Top 10 glute exercises to do at home
If you’re looking to grow and strengthen your glutes, then you’ve gotta incorporate these glute exercises into your workout routine. There is no doubt that a lot of us want a bigger and more lifted booty. Our glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius and the gluteus minimus. By adding in these exercises you can target all three and in return you will feel stronger, more stable and even notice a reduction in any back or knee pain. The best part about all of this, is the firmness and tone you’ll see in your butt and legs!
Do you deal with lower back pain from squats? Your glutes might be sleepy and not firing properly. What about knee pain when running? Strengthen those glutes and it will not only make you a better runner, but you might also notice your knee pain goes away too. You don’t need any more convincing, do you? I didn’t think so!
Below I put together my favorite glute exercises to get a stronger bum so you can start PR’ing your lifts and feel healthy again! BUT I want to remind you to get the most out of these exercises, you need to stay on top of your form and technique. Here at Grown Strong Fitness, moving properly is a high priority. So engage your core, tuck your pelvis in towards your belly button and pull down that rib cage and squeeze those glutes. Once you get in the right position, you will set your glutes on fire. Keep in mind you do not need a bench to perform these exercises, you can use a chair, couch or something similar which will work just as well.
"By adding in these exercises you can target all three glute muscles and in return you will feel stronger, more stable and even notice a reduction in any back or knee pain."
1. Banded Glute Bridge March
Add a resistance band right above your knees then lie down with your feet bent about hip width apart. Bridge up driving through your heels. Maintain tension on the band the entire time and squeeze your glutes at the top as you keep your ribcage and chin tucked down. Hold your bridge position while you lift your right knee toward your chest. Return the heel to the floor and lift the left knee. Keep your core engaged while lifting and lowering your knees.
2. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Raise one leg off of the floor. Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep that slight bend in your knee and your back flat. Briefly pause at bottom then squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward and raise your torso back to the starting position. Repeat until desired reps are hit.
3. Banded Monster Walk
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent. Raise one leg off of the floor. Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Make sure to keep that slight bend in your knee and your back flat. Briefly pause at bottom then squeeze your glutes, thrust your hips forward and raise your torso back to the starting position. Repeat until desired reps are hit.
4. Banded Hip Thrust
Put a resistance band above your knees. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a “bench”. While keeping your chin tucked and eyes on one spot in the wall in front of you, push through the heels and extend the hips. You can posteriorly pelvic tilt as you come up and keep your ribcage down, then squeeze the glutes at the top. The shins should be roughly vertical at the top of each rep. Lower back down under control. Push through the heels.
5. Bulgarian Split Squat
Find yourself a “bench” that you can rest a foot on about knee height. Prop one foot onto the bench behind you. Get into a forward lunge position with torso upright, core braced and hips square to body. Your leading leg will be about a 2.5 steps in front of you when starting with both legs standing against the bench. Lower until about parallel. Knee in line with ankle. Don’t let that front knee travel over beyond your toes. Drive up through the front heel back to the starting position and squeeze your glutes at the top. Swap to the other leg. And repeat reps/ sets as needed.
6. Banded Clamshell
Place the band just above the knees around both legs. Lie on one side with knees at a 45-degree angle, knees stacked on top of each other. Stabilize core and keep your feet in contact with one another as you raise your upper knee as high as you can, without moving the hips or pelvis.
7. Cossack Lunge
Take a wide squat stance and point your toes outward. Shift your weight to one side. Keep your chest upright and go as far down as mobility and flexibility allows. Keep your weight through the heels at all times, and imagine spreading the floor outward with your feet.
8. Banded Triple Kickback
Stand with your weight on left foot and your right leg long behind body with toes pointed and resting on floor. Bend left knee slightly and hinge at hips to lower your torso forward slightly. Engage through glutes to kick to the side, then diagonal, then straight back. Slowly and with control, rotate through three positions until you hit the reps needed then switch legs.
9. Banded Reverse Hyper
Add a resistance band just above your knees then lie your stomach on a bench with the edge just above your pubic bone. Grip the sides of the bench. Lower your legs as much as you can without rounding your back and raise your legs as high as possible without overarching. Squeeze your glutes at the top and then control descent back down. This movement comes from the hips, not the spine and pelvis.
10. Frog Pump
Get into a glute bridge position. Flatten out your spine. Exhale out as you tuck your belly button down and in and your ribcage. Tuck your neck into your chest. Put bottoms of feet together and scoot heels as close to the butt as possible. Bridge into the air while maintaining position. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
At Home Glute Workout
Below is a sample at home glute workout found in our 30 Day Glute Activation Guide. All you need is your Grown Strong Mini Band and 10 minutes.
Three Sets of:
Bulgarian Split Squats x 24 Reps (12 Each Side)
Straight Into
Banded Clamshells x 20 Reps (10 Each Side)
Cossack Lunges x 20 Reps (10 Each Side)
*Rest 60 Seconds Between Sets
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