Strengthening your glute muscles is a worthy goal, and not just for aesthetic reasons. Weak glute muscles don't just result in a less-than-shapely butt; they can also lead to back pain and increased risk of injury, according to ACE-certified personal trainer Rachel MacPherson. "As the largest muscle in your body, they work as part of your core to support your spine and knee joints," Rachel explained. If you sit all the time or don't work your glutes enough, the muscles "can become stretched and weakened," Rachel explained. That can lead to back pain and quad tightness, which increases the risk of pain, injury, and dysfunction.
You can work the following 11 glute-strengthening exercises into any lower-body or full-body workout to build up muscle strength. You can also use a few of the bodyweight options to "activate" your glutes before a workout, which readies your body for the entire workout, said Jason Raynor, CSCS, fitness director at the JW Marriott Chicago. "You're getting more muscle engagement and optimizing your workout if you do these before," he explained.
Keep reading for 11 trainer-recommended glute exercises that will help you increase strength, power, and stability in these crucial core muscles.
The clamshell is "ideal" for your gluteus maximus, Jason said. It also activates your gluteus medius, a muscle just underneath your gluteus maximus that extends slightly into your lower back, said Jillian Lorenz, NASM-certified personal trainer and co-founder of the Barre Code. You'll get stronger hip and pelvis stability, she explained, something that you might lack when sitting for long periods of time.
The Bulgarian split squat is an eccentric movement, Rachel told POPSUGAR; you're lengthening the muscle fibers, which is great for building muscle. This move targets your glutes, first and foremost, but also hits your quads and hamstrings, Rachel explained.
Donkey kicks target your gluteus maximus and hamstrings, Jillian told POPSUGAR, while increasing stability in your supporting hip. In order to protect your spine, you'll also be engaging your core the whole time.
"This move isolates the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back without putting strain on your knees or feet," said Laura Arndt, NSCA-CSCS, founder of Matriarc.
The single-leg bridge is a step up in difficulty from the traditional glute bridge. It targets your gluteus maximus and your hamstrings unilaterally (one leg at a time) for a true full-body challenge, Jillian told POPSUGAR.
The hip thrust is "hands-down" the best exercise for glutes, said Lauren Lobert, DPT, CSCS, owner of Apex Physical Therapy. According to exercise physiologist Kristi Williford, NASM, that's because "the hip thruster is an exercise you can load heavy." Your glutes are taking the brunt of the workload, she explained, with your quads only doing some of the work, unlike in squats. It's also a great choice if you have lower back pain or discomfort when you squat. "Using this horizontal position can alleviate the discomfort you are feeling in the vertical position of a squat," Kristi said.
A banded glute bridge adds another layer of difficulty to your standard glute bridge. This variation strengthens your gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, said Tomomi Tsuchio, NASM-certified personal trainer and co-owner of 1Stop-Fitness.
"The single-leg deadlift requires your body to become unilaterally stable and isolates each glute individually as opposed to most traditional glute exercises," said Ryan Milton, ISSA-certified personal trainer and NASM-certified corrective exercise specialist. "By doing this movement you can develop better balance and increase glute strength and overall performance in any lower body exercise you do." If you don't have a kettlebell, complete the exercise with a dumbbell instead.
"This movement will target and strengthen the glutes to a very high degree and will also strengthen and develop overall posture," Ryan told POPSUGAR. And bonus: it's also great for burning fat!
"Step-ups are an often-underrated glute exercise," said Salina Duggan, MS, ACE-certified group fitness instructor and ISSA-certified personal trainer. Why? When you learn how to properly engage your glutes through this exercise, Salina explained, "you can then strengthen your glutes when performing everyday movements like walking up stairs, hills, and basically anything that requires stepping up!"
"Deadlifts are a great glute exercise because they require maximum effort in the hamstrings and glutes," Salina said. Aurimas Juodka, NSCA-CSCS and certified personal trainer, added that deadlifts are "one of the most effective multi-joint exercises." He recommended that beginners use a barbell or dumbbells.