There’s nothing better than a bottom that fills out your jeans. If you’re looking for moves that target the glutes and give you a firm, round bottom, this article was written for you. The butt is made up of three main muscles, the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. To get a great looking derriere, you need to work all three muscles. Follow these 8 essential exercises to sculpt firm, strong glutes and you’ll cover all the bases of your behind.
Bulgarian Split Squat
To do this move you need to place one foot on a chair behind you. Using the standing leg, bend your knee and hip down into a squatting position. Push off your heel and return to standing position. Do three sets of 10 on each leg.
Curtsy Lunge – 8 Essential Exercises To Sculpt Firm, Strong Glutes
Stand hip width apart with your hands on your hips. Step the right foot back and to the left behind your left foot and bend both knees into a curtsy like move but don’t bend forward, keep your chest up. Step back into starting position and then repeat with the left foot. Do three sets of 20 alternating legs.
Kick Back and Kick In
Get down on all fours keeping your body aligned from head to tailbone. Raise your left leg up with your knee bent at 90 degrees and kick it up towards the sky 10 times. Next keeping the leg raised, bend the knee all the way in until you are kicking your butt. Slowly bring it back to a 90-degree bend. Repeat 10 times. Do this circuit on the other leg and repeat 3 times all the way through.
Lying Leg Lifts – 8 Essential Exercises To Sculpt Firm, Strong Glutes
Lay on your side on the floor with your legs stacked and your head propped up with one elbow. Stabilize yourself with the other hand on the floor in front of your torso and lift one leg up towards the sky with your toes pointed. Complete 3 sets of 20 on each leg.
Single Leg Dead Lift
Using a heavy set of dumbbells, one in each hand, hinge at the hips and raise one leg behind you while keeping the other knee slightly bent. The dumbbells should be close to your bent knee at the lowest point as you keep your back aligned. Return to standing position, never letting that raised leg come back up to complete standing position and keeping your bodyweight on the stabilizing leg. Complete 15 on each leg then repeat two more sets of 15 per leg.
Barbell Hip Thrust – 8 Essential Exercises To Sculpt Firm, Strong Glutes
To do this move you need to have a bench. Prop your lower shoulder blades on the bench and be in a nearly seated position on the floor with the barbell laid across the front of your upper thighs holding it with both hands at the sides of your legs. Using your glutes, dig your heels into the floor and push your body up into a bridge position, keeping the barbell on the front of your thighs throughout the movement. Hold your body at the top of the bridge for a couple of seconds then slowly release back down. Repeat this move for 3 sets of 10.
Fire Hydrant with A Kick
Again, on all fours, raise your right leg to the right side, keeping the knee bent. You should resemble a dog peeing on a fire hydrant, hence the name for the move. When your thigh is parallel to the floor kick your leg out and then back in and bring your bent leg back to starting position. Repeat this move for 3 sets of 10 on each leg.
Sumo Squat with Heel Raise – 8 Essential Exercises To Sculpt Firm, Strong Glutes
To perform a sumo squat, you need to stand with your feet wider than hip width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Bend your knees and push your butt down and behind you as low as you can. Hold your position and raise one foot up onto your toes, then the release. Next do the same with the other foot, bringing it up onto its toes. You should be down into a sumo squat position for the duration of both heel raises. Return to standing position and repeat. Complete 3 sets of 15.
These 8 moves will hit the top, bottom, and sides of your glutes. You’ll start to see perkier, firmer buttocks in a matter of weeks when you complete this exercise once a week.