Whether your goals are to improve your running or walking speed, tone your backside or increase lower-body strength, focusing on the glutes is a must.
The glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The largest muscle in the body, the gluteus maximus, helps hold you upright and stabilizes the hips, making it essential to everyday movement. And yes, working all three glute muscles will help tighten and tone your butt.
The glute muscles are easy to target at home with no equipment. I’ve put together a list of the best butt exercises to build your backside by strengthening the glutes from every angle. Pick your favorites from the list and string them together for a killer butt workout!
Glute bridge
The glute bridge will help you activate your glutes before starting your work out. Begin lying on the floor with your back on the ground and your arms at your sides. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground. Using your glutes, lift your back and butt off the floor and into the air. Make sure you’re fully engaging your glutes and not relying on any other muscles, like your legs, instead. If you allow your other muscles to take over, you’re not fully activating your glutes. Think about squeezing your butt to lift your body.
Kneeling leg lift
Start on your knees, and then extend your right leg straight out to the side. Lower your left hand down to the ground to the left of your body. Pull your abs in and relax your shoulders. Then lift the right leg up as high as your hip, and lower it back down. Repeat for 10 reps, and then switch sides.
Swimmers
Lying down on your stomach, open your arms and legs as wide as the mat or as wide as your shoulders. Pull your abs in, and then lift your right arm and left leg off of the ground, squeezing your left glute. Then switch and lift the left arm and right leg off of the ground, releasing your right arm and left leg. Continue moving back and forth…
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