All muscle groupsGlutes

Glutes

Gluteus maximus, medius, minimus

Hinge, thrust, and abduction patterns for a strong, balanced posterior.

20 exercises2 training styles

Style

Difficulty

Showing 20 of 20 exercises

GlutesBarbell + bench

Barbell Hip Thrust

Demo · Bret Contreras

GymIntermediate

Barbell Hip Thrust

Barbell + bench

The #1 glute-max builder. Load the hips at full extension.

Peak glute tension at full hip extension — where squats and lunges are weakest

GlutesBodyweight

Glute Bridge

Demo · Well+Good

HomeBeginner

Glute Bridge

Bodyweight

Foundational hip extension — great for beginners or warm-ups.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesBench

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Demo · Mind Pump TV

HomeIntermediate

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Bench

Unilateral thrust — addresses side-to-side asymmetries.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / hamstringsBarbell / dumbbells

Romanian Deadlift

Demo · Jeff Nippard

GymIntermediate

Romanian Deadlift

Barbell / dumbbells

Hinge with soft-knee. Load in the stretch.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a deep, loaded stretch

Gluteus maximusCable machine

Cable Glute Kickback

Demo · Your House Fitness

GymBeginner

Cable Glute Kickback

Cable machine

Isolation kickback — great for mind-muscle connection.

Builds strength and size in the gluteus maximus through a full, controlled range of motion

Gluteus mediusMini band

Banded Clamshell

Demo · Starfish Strength

HomeBeginner

Banded Clamshell

Mini band

Hip abduction lying on side. Hits the often weak glute medius.

Builds strength and size in the gluteus medius through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / quadsDumbbells + bench

Bulgarian Split Squat

Demo · Lift With Michelle

HomeIntermediate

Bulgarian Split Squat

Dumbbells + bench

Deep unilateral squat that hammers the glutes and quads.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / quads through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / hamstringsBarbell

Sumo Deadlift

Demo · Mind Pump TV

GymIntermediate

Sumo Deadlift

Barbell

Wide stance with hands inside the legs. Shortens range of motion and loads the hips.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / hamstringsBarbell

Good Morning

Demo · Buff Dudes

GymIntermediate

Good Morning

Barbell

Hinge with the bar on your back. Pure posterior-chain movement.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / hamstringsReverse hyper machine

Reverse Hyperextension

Demo · Mirafit®

GymBeginner

Reverse Hyperextension

Reverse hyper machine

Lie face down and swing legs up. Decompresses the low back while firing glutes.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesBodyweight

Frog Pump

Demo · Colossus Fitness

HomeBeginner

Frog Pump

Bodyweight

Lie on back, feet together, knees out. Bridge up and squeeze the glutes.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

Gluteus mediusMini band

Lateral Band Walk

Demo · FIT.nl

HomeBeginner

Lateral Band Walk

Mini band

Side-step with a band around the feet. Activates glute medius and hip stability.

Builds strength and size in the gluteus medius through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesDumbbells

Curtsy Lunge

Demo · Dedham Health & Athletic Complex

HomeBeginner

Curtsy Lunge

Dumbbells

Cross one leg behind the other in a lunge. Emphasizes the glute of the front leg.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

Glutes / hamstringsBarbell + platform

Deficit Romanian Deadlift

Demo · Dr. Dave Strength | Obey Strength

GymAdvanced

Deficit Romanian Deadlift

Barbell + platform

Stand on a small platform to increase the stretch range of the RDL.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a deep, loaded stretch

Glutes / hamstringsCable machine

Cable Pull-Through

Demo · Colossus Fitness

GymBeginner

Cable Pull-Through

Cable machine

Face away from the cable and pull it through your legs with a hip hinge.

Builds strength and size in the glutes / hamstrings through a full, controlled range of motion

Glute mediusMachine

Machine Hip Abduction

Demo · Colossus Fitness

GymBeginner

Machine Hip Abduction

Machine

Seated abduction loads the upper/outer glute directly. Leaning the torso forward biases the glute medius over the TFL.

Builds strength and size in the glute medius through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesBodyweight / dumbbells

Reverse Lunge

Demo · Dr. Carl Baird

HomeBeginner

Reverse Lunge

Bodyweight / dumbbells

Stepping back instead of forward keeps the shin more vertical and shifts load onto the glute of the front leg. Easier on the knees than a forward lunge.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesBarbell + bench

Kas Glute Bridge

Demo · Kelly Matthews

GymIntermediate

Kas Glute Bridge

Barbell + bench

A short-range, top-half hip thrust variation. The hips never drop far, so the glutes stay under tension and the quads and lower back stay out of it.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a full, controlled range of motion

Glute mediusCable machine

Standing Cable Abduction

Demo · Live Lean TV Daily Exercises

GymBeginner

Standing Cable Abduction

Cable machine

Ankle strap on a low pulley, leg swept away from the midline. Trains the hip stabiliser that keeps the pelvis level when you run, squat and lunge.

Builds strength and size in the glute medius through a full, controlled range of motion

GlutesPlatform + dumbbells

Deficit Reverse Lunge

Demo · Travis Tarrant

GymIntermediate

Deficit Reverse Lunge

Platform + dumbbells

A reverse lunge from a raised platform. The extra depth puts the front-leg glute through a longer stretch than a floor-level lunge.

Builds strength and size in the glutes through a deep, loaded stretch