The 9 Best Glute Exercises to Build Your Backside

Strong glutes are not just about looks. They power almost every athletic movement, help you squat and deadlift more, and protect your lower back and knees by keeping your hips stable. The good news is that the glutes respond well to training, and you do not need a fancy gym to build them. This guide rounds up nine of the best glute exercises, from heavy barbell moves to bodyweight and band work you can do at home, with how to do each one and why it earns a place in your routine.

The glutes are made of three muscles: the large gluteus maximus that drives your hips forwards, and the gluteus medius and minimus on the side of your hip that keep you stable and move your leg out to the side. A complete glute routine trains all of them, and a systematic review of gluteus maximus activation shows that different exercises load the glutes in noticeably different ways (review of gluteus maximus activation), which is exactly why variety matters.

1. Hip thrust

The hip thrust is the king of glute exercises. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, roll a loaded barbell or dumbbell over your hips, then drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top and lower under control. It loads the glutes most exactly where they are strongest, at full hip extension, and it is easy to add weight to. Our hip thrust guide covers the full technique.

2. Glute bridge

The glute bridge is the floor-based cousin of the hip thrust and the perfect starting point. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, then push through your heels to lift your hips and squeeze your glutes at the top. It needs no kit, teaches you to fire your glutes rather than your lower back, and can be loaded with a dumbbell or band as you get stronger. See our glute bridge guide for the details and progressions.

3. Barbell back squat

The squat is a foundational lower-body builder that trains the glutes alongside the quads. Sit your hips back, keep your chest up and squat to at least parallel, then drive up and squeeze your glutes at the top. Squatting through a fuller range tends to build more strength and muscle than shallow reps (review on squat depth and range of motion), so depth matters for the glutes. Learn the setup in our back squat guide.

4. Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a hip-hinge that hammers the glutes and hamstrings. Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs, push your hips back and lower the weight down your legs with a soft knee bend and a flat back, then drive your hips forwards to stand. The long stretch on the glutes and hamstrings makes it a superb builder for the back of your legs. Our Romanian deadlift guide walks through it.

5. Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is the best single-leg glute builder. Stand a stride in front of a bench, rest the top of your back foot on it, then lower straight down until your front thigh is parallel and drive back up. Leaning your torso forwards a little shifts more load onto the glute of the front leg. It irons out left-to-right imbalances and delivers a big glute stretch. See the Bulgarian split squat guide.

6. Kettlebell swing

The kettlebell swing trains explosive hip extension, the exact action the glutes are built for. Hinge at the hips to hike the kettlebell back between your legs, then snap your hips forwards to swing it up to shoulder height, letting your glutes do the work rather than your arms. It builds power and endurance and doubles as conditioning. A pair of kettlebells is all you need, and our kettlebell swing guide covers the form.

7. Step-up

The step-up is a simple, joint-friendly single-leg move you can do anywhere. Place one foot on a sturdy box or bench, drive through that heel to stand up on top, then lower under control. Using a higher step increases the glute demand. Hold a dumbbell in each hand to make it harder. It builds single-leg strength and balance with very little to go wrong.

8. Banded lateral walk

The banded lateral walk targets the side glutes, the gluteus medius and minimus, that the big lifts often miss. Loop a resistance band around your legs just above the knees or ankles, drop into a quarter squat, then take controlled steps sideways while keeping tension on the band. It builds hip stability that protects your knees and improves your squat. A set of resistance bands makes it easy to do at home.

9. Goblet squat

The goblet squat is a beginner-friendly squat that keeps you upright and hits the glutes and quads together. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell against your chest, sit down between your legs to at least parallel, then drive up and squeeze your glutes. The front-loaded weight makes good depth easier, which is what recruits the glutes. Full technique is in our goblet squat guide.

How to program glute exercises

You do not need all nine in one session. Pick a few that cover the main patterns and train them hard two or three times a week. The NHS recommends muscle-strengthening work for all the major muscle groups on at least two days a week.

A simple weekly template:

• One hip-dominant move: hip thrust, glute bridge or Romanian deadlift, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
• One squat pattern: back squat or goblet squat, 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
• One single-leg move: Bulgarian split squat or step-up, 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 per leg.
• One side-glute move: banded lateral walk, 2 to 3 sets of 15 to 20 steps each way, as a finisher.

The single most important rule is progression: add a little weight or a rep each week once your form is solid. Doing the same easy sets over and over is the most common reason glutes stop growing.

Recommended reads

1. Hip Thrust: how to do it and muscles worked
2. Glute Bridge technique guide
3. Bulgarian Split Squat guide
4. The best resistance bands in the UK
5. The best kettlebells in the UK