30 best exercises for toning your glutes

AVANZADOS

10. Elevated single-leg glute bridge

To make glute bridges more challenging, elevate your body. For example, position your upper back on a sofa and your supporting foot on a stool. Your butt should be in the air.

Then, contract your glutes to extend your hips and lower your butt without resting it on the floor.

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

Reps

Do between 10 and 20 reps per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

11. Lateral step-outs

Lateral steps are another great movement for emphasizing your glutes, quadriceps, and inner thigh muscles (adductors).

Start with the bodyweight version to build some strength. Stand tall, step to the side, and squat until your thigh becomes parallel to the floor.

Reps

Aim for 8 to 20 reps per leg.

AVANZADOS

12. Banded lateral step-outs

Loop a resistance band just over your knees to make the movement more challenging and increase glute activation.

This version is particularly beneficial because it helps emphasize your glute medius (the buttock) muscle better.

Muscles worked

You'll work your glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 15 repetitions per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

13. Single-leg glute bridge

Single-leg glute bridges are fantastic because they train your butt and work one side at a time. This helps prevent muscle and strength imbalances.

Lie on the floor, place one foot flat on the floor, extend your other foot, and keep it in the air. Engage your abs, squeeze your glutes, and push through your supporting heel to raise your butt off the floor as you keep the extended leg in the air. Once finished, repeat for your other leg.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 10 repetitions each side when you first get started.

AVANZADOS

14. Glute bridge march

This is great exercise because it offers the benefits of the single-leg glute bridge and includes a leg raise variation that trains your abs.

Lie on the floor, plant both feet flat, take a breath, and extend into a bridge. Maintain this position as you raise one leg at a time before bringing it back. Alternate between raising your left and right leg until you finish the set.

Muscles worked

These work your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and abs (doesn’t get much better than that!)

Reps

Aim for 10 to 15 raises per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

15. Isometric squat hold

Las sentadillas isométricas son un ejercicio estático que desarrolla el equilibrio, la estabilidad y la fuerza de la parte inferior del cuerpo.

Specifically, this movement recruits your glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves to keep you balanced and in position.

Stand with your legs hip-width apart, tighten your core muscles, then extend your arms forward and squat as low as you can manage (lower down as if sitting in an invisible chair). Maintain this position for at least 20 seconds. Yes, it’s tough, but your booty will thank you!

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, hip flexors.

Reps

Hold this position for at least 20 seconds.

AVANZADOS

16. Sentadilla isométrica “goblet”

To challenge yourself even more, you can grab a dumbbell, hold it in front of your chest with both hands and perform the same static squat hold.

Muscles worked

The added resistance will help you further develop your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. You’ll also work your back and abs as a bonus.

Reps

Aim for at least 10 seconds at first and work up to a minute before going for a heavier dumbbell.

PRINCIPIANTES

17. Donkey kicks

Donkey kicks are one of the simplest exercises that can help build your booty. Because of the movement pattern, raising your leg back and up targets your butt directly and helps it develop.

Get down on all fours, brace your core, lift one knee off the floor, and kick back and up while keeping the knee bent at a 90 degree angle. The bottom of your shoe should face the ceiling at the top position.

Muscles worked

Glutes, shoulders and core.

Reps

Aim for 15 to 30 repetitions per leg.

AVANZADOS

18. Dumbbell donkey kicks

If bodyweight kicks feel too comfortable, add a dumbbell to the equation. The only difference is that you have to secure a dumbbell behind your knee and press it into position with your thigh and calf muscle.

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, core and lower back.

Reps

Start with a light dumbbell that allows you at least 10 repetitions per leg.

As you get used to the movement, you can start using a heavier dumbbell.

PRINCIPIANTES

19. Leg lifts

This movement is similar to donkey kicks but poses a greater challenge because you have to keep your leg straight. This makes it more challenging because of gravity but also helps you train your booty better.

Get down on all fours, extend one leg and straighten the knee. Then, start kicking back and up until that leg gets in line with your upper body. Hold for a moment before lowering it to the starting position.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 10 repetitions per leg in the beginning.

