descent and feel that stretch in your quads and glutes.

Advanced Technique for Final Reps

On the last few reps, you can arch your back a bit and shift your hips away from the machine. Don’t lock out your knees at the top. This puts more work on your hamstrings and quads.

Programming Guidelines

Treat hack squats as a main lift, not just an afterthought. They’ll tire you out fast.

Training Variable	Recommendation
Frequency	1-2 times per week
Sets	3-4 sets
Reps	10-12 reps
Warm-up	Light weight sets

Important Training Notes

Avoid hard cardio right before or after leg day. Your muscles need all the energy for this heavy work.

Start with lighter weights to warm up. Always.

Stretch after you finish. It helps prevent stiffness and makes recovery easier. Focus on your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

The hack squat is a solid builder for lower body mass and strength. Move your feet wider to hit more glutes, or closer for more quad action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Exercises Work Best for Building Glute Size?

If you want to grow your glutes, start with compound movements that let you load up the weight. Hip thrusts really shine here—they put your glutes in their strongest position and let you push hard.

Squats and deadlifts also pack on mass, as long as you nail your form. These moves hit several muscle groups but still hammer your glutes.

For the best results, try mixing these together:

• Hip thrusts (3-4 sets of 8-12 reps)
• Back squats (3-4 sets of 6-10 reps)
• Romanian deadlifts (3 sets of 8-12 reps)
• Walking lunges (2-3 sets of 12-15 per leg)

Push yourself a little further each week. Add some weight or squeeze out another rep to keep your muscles guessing.

How Do We Train Glutes Effectively at Home?

You can absolutely build strong glutes at home. Focus on bodyweight exercises, nail your form, and don't rush the process.

Single-leg glute bridges are a fantastic place to start. Begin with both feet on the ground, then try elevating one foot on a chair or couch as you get stronger.

Some of our favorite home exercises:

• Glute bridges (start with 15-20 reps)
• Single-leg deadlifts (8-12 per leg)
• Lateral lunges (10-15 per side)
• Clamshells (15-20 per side)
• Wall sits (30-60 seconds)

Don't have fancy equipment? No problem. Fill a backpack with books, grab some water jugs, or loop a resistance band around your legs to up the challenge.

What Gym Equipment Should We Focus On?

If you're serious about glute growth, a few pieces of equipment really make a difference:

Equipment	Primary Benefit	Best Exercises
Barbell	Heavy loading capacity	Hip thrusts, squats, deadlifts
Cable machine	Constant tension	Cable kickbacks, pull-throughs
Smith machine	Safety for heavy lifts	Smith squats, split squats
Leg press	Quad-dominant safety	Feet-high leg press
Hip abduction machine	Glute medius isolation	Seated abductions

Barbells give you the most flexibility. Load them up for hip thrusts, squats, or deadlifts.

Cable machines keep the tension on your muscles the whole way through. That constant pull helps your glutes stay engaged from start to finish.

What Routine Works Well for Women's Goals?

Most women want rounded, lifted glutes that still fit their overall shape. We like routines that blend strength and sculpting work.

3-day weekly routine:

Day 1 - Heavy Focus:

• Hip thrusts: 4 sets x 6-8 reps
• Goblet squats: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
• Single-leg deadlifts: 3 sets x 8-10 per leg

Day 2 - Volume Focus:

• Glute bridges: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
• Lateral lunges: 3 sets x 12-15 per side
• Clamshells: 2 sets x 20 per side

Day 3 - Mixed Focus:

• Bulgarian split squats: 3 sets x 10-12 per leg
• Cable kickbacks: 3 sets x 12-15 per leg
• Hip abductions: 2 sets x 15-20 reps

Focus on really feeling your glutes work. Controlled reps matter more than chasing big numbers, at least at first.

How Do Men's and Women's Glute Training Differ?

Glute muscles work the same for everyone, but training styles can shift based on goals and how folks recover.

Men typically focus on:

• Maximum strength development
• Integration with other powerlifts
• Higher training loads
• Shorter rep ranges (6-10 reps)

Women often prioritize:

• Muscle shape and lift
• Higher volume training
• Moderate rep ranges (10-15 reps)
• More isolation work

Recovery differences we've seen:

• Women may bounce back faster between sessions
• Men sometimes need a bit more rest after heavy days
• Women's hormonal cycles can affect strength and recovery—it just happens

We think everyone should anchor their routine with compound moves. The real tweaks come with rep ranges and which accessory lifts you choose.

How Frequently Should We Train Our Glutes?

Glutes are big muscles, and they bounce back faster than you might think. Most folks get the best results hitting them 2-3 times a week.

Training frequency options:

Frequency	Best For	Session Structure
2x per week	Beginners	Full glute workouts
3x per week	Intermediate	Heavy/Medium/Light days
4x per week	Advanced	Upper/lower split focus

Recovery considerations:

• Give yourself 48 hours between tough sessions.
• Light activation? Go for it daily if you want.
• If your body’s tired, back off a bit.

Try starting with two sessions a week. If you feel good, bump it up later—just don’t sacrifice form for more days.

Signs you need more recovery:

• Your lifts get worse each week
• Soreness that just won’t quit
• You’re just not feeling it at the gym