Essential Glute Workouts – Get the Perfect Booty!

Whether you are an exercise beginner or a regular gym goer, adding glute exercises to your workout is a great way to strengthen your muscles, build stamina and assist with your overall fitness levels. If you are looking to build and sculpt your buttocks, glute training will ensure that you are toning all the right places. It’s really easy to get started with a glute workout. Most exercises can be done using only your bodyweight, but you can add weights or resistance bands if you want to make them more challenging.

Here are four key areas to focus on when adding glute exercises to your workout:

Squat ‘til you drop!  

Squats are often the first exercise that people will turn to when looking for an effective glute workout. Adding squats to your routine will help sculpt your buttocks, however you shouldn’t solely rely on them to see big changes. Instead, mix them in with other exercises and add weight plates to get those glutes working. We recommend adding in some squat presses using dumbbells, or pulsing squats to really feel the burn!

Don’t shy away from lunges  

Lunges can be tough, but they are a great exercise to add to your glute workout. Lunges encourage the core muscles to work as well as activating your glutes. There are so many different variations of lunges to keep your routine interesting, and you can add dumbbells, barbells, medicine balls or resistance bands to make them harder. Use a bench or a box for your lunges to switch things up and challenge yourself.

Strengthen with hip thrusts

Hip thrusts can be performed with or without weights. You could even use your sofa at home as a makeshift bench! At the gym, they typically use a barbell which rests on your pelvis. Hip thrusts are great for strength training as well as shaping and sizing up the glutes. It’s important to make sure your hips are fully extended when performing this exercise. Make sure to extend your hips until your knees are in a 90-degree position before returning them to the ground. Aim for between 6-12 reps per set, depending on the weight you are using. 

Increase your stability with donkey kicks

The great thing about donkey kicks is that they require little to no equipment, so they can be performed in the comfort of your home, as well as part of your workout at the gym.

Start on all fours, ensuring that your back is flat. With your right leg, keep a bend at the knee and kick back until your back begins to arch. Then return to the starting position and repeat. Once you’ve finished the reps on one leg, switch to the other. As well as toning your glutes and increasing your stability, donkey kicks are great for strengthening your core and shoulder muscles. Add resistance bands for the extra burn.

Deadlift your way to toned glutes

Although not a specific exercise for targeting glutes, you should include deadlifts in your workout routine to activate the muscles, especially if you are using moderate to heavy weights. Deadlifts are a great full-body exercise which specifically strengthen the hamstrings and lower back but will benefit the glutes when you clench as you lift the barbell. Many shy away from this move because of the fear of poor form or injury, so make sure to learn the correct technique before adding this to your workout.

Repeating these exercises 3-5 times per week will ensure that you are on the right track to building that perfect booty! If you are looking for ways to make your workout go even further, take a look at our range of weightlifting and fitness equipment on our website.