Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises are an excellent way to train and develop your glutes. The gluteus maximus — that is your butt for the uninitiated — is the largest muscle in the body.
Developing strong glutes will help you build better squats, deadlifts, and everything in between (yes, even overhead lifts).
If you can’t figure out the most efficient way to activate your glutes, you’re just not going to be able to maximize your gains.
The gluteal region is an anatomical area located posteriorly to the pelvic girdle, at the proximal end of the femur. The muscles in this region move the lower limb at the hip joint.
The muscles of the gluteal region can be broadly divided into two groups:
- Superficial abductors and extenders – group of large muscles that abduct and extend the femur. Includes the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus and tensor fascia lata.
- Deep lateral rotators – group of smaller muscles that mainly act to laterally rotate the femur. Includes the quadratus femoris, piriformis, gemellus superior, gemellus inferior and obturator internus.
Right now many people do not have the luxury of being able to go to the box, gym or have weights and training equipment at home. Therefore these exercises are designed to be done anywhere, with zero equipment. Add these Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises into your training.
Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises
1. HIP THRUST
The Hip Thrust is a must for everyone looking to develop a stronger, bigger butt, because it makes your butt work against gravity at an optimal angle. You can use the resistance band around your knees to activate your side glutes more.
Support your upper back on a couch, bed, or a bench, so that the lower part of your shoulder blades is located on the edge of the surface. Look for a height where your chest and knees can be in a straight line. Pull your feet towards you so that they are placed below your knees. Keep your knees bent and push through the heels to lift your hips up from the ground.
Experiment with your foot positions to find an angle where you feel your glutes really working.
2. SINGLE LEG HIP THRUST
Take the Hip Thrust exercise to the next level!
The setup is the same as for the Hip Thrust, followed by lifting one foot off of the ground. Push through the heel on the floor and use your hips to lift yourself up. Don’t let your hips fall towards one side, keep them level. Repeat with the other leg.
3. Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises – BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS
Single leg exercises like this one can be quite challenging but effective. If you don’t feel ready to do it, you can substitute with Backward Lunges instead.
Stand in front of a couch, chair, or something similar. Rest one foot on the elevated surface behind you. Squat down by flexing your knee and hip of your front leg. Push off from the floor with the heel of your front leg to get back up. Through this movement the majority of your weight should be on the front leg; the back leg provides support. The front knee is pointing toward the toes. Repeat with the other leg.
4. BRIDGE
Great starting exercise – the Bridge will not only work your glutes but also your back and abs. Working on core stabilization and glute strength might even help relieve some back pain. Add a resistance band around your knees to make the exercise harder or choose other variations below.
Lie on your back. Bend your knees and lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line from knees to head. Keep your heels under your knees, not too far forward or backward. If you feel this exercise straining your back, make sure your abs are tight and you are lifting from your hips, not your chest.
5. Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises – SINGLE LEG BRIDGE
The Single Leg Bridge is a more challenging variation of the Bridge.
Lie on your back with your knees bent. Extend one leg. Push up with the heel of the other leg to lift yourself off the floor. Keep your hips level. If you don’t feel this in your glutes, try this: bend the extended leg and place that foot on the knee of your bottom leg. Repeat with the other leg.
6. MARCHING BRIDGE
This exercise requires good hip stability. It can also be used as a good warm up exercise for other workouts!
Perform this exercise like the Single Leg Bridge, but alternate sides with each rep without letting your hips go down to the floor between reps. The main goal is to keep your hips level; don’t turn side to side as you switch legs.
7. Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises – FROG PUMP
Here is another great muscle builder for your glutes. Don’t forget, you might need a lot of reps (20+) to really feel this one burn.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and pointed outwards and the soles of your feet together (toes to toes, heel to heel). Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up until your body forms a straight line from neck to knee. Pushing your heels together as you lift your hips up or bringing your feet closer to your butt can help activate your glutes more.
8. DONKEY KICKS
The Donkey Kick is a popular move for targeting the glutes. It works great when used in a super set with the Fire Hydrant for an all-around glute pump. Add a resistance band around your knees to make the exercise harder. Make sure to check these exercise mistakes before your start.
Get on all fours. Lift one heel up towards the ceiling while keeping your knee bent. Don’t arch your back to lift your leg up – initiate the movement from your hips/glutes. It’s all about activating your glute to lift your leg, not about lifting your foot as high as possible. Repeat with the other leg.
9. Home Bodyweight Glute Exercises – FIRE HYDRANT
The Fire Hydrant is an amazing exercise for an intense glute pump. Add a resistance band around your knees for more burn!
Start on all fours. Lift one leg up to the side. Go only as high as you can without shifting your torso to the side. Don’t arch your back, keep it stable and neutral. Initiate the movement from your glutes/hip. Repeat with the other leg.
10. CURTSY LUNGES
Forward Lunges will mostly work the front of your thighs, but with Curtsy, Side & Backward Lunges you can feel the glutes really working.
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Take a step back to the side, so that the back leg crosses behind your front leg, while your hips are still pointing forward. Keep the weight mainly on the front leg. Push the heel of the front foot to the ground to get back up.
Repeat on the other side.
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