Build Your Booty With These Exercises You Can Do at Home

Updated on 1/28/2019 at 10:10 AM

When I hear the mail being pushed through the slot on my front door, I am up and lunging for it before the envelopes and fliers even hit the floor. Let me clarify what I mean by lunging. My desk is at the back of the house, and I use my daily trip to pick up the mail off the floor as a workout. It takes about 40 walking lunges to reach the pile of mail, and my butt appreciates the attention. That is, my friends, just one way to work your butt at home.

You can take the following exercises and make yourself a kick-ass workout, and yes, I mean that literally. We have rounded up variations on bridges, squats, and lunges — all exercises that work your butt and can be done at home. Some require dumbbells and some don't, but no fancy gym equipment is needed to strengthen and tone your glutes. Make your own quick workout by picking three to six exercises and doing a couple of sets of each move after a quick warmup. Get at it! You have glutes to build.

Glute Bridge

This beginner-friendly exercise works the glutes and hamstrings, giving a lift to the area.

On your mat, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your feet underneath your knees, not in front. Plant your palms by each side, facing down.
Press through your heels to raise your hips up to the ceiling, tensing your abs and squeezing your butt as you do. You should be making a long diagonal line with your body, from shoulders to knees.
Hold for a few seconds, making sure your spine doesn't round and your hips don't sag. Keep your abs and butt muscles engaged.
Lower down to the ground; this is considered one rep. Do at least two sets of 12 to 15 reps.

Single-Leg Bridge

In this bridge variation, working one leg fires up the glutes quickly.

Lie on your back and place your hands on the floor for stability as you bend one leg and lift the other leg off the ground.
Pressing your heel into the floor, lift your pelvis up, keeping your body in a stiff bridge position.
Slowly lower your body to the floor. This completes one rep.
Complete 10 reps on each side.

Advanced Single-Leg Bridge

This simple move really works the glutes, one cheek at a time.

Start seated, with your hands about a foot from your butt and your fingers pointed away from you. Your feet should be about 18 inches from your butt, with your right heel pressed in to the mat and your left foot hovering just off the mat.
Press your right heel into the floor to activate your glutes as you lift into a tabletop position, and straighten your left leg keeping your thighs parallel. Resist the urge to throw your head back as you do this. Do not lock your elbows, either.
Slowly lower your butt to the floor, returning to the start position. This completes one rep.
Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps on each leg.

Fire Hydrant

Jane Fonda was on to something! This old-school move works the glutes on the sides of the pelvis to create a nice, rounded backside.

Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
Keep your right knee at a 90-degree angle as you slowly raise your leg to the right until it is parallel to the ground. Avoid lifting your right hip, as you should keep both hips squared toward the floor.
With control, lower your leg back to the ground.
This completes one repetition.
Complete 10 reps on each side.

Donkey Kick

Isolate the glutes from a couple of angles in this quick butt-sculpting series on all fours.

Begin on all fours and lift your right leg off the floor until your knee is in line with your hip.
Flex your foot and squeeze your glute to raise your heel an inch toward the ceiling. Continue these small, concentrated pulses for 30 reps.
Open your right knee out to the side, keeping your foot flexed, and pulse your leg one inch to the left. You are not trying to lift the knee up, but try to keep it level as it moves behind you. You should feel your glutes firing away for all 30 pulses.
Repeat on the other side to complete a set.

Plank With Clamshell

Taking the basic clam and doing it in a side plank makes the butt work overtime to help support the plank.

Lie on your left side with knees slightly bent and your elbow underneath your shoulder.
Press into your bottom forearm to lift the hips as high as possible, keeping your abs engaged.
Raise your top knee to open the thighs like butterfly wings, then slowly lower the knee, completing one rep. The move is similar to the clam.
Complete 10 reps on each side.

Superman

The basic Superman exercise targets your back and the upper portion of your glutes.

Lie on your belly, engage your abs, and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
Lift your legs, arms, and chest off the floor. Hold for a count of 10 and then slowly release your body back to the floor.
Perform as many reps as you can in one minute.

Air Squat

This classic lower-body exercise works the glutes, especially if you focus on pushing through your heels.

Begin with your feet slightly wider than hip's width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Bring your hands together in front of your chest.
Keeping weight in your heels, sit back into a deep squat. Make sure your knees do not go beyond your toes or roll in or out of alignment. Keep your abs engaged as you squat.
Deepen your abdominal engagement as you press through your heels to return to standing, completing one rep.
Do 15 reps per set.

Squat and Lateral Leg Lift

Adding the side kick works the "side glutes" (aka the glute med), which helps stabilize the pelvis.

Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart (or slightly wider), toes pointed slightly out. You can clasp your hands in front of you for balance or place them on your hips.
Bend your knees and lower your hips back and down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Be sure to keep your back straight and chest up. Don't let your knees extend past your toes.
Press through your heels to stand and simultaneously lift your right leg up out to the side.
Return to the starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds before switching sides.

Goblet Squat

Add some weight to your squat to challenge the glutes a bit more.