АVANZADOS

20. Banded leg lifts

The only difference with the beginner variation is that you have to loop a resistance band just above your knees for an extra challenge. A simple glute band will work great.

Get on all fours and perform the same motion

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, core and lower back.

Reps

Aim for slow and controlled movements and do at least 8 to 10 repetitions per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

21. Staggered stance deadlift

Place your right foot flat and slightly in front of the left (in a staggered position). Lift the heel of your left foot. Push your butt back as you lower your torso until it becomes parallel with the floor. Keep your back in a neutral position.

Once finished, place your left foot forward and use it for balance as you perform another set of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Hamstrings and glutes.

Reps

Aim for 15-30 reps per leg.

AVANZADOS

22. Weighted staggered stance deadlift

Make the movement more challenging by holding onto a dumbbell or kettlebell as you bend forward. Grab the weight and hold it in front of your body with the opposite arm of your supporting leg.

For example, if you’re supporting yourself on your left leg, hold the weight with your right arm

Muscles worked

Hamstrings, glutes, back, and arms (weighted version)

Reps

Aim for 10 to 15 reps per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

23. Standing glute kicks

This movement is fantastic for strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, while also improving your balance.

Stand tall, lift one foot off the floor, and straighten that leg. Lean forward a bit and begin to raise the straight leg back behind your body as much as you can. Once finished, plant that foot for balance and start raising the other leg.

Reps

Aim for 8 to 15 reps per leg.

AVANZADOS

24. Weighted standing glute kicks

Attach an ankle weight to make the exercise more challenging and effective. Start with one or two pounds and slowly increase the weight as you get better.

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and abs

Reps

Aim to do between 8 and 12 repetitions per leg.

PRINCIPIANTES

25. Squat

Squats are a great exercise because they train the entire lower body. Specifically, squats emphasize the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. Your calves also work to keep your ankles stable.

Stand tall, bring your arms in front of your torso for balance, plant your heels, and squat. Imagine that you’re trying to sit in a chair. Squat as low as you can - ideally until your thighs become parallel with the floor. Don’t worry if you can’t get that low at first, just go as low as you can and build from there.

Reps

Aim for 15 to 30 repetitions.

AVANZADOS

26. Dumbbell goblet squat

If bodyweight squats don’t pose much of a challenge, do goblet squats instead. Grab a dumbbell and hold it in front of your chest with both hands. From there, perform the same squat pattern you usually would.

Muscles worked

Quads, glutes, hamstrings and back.

Reps

Aim for 10 to 20 reps.

PRINCIPIANTES

27. Bird dog

Bird dog is an excellent movement for coordination, balance, and glute development. Thanks to its unique pattern, you have to use a range of muscle groups and teach them how to work together.

Go down on all fours, engage your glutes, take a breath and raise your left leg back until it gets in line with your torso. Raise the opposite arm forward at the same time to create one long horizontal line.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 10 repetitions per leg and arm combination.

AVANZADOS

28. Weighted bird dog

Make the classic bird dog movement more challenging by attaching an ankle weight and holding onto a dumbbell in each hand. Then, go about doing the same movement pattern and aim for a full range of motion and smooth execution.

Muscles worked

Glutes, hamstrings, abs, back, and shoulders.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 10 repetitions per leg and arm combination.

PRINCIPIANTES

29. Lateral step-up

Similar to lateral steps, these lunges are fantastic for developing your glutes, quadriceps, and inner thigh muscles.

The primary difference is that you have to step up and to the side, making the movement more challenging.

Stand next to a stool or gym bench with your right side facing it. Take a breath, raise your right, and position the foot firmly on the elevated surface. Push through the heel and step up to straighten the knee.

Once finished, turn around and do the same number of repetitions with your left leg.

Reps

Aim for 5 to 15 repetitions per leg.

AVANZADOS

30. Weighted lateral step-up

Once the bodyweight lateral step-up gets too easy, it’s time to make the movement more challenging.

A great way to do this is to hold a dumbbell in one arm and perform the same movement pattern.

Muscles worked

Quadriceps, adductors, glutes, and calves

Reps

Feeling the burn in that booty?