Best Glute Exercises: 6 Moves With How-To Steps

You don't need a full gym to train your glutes. Most of these moves can be done at home with a resistance band or a pair of dumbbells, and you can add a barbell later if you like.

Below you'll find what your glutes do, how to do each exercise, the mistake I'd watch for in each one, a beginner workout and how often to train. Move slowly and stop if something hurts. It's better to do fewer reps well than many badly.

Your glutes in plain English

Your glutes are three muscles on each side of your hips.

• Gluteus maximus: the biggest one. It extends your hip, which means it drives you up from a squat, a stair or a bridge, and it gives your backside most of its shape.
• Gluteus medius: sits on the outer hip. It lifts your leg out to the side and keeps your pelvis level when you stand on one leg, walk or run.
• Gluteus minimus: lies under the medius. It helps with hip stability and turning the leg.

Strong glutes support your hips, knees and lower back, and they help with everyday movement such as climbing stairs, running and lifting. A good plan trains the maximus with hip extension moves and the medius and minimus with side-to-side and single-leg work.

The best glute exercises

Hip thrust

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench and your knees bent, feet flat.
2. Hold a dumbbell or barbell across your hips if you want extra load. Pad the bar.
3. Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower with control.

Common mistake: arching your lower back at the top. Tuck your ribs down and stop when your hips are in line with your shoulders.

Glute bridge

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and about hip-width apart.
2. Press through your heels and lift your hips.
3. Pause and squeeze at the top.
4. Lower slowly. Don't let your hips drop onto the floor between reps.

Common mistake: pushing through your toes, which shifts work to the thighs. Keep your weight in your heels.

Romanian deadlift

1. Stand tall holding dumbbells or a barbell in front of your thighs, knees slightly bent.
2. Push your hips back as if closing a car door with your backside.
3. Lower the weight along your legs until you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs.
4. Squeeze your glutes to stand tall again.

Common mistake: rounding your back. Keep your chest proud and the weight close to your body.

Bulgarian split squat

1. Stand a stride in front of a bench and rest the top of one foot on it behind you.
2. Lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your front foot flat.
3. Lean your torso slightly forward to bring in more glute.
4. Push through the front heel to stand.

Common mistake: standing too close to the bench, which pushes your knee far forward. Take a longer step.

Step-up

1. Face a sturdy box or bench, and put one whole foot on top.
2. Press through that heel to stand up fully.
3. Lower your other foot back down slowly.
4. Finish all your reps, then switch sides.

Common mistake: pushing off the back foot. Let the working leg do the job, or you'll lose most of the benefit.

Banded or cable hip abduction

1. Put a resistance band just above your knees, or attach a cable cuff to your ankle.
2. Stand tall and hold a support if you need to.
3. Lift one leg out to the side without leaning your body.
4. Return slowly and repeat on both sides.

Common mistake: swinging the leg using momentum. Keep it slow and controlled so your outer glutes do the work. It's a small movement, so don't chase range.

Quick comparison

Exercise	Equipment	Home or gym	Level
Hip thrust	Bench, optional dumbbell or barbell	Both	Beginner to intermediate
Glute bridge	None, band or dumbbell optional	Home	Beginner
Romanian deadlift	Dumbbells or barbell	Both	Beginner to intermediate
Bulgarian split squat	Bench, optional dumbbells	Both	Intermediate
Step-up	Box or sturdy step, optional dumbbells	Both	Beginner
Banded or cable hip abduction	Resistance band or cable machine	Both	Beginner

A beginner glute workout

Here's a short session you can do at home or in the gym. Use light weight so your form stays clean. Rest about a minute between sets.

• Glute bridge: 3 sets of 12
• Romanian deadlift with light dumbbells: 3 sets of 10
• Step-up: 2 sets of 8 on each leg
• Banded hip abduction: 2 sets of 12 on each side

Warm up first with a few minutes of walking or easy cycling plus some bodyweight bridges. When you can finish every set with good form and a little left in the tank, add a small amount of weight or an extra rep.

How often should you train your glutes?

Two or three sessions a week suits most beginners, with at least a day of rest between hard glute workouts. Muscles grow while you recover, not while you train. Add weight or reps gradually over the weeks. A routine you stick with beats a perfect one you quit. If you're sore for more than a few days, you've probably done too much, so ease off.

If you'd like help planning it, my guide to ChatGPT prompts for fitness plans shows how to ask for a routine that suits your time and equipment, though a qualified trainer can check your form in person.

If you work in fitness and want to share your expertise, here's how to write for my fitness section.

A short safety note

Start light and learn the movement first. Don't push through sharp pain, and stop if you feel dizzy, numb or sudden joint pain. If you have an injury, are pregnant, recovering from surgery or have a medical condition, get advice from a doctor or physiotherapist before you begin.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you have a health condition or take medication, speak to a doctor or pharmacist first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the single best exercise for glutes?

The hip thrust is the most popular choice because it works the gluteus maximus hard with little strain on your back. The best exercise is the one you can do with good form, so build your routine around a few moves.

Can you train glutes at home without equipment?

Yes. Glute bridges, single-leg bridges, step-ups on a sturdy stair and banded side steps all work, and you can add a backpack or dumbbells when it gets easy.

How many times a week should I train glutes?

Two or three times a week is a sensible start for most people. Leave a day between hard sessions so your muscles can recover.

Why don't I feel my glutes working?

Usually it's the setup. Slow down, keep your weight in your heels, pause at the top and squeeze. Lighter weight with better control often helps more than adding load.