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width with your toes pointed slightly out. Hold your dumbbell at chest level with both hands. Keeping your back flat, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your elbows touch your knees.
With your weight focused on your heels, push yourself up to the starting position to complete one rep.

Dumbbell Sumo Squats

The sumo squat is great for working your butt and inner thighs and is effective with or without weights.

Stand with your feet wide, toes pointing out, holding both dumbbells in front of the chest.
Bend your knees, lowering your hips deeply, so your thighs are parallel with the floor. Make sure to keep your weight back in your heels.
Rise back up, straightening the legs completely and squeezing the glutes at the top of the movement to get the most from the exercise.
Do 15 to 20 reps per set.

Sumo Squat Series

Also known as a wide squat, this position targets the lower glutes as well as the inner thighs — and that's why we love it so.

Begin in a wide stance with your legs turned out and your toes pointed outward. With your hands at your chest, perform 10 squats in this position, making sure your bent knees do not move beyond your toes.
Hold your last squat and slowly pulse up and down in a one-inch range 10 times.
Maintain your squat and press your knees slightly back 10 times feeling your glutes engage with each slow pulse back.
Still holding your squat lift your right heel, and pulse up and down in a one-inch range 10 times before switching sides.

Romanian Deadlifts

This move is an oldie but a goodie when it comes to targeting your hamstrings and glutes.

Stand upright holding a pair of medium-weight dumbbells in each hand, arms at your sides, with your knees slightly bent.
Keeping your arms straight and knees slightly bent, slowly bend at the hips (not your waist) and lower the weights as far as possible without rounding your back, which should remain straight.
Now squeeze your glutes to slowly pull yourself up (don't use your back).
Do 12 to 15 reps.

Deadlift With a Knee Drive

Skip the weight if you are new to this move; it challenges your balance while targeting the butt.

Hold a 10-pound dumbbell in each hand, and stand tall.
Engage your core and keep your spine neutral as you begin to hinge at your hips, pushing your hips backward. At the same time, lift your left leg off the ground. Be sure to keep your left foot flexed. Continue to hinge at your hips until your back is parallel to the ground; your leg should be in line with your back. Your back should be flat, and your head/neck should be in a neutral position.
Return to your standing position without placing your left foot on the ground. Once you're upright, drive your left knee up, creating a 90-degree angle at your knee joint. Your left foot should still be flexed. Be sure to stay tall and keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement. This counts as one rep.
Complete three sets of 10 reps on each leg.

Single-Leg Touch

This exercise fires up your booty through a large range of motion while working your entire lower body too. Don't worry if you don't have weights; this move is challenging on its own.

Holding a 10-pound dumbbell in your right hand, stand on your left leg with your right foot lifted.
Keeping your back flat, bend your left knee while bending forward at your hips to lightly touch the dumbbell to the ground. Keep your right knee bent and your right leg close to your body.
Push through your left heel and return to the starting position to complete one rep; try to keep your right foot off the ground as you complete all your reps.
Do 12 reps each leg.

Reverse Lunge With a Knee Drive

Adding the knee drive works the abs a bit and forces a bigger range of motion for your butt for a bigger burn.

Stand with feet together. Take a controlled lunge (or large step) backward with your left foot.
As you lunge back with your left foot, drive your left arm forward to maintain your balance.
Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor and your right knee is positioned directly over your ankle. Keep your left knee bent at a 90-degree angle and pointing toward the floor. Your left heel should be lifted.
From the ground, drive your left knee up coming into a standing position with your left leg lifted at a 90-degree angle. Simultaneously drive your right arm up to maintain your balance.
If it's too hard to come into to perform the knee drive from the lunge, step your left foot in to meet your right, then raise your left knee up.
This completes one rep. Do 12 to 15 per leg.

Dumbbell Walking Lunges

With or without weights, this is a great exercise to work your glutes — it feels great if you've been sitting all day.

Stand upright, feet together, with 10-pound dumbbells at your side. Take a controlled step forward with your left leg, lowering your hips toward the floor by bending both knees to 90-degree angles. Your back knee should point toward but not touch the ground, and your front knee should be directly over your ankle.
Press your left heel into the ground, and push off with your right foot to bring your right leg forward, stepping with control into a lunge on the other side. This completes one repetition.

Crossover Lunge

Also known as the curtsy lunge, this move works the outside of your butt and is effective without a weight, too.

Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand or a medicine ball. Extend your arms down at your sides if you are holding dumbbells or hold the medicine ball in front of you with arms extended.
Take a large step diagonally forward with your right foot, planting your foot at the 11 o'clock position. Sink down until your thighs form right angles. As you bend your knees, curl the dumbbells toward your upper arms or the medicine ball toward your chest.
Extend your legs, lift your right knee and bring it in toward your chest, and lower your arms. Step back with your right leg, this time lunging behind your torso and stepping back to the 8 o'clock position. As you sink down into the reverse lunge, complete another bicep curl. This completes one rep.
Do 12 reps each leg.