1. Mini Band Kickback

Why it rocks: This is a great exercise to work the glutes in extension one side at a time, says Weissman. “By keeping the hips static and allowing the moving leg to extend away from the body and toward the ceiling, you’ll isolate the gluteus maximus and feel that burn.”

How to:

1. On hands and knees, put one end of the mini band around your right foot, positioning the other end on the left thigh, just above the knee.
2. While keeping your core engaged, slowly contract the glutes and kick the right leg behind you until it’s straight and level with your spine.
3. At full extension, squeeze the glutes for an extra second. With control, lower it back down to the ground. That’s 1 rep.
4. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Pro tip: Weissman suggests pulsing the leg at the top of the movement to increase time under tension and maximize the burn.

➡ Join WH+ today and get unlimited access to digital content, exclusive workouts, and more!

2. Alternating Reverse Lunge

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms at sides. (Option to complete with bodyweight or hold dumbbells, as shown.)
2. Inhale and step one foot back, bending both knees about 90 degrees to a lunge position, maintaining upright posture and engaging the core.
3. Step the back foot forward to meet the other, returning to the starting position. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

3. Bulgarian Split Squat

Why it rocks: This is one of Weissman’s favorite glute moves for a reason. “You’ll get a lot of bang for that brutal buck,” she says. It targets the lower glute max and glute medius, while also torching the gluteus minimus when you add slight rotation to the “working hip,” she says.

How to:

1. Stand on right foot, with left knee bent and foot off the ground.
2. Bend right knee, extending left leg down until knee is a few inches off the ground, keeping arms out in front of you for balance. (Feel free to use a block or ball as a marker of where knee should land.)
3. Slowly return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
4. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

4. Clam Shell

Why it rocks: Clam shells are another great move for hitting the gluteus medius and minimus, says Weissman. Another perk? You’ll also target your inner and outer thighs and engage your pelvic floor.

How to:

1. Lie on side with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle, mini resistance band looped above knees.
2. Use top arm to keep you stable and keep hip bones stacked on top of one another.
3. Engage core to stabilize spine and pelvis, keep feet touching, and raise upper knee as high as you can without shifting hips or pelvis. Keep your lower leg on the floor.
4. Pause, and then return upper leg to the starting position on the ground. That’s 1 rep.
5. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Pro tip: The mini resistance band around your thighs increases resistance and adds a major burn but the exercise can be done without a band, too, says Weissman.

5. Hip Thrust

Why it rocks: Hip thrusts are the same concept as a glute bridge, but on an elevated surface, says Weissman. “This allows for the glutes to go through their full range of motion and is the most effective exercise for glute growth, especially for the gluteus maximus.”

How to:

1. Place your upper back (lower scapula) against an exercise ball or the edge of a bench (in the center of the bench) with your knees bent and feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart.
2. Squeeze the glutes, engage the core, and lift your hips until they are in line with the shoulders and knees. Keep your ribs down (don’t arch your back) and chin slightly tucked or head at neutral.
3. Pause, then return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.

6. Step-Up

Why it rocks: This move works the glutes and includes a stabilizing challenge. “By adding a stabilizing element, you take some of the load away from the glute medius, however it will target the lower glute maximus much more effectively,” says Weissman.

How to:

1. Stand facing a box, step, or stairs, and hold the dumbbells at sides.
2. Place left foot on the bench, and keep right foot on the floor.
3. Pushing through left foot, step up until you’re in a standing position at the top of the bench. Drive right knee up until it forms a 90-degree angle.
4. Pause, then reverse the motion to return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
5. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

7. Walking Lunges

Why it rocks: “A walking lunge is the best exercise to mimic your gait (walk) and target the glutes to support that movement,” says Weissman. “You can work so many muscles that help stabilize the hips and pelvis while performing it, and there’s an aerobic component that you may not get in other exercises.”

How to:

1. Stand with feet together holding a pair of weights at shoulder height, elbows bent in front of body.
2. Step right foot forward and bend knees to lower down into a lunge, stopping when both legs form 90-degree angles.
3. Press through the right heel to stand and step left foot forward, lowering into a lunge. That’s one rep.
4. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of reps.

