Best Glute Exercises: 8 Moves That Build Real Glute Size

The best glute exercises are hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, deep squats, walking lunges, 45-degree back extensions, cable kickbacks and hip abduction. Pick three or four, train them twice a week for about 10-16 hard sets, and keep adding weight. Glutes respond to heavy, progressive training like any other muscle.

This works for men and women. Below are the eight exercises with sets and reps, how to set up the hip thrust, and a simple two-day plan.

How the glutes work

The gluteus maximus is the big one. It extends the hip (driving it forward from a bent position) and gives the glutes most of their size. The gluteus medius and minimus sit higher on the side of the hip. They move the leg out to the side and keep your pelvis steady when you stand on one leg, and they add the rounder look at the upper outer glute.

So a complete plan has hip extension under heavy load, some single-leg work, and a bit of abduction. It also trains the glutes both in a long, stretched position (bottom of a Romanian deadlift or split squat) and in a short, squeezed position (top of a hip thrust).

The 8 best glute exercises

Sets and reps are a starting point. Adjust within the range based on how you recover.

• Barbell hip thrust: 3-4 sets of 8-12. Easy to load heavy, very hard at the top.
• Romanian deadlift: 3 sets of 8-10. Push the hips back until you feel a big stretch, then drive them forward.
• Bulgarian split squat: 3 sets of 8-12 per leg. Lean the torso slightly forward to shift work to the glutes.
• Deep squat: 3 sets of 6-10. A full-depth squat trains the glutes in their stretched range.
• Walking lunge: 2-3 sets of 10-12 steps per leg, with longer strides for more glute.
• 45-degree back extension: 3 sets of 12-15. Round the upper back slightly and squeeze the glutes to lift.
• Cable kickback: 2-3 sets of 12-15 per leg.
• Hip abduction machine: 2-3 sets of 15-20. Leaning forward a little hits the upper glutes more.

How to set up the hip thrust

Sit with your upper back against a bench, the edge just below your shoulder blades. Roll a padded barbell over your hips. Place your feet about hip width apart, close enough that your shins are vertical at the top. Tuck your chin, brace, and drive through your heels until your hips are level with your knees and shoulders.

Pause for one second at the top with your ribs down. Don't arch your lower back to get higher, which moves the work out of the glutes. If you feel it mostly in your hamstrings, bring your feet a little closer. If you feel it in your quads, move them a little further away.

No barbell pad or bench free? A Smith machine hip thrust or a hip thrust machine works just as well, and many gyms now have one. At home, start with single-leg hip thrusts off the couch, which are surprisingly hard at bodyweight. Once you can do 15 good reps per leg, rest a dumbbell or a loaded backpack on the working hip.

Sets, reps and progression

Most people grow well on 10-16 hard sets for glutes per week, counting hip thrusts, hinges and split squats. Squats and lunges count partly too. Use heavier loads (6-10 reps) for thrusts, squats and Romanian deadlifts, and lighter, higher reps (12-20) for kickbacks and abduction.

Write down every session. When you can do all your sets at the top of the range, add 5-10 lb (2.5-5 kg) to the bar. A beginner hip thrust can climb from 95 lb (45 kg) to 225 lb (100 kg) or more within a year, and the glutes grow along with it.

A simple two-day glute plan

Run this as your lower body days, or add it to a leg day workout for mass if you train legs in general. Rest two minutes on heavy lifts and 60-90 seconds on accessories.

• Day 1: hip thrust 4x8-12, Romanian deadlift 3x8-10, walking lunge 3x10 per leg, hip abduction 2x15-20.
• Day 2: squat 3x6-10, Bulgarian split squat 3x8-12 per leg, 45-degree back extension 3x12-15, cable kickback 2x15 per leg, calf raise 3x12-15.

Mistakes that slow glute growth

Doing only light band work is the most common one. Bands are fine for warming up, but glutes need heavy loading to grow much. The second is changing the routine every week, so nothing ever gets stronger. The third is not eating enough. Building any muscle, glutes included, needs enough food and protein. The fourth is rushing reps. Pausing at the top of a thrust and lowering a Romanian deadlift over two or three seconds makes a lighter weight do more, and it keeps your lower back out of trouble.

Many women worry heavy lifting will make them look bulky. It won't happen by accident, as explained in will lifting weights make women bulky. Calves are part of the lower body picture too, so check how to grow calves if yours lag behind. To preview rounder glutes on your own photo, open the glute editor.

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