Pro tip: Walking lunges are a great workout finisher to totally toast the muscle, says Weissman. “You are alternating the load from one hip to the other, giving you a small but very necessary ‘rest’ or reset on one side.”

8. Single-Leg Deadlift

Why it rocks: This is a golden butt exercise for a reason: It works the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius, says Weissman. Plus, this move is a killer way to improve your stability and train unilateral strength, she says.

How to:

1. Stand on left leg with right leg slightly back behind body and resting on the floor, right hand holding a dumbbell, and left arm extended at side.
2. Engage core and slowly hinge the hips back, lifting right leg straight behind you and lowering torso toward floor until both are parallel to ceiling and right hand/dumbbell is almost touching floor. The emphasis should be on the hip hinge and leg elevation, rather than focusing on the torso lowering—that will happen naturally!
3. Drive through right heel to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
4. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

9. Supported Single-Leg Deadlift

Why it rocks: This move primarily targets one leg, but still involves both sides of the body. The back leg helps stabilize the front leg and hip, says Weissman.

Weissman explains that while single-leg deadlifts primarily target one leg, they can still involve both sides of the body. The back leg helps stabilize the front leg and hip, making it somewhat bilateral in nature.

How to:

1. Stand on left leg with a weight in right hand, arm extended straight and weight in front of thighs, palm facing toward body, left arm by side and right leg straight and a few feet behind body with heel high (like a kickstand).
2. Keep a slight bend in the left knee, then lean forward, hinging at the hips with a flat back while lowering the weight toward the floor.
3. Drive into the left heel to return to the standing position. That’s 1 rep.
4. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

Pro tip: To increase the challenge on the working leg, you can adjust the weight distribution by slightly elevating the heel of your opposite foot, shifting more load onto the targeted side.

10. Banded Glute Bridge

Why it rocks: Glute bridges are one of Weissman’s favorite exercises for glutes because they work the muscles in the concentric phase. “The glutes love the shortened position, that tight squeeze you feel when you clench them, and loading the hips in this capacity will be a winning ticket to the gains.”

How to:

1. Loop a resistance band around the mid-thighs, then lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms resting by your sides.
2. Engaging the core, drive through heels to raise hips toward the ceiling—squeezing the glutes and maintaining tension on the band the whole time.
3. Hold the position for 1 second before lowering to tap hips to the floor. That’s 1 rep.

11. Glute Bridge March

Why it rocks: The glute bridge is a great move for working on your hip extension, says Weissman. You’ll also feel a little burn in your abs since maintaining the bridge requires core stability and strength.

How to:

1. Lie on back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Engage core, then press into heels and squeeze glutes to raise hips until body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
3. Lift right knee toward chest. Pause, then lower right foot.
4. Repeat with the other leg. That’s 1 rep.

12. Bodyweight Squat

Why it rocks: This variation without added weight is great for beginners to perfect form. It still works all three muscles of the glutes.

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms at sides.
2. Push hips back and bend knees to lower into a squat, lowering until thighs are at least parallel with the floor.
3. Press through heels and push back to stand. That’s 1 rep.

13. Goblet Squat

Why it rocks: The goblet squat is another killer booty move because it works the hips in flexion and abduction which targets all three muscles of the glutes, says Weissman. The added weight also adds more tension to the glutes as the hips have to travel back and hinge to execute, she says.

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a weight in front of your chest, elbows pointing toward the floor.
2. Push hips back and bend knees to lower into a squat.
3. Push yourself back to starting position. That’s 1 rep.

14. Single-Leg Box Squat

Why it rocks: A unilateral squat is an advanced exercise since it requires balance, stability, and coordination, while simultaneously torching your glutes, says Weissman. It’s also a knee dominant move, so you can ease into it with a higher box to nail the movement pattern and build strength, she says.

How to:

1. Stand facing away from a box (or chair) with weight in left foot, right foot hovering, and arms at sides.
2. Engage core, bend left knee, and push hips back to sink down into a single-leg squat until butt touches box, simultaneously extending arms out straight in front of body and right foot out slightly for balance.
3. Once your butt taps the box, press through your left foot to return to standing position. That’s 1 rep.
4. Complete all reps, then switch sides and repeat.

15. Curtsy Lunge

Why it rocks: A curtsy lunge works the entire glute maximus, says Weissman. “What makes this exercise unique is that the moving leg travels behind the hip in the frontal plane following the glutes’ natural fibers. By moving the leg behind and to the side of the body, you’re working the front hip in a way that is unlike most other glute building movements.”

How to:

1. Stand tall with feet under hips and arms clasped in front of the chest.
2. Engage your core, lift your right foot off the floor, and take a big step back and to the outside of your left foot.
3. Then, bend at the knees until the right knee taps the floor behind the left foot.
4. Drive through feet to reverse the movement and return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.

16. Lateral Lunge With Reach

Why it rocks: This move works the trio of glutes, and is another frontal plane exercise that helps create a well-rounded routine, says Weissman. “When designing a routine, having exercises that work in multiple planes of motion, front to back, and side to side, will ensure you are targeting all the major muscles in the glutes.”

How to:

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, hands at your side.
2. With your right hand, reach down toward your foot, lowering your body until your left knee is bent 90 degrees.
3. Immediately repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep.

17. Romanian Deadlift

Why it rocks: A Romanian deadlift is a bilateral hip dominant exercise and one of Weissman’s top moves for glute gains. “This is one of the big lifts that you can load up, which is an important variable when growing the glutes.”

How to:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, holding a pair of weights in front of thighs, palms facing body.
2. Keeping knees slightly bent, press hips back as you hinge at the hips and lower the weights toward the floor.
3. Squeeze glutes to return to standing. That’s 1 rep.

How To Build A Bigger Butt

If your goal is to grow your glutes, Weissman says there are three non-negotiable moves for a bigger booty: hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, and squats. We want to prioritize these three moves as a means to build a booty since they are the ones we can load with the most weight, she says.

The hip thrust is one of the few exercises where you can significantly load the glutes in the shortened position (when the glutes are contracted or squeezed), says Weissman. “Here you will mostly be targeting the middle gluteus maximus and some gluteus medius, especially if you are performing the exercises with external rotation (with your hips open and feet pointed heels in and toes out).”

Romanian deadlifts are another maximizing glute move because they’re a hip dominant exercise that will target the gluteus maximus and medius, says Weissman. “Unlike the hip thrust, this exercise will largely hit the lower portion of your glutes, and work them in the lengthened position, when they are stretched.”

Lastly, the squat is another fantastic compound lift to load the lower gluteus maximus in the lengthened position as you move into the end range (the deep portion of the squat), says Weissman. “Pushing the hips back into flexion and letting the torso fold slightly will load more of those booty fibers as you bend the knees to get depth.”

Want to make butt exercises more effective? You must progressively overload (challenge yourself more) over time, Weissman says. Here are three ways to do that:

1. Load: Increase the weight.
2. Volume: Increase the number of reps per set (volume).
3. Time under tension: Increase the amount of time spent under the load and holding position.

Finally, if you want a bigger butt, you have to “eat for your goals,” says Weissman. Strength training is the number one priority, but without the diet to support the work, your muscles won’t have the fuel needed to grow. Prioritize fueling up with carbs pre-workout and eating protein after your lifts to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients to support the work you’re putting in.s.

What are the glute muscles?

Here’s a quick posterior anatomy primer. Your glutes include three distinct muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus.

• Gluteus maximus: The largest muscle in the body and provides most of the shape of the buttocks, says Anjorin. It also keeps you upright when sitting and standing, and acts as the lower-body power generator allowing you to run, jump, squat and extend or rotate your leg outward and backwards.
• Gluteus medius: The second glute muscle in command behind the gluteus maximus, and sits between the gluteus maximus and gluteus minimus. Its main job is to stabilize the pelvis, but also promotes movement of the hip and upper leg including hip abduction, hip external rotation, and hip internal rotation, says Anjorin.
• Gluteus minimus: The smallest glute muscle, located right below the gluteus medius. “This muscle helps to produce several movements of the hips and legs including hip extension, hip internal rotation, and hip abduction,” says Anjorin

Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a mass consumer of social media and cares about women’s rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.  



Jennifer Nied is the fitness editor at Women’s Health and has more than 10 years of experience in health and wellness journalism. She’s always out exploring—sweat-testing workouts and gear, hiking, snowboarding, running, and more—with her husband, daughter, and dog.