Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
There are a ton of articles out there that go over the best glute exercises. In fact, even we have a few of them!
So why is this article different, you ask?
We're going to eliminate all the qualifiers, such as best dumbbell glute exercises or bodyweight glute exercises. Instead, we're going to lay out the absolute best exercises to build up the most powerful muscle group in your body.
We've built this list using EMG and the opinion of experts in the field. We'll also break down all the rhetoric and nuance so you know what you need to do to build big and strong glutes.
Simply put, if you're not including these 8 best glute exercises in your program, your booty is missing out.
Table of Contents:
- 8 Best Glutes Exercises, According to Science
- What Are The Glutes? Anatomy Overview & Functions
- Additional Factors to Consider With Glute Exercises
- FAQs
The 8 Best Glute Exercises
Let's dig through the research to see what exercises you need to be doing. To do this, I'll primarily compare two variables, EMG readings and load lifted.
We can sometimes assume the EMG automatically means the best glute activation exercises, but this isn't necessarily true. Keep in mind that EMG simply measures muscle contraction, and in fact, you can generate high EMG readings by simply flexing your muscles!
In reality, the EMG shows to what degree a muscle is used in a movement. Although very important, it must be considered in conjunction with the load you can lift.
The 8 best glute exercises are:
- Glute Hip Thrust
- Step Ups
- Deadlift
- Belt Squat
- Back Squat
- Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Single Leg Squat
- Split Squat
A few notes with this list: The best glute exercises will also be the best gluteus maximus exercises, as the gluteus maximus is the largest and strongest muscle of the three. The first five exercises are glute maximus focused.
The gluteus medius and minimus shouldn't be neglected; however, as they have a unique and vital role: hip abduction and stability. Exercises 6-8 are glute medius and minimus focused, which will help you build a fully developed, strong, and muscular butt.
1) Glute Hip Thrust:
The first, best, and most obvious exercise is glute hip thrusts.
It's almost universally agreed upon as the best glute exercise because it's an isolation movement that allows a load to be placed directly on the hips. And by load, I mean loads heavier than you can lift with most other exercises. Because of this, you need strong glutes.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics compared muscle activation during the exercise to muscle activation during the back squat. Their measurements showed there's really no question as to which is better.
Compared to the back squat, this exercise had greater upper gluteus maximus mean (69.5% vs 29.4%) and peak (172% vs 84.9%); lower gluteus maximus mean (86.8% vs. 45.4%) and peak (216% vs. 130%); and biceps femoris (hamstrings) mean (40.8% vs. 14.9%) and peak (86.9% vs. 37.5%)1.
Another meta from 2020 found that out of all exercises, the hip thrust had the second highest EMG activation with a mean of 75.41% (but the highest was 94%)2. However, I put this move in first place due to its high muscle activation and heavy loads.
This exercise is also the favorite exercise of Dr. Bret Contreras for training the butt muscles. If you don't know Bret Contreras, he's known as the Glute Doctor, specializing in building powerful glutes.
If you want to make this harder, turn it into a single leg hip thrust. To make it easier, turn it into it a glute bridge, which is where you lay with your back on the ground and perform the same movement.
How to do Glute Hip Thrusts:
- Set up a bench and a loaded barbell. You may want to slide the bench against a wall to keep it from sliding.
- Sit on the ground in front of the bench with your legs straight and back pressed up against the bench. Place the barbell over your body directly over your hips. This is your starting position.
- Pull your legs in so your shins are vertical, your knees bent, and your feet flat. You can gently place your hands on either side of the barbell.
- Brace your core and thrust your hips forward (up). At the same time, squeeze your glutes and press your feet into the ground. Think as if you're trying to drag the floor toward you.
2) Step Ups:
Remember that exercise with the highest EMG from the study above? It's the step up, representing with an insane muscle activation of 120%. Activation is so high for two main reasons.
The first is hip extension, with the leg pulling down to propel the body up. During the step-up, lifting one leg high onto a box creates a huge range of motion. Therefore, pulling the body up and forward to get the other leg to the box becomes a big challenge.
Second, you need the step-up because it's done on one leg, AKA unilaterally. The obvious assumption is this creates more activation as one leg is responsible for lifting the entire body. That's one part of it, but all that does is increase the load, which could be accomplished by adding weight.
The real reason the unilateral aspect spikes activation is the stability component. When stepping up, your entire body rests on one leg, requiring much more stability to complete the movement without falling over.
Fun Fact: I love this exercise so much that I even included it in my comprehensive guide on How To Grow Glutes.
How to do the Step Up:
- For the step-up, you'll need some type of raised platform. A gym box works best as most allow you to choose between three heights. To get the most glute activation, use the tallest platform you can step on with good form. This allows a larger range of motion and more pull.
- To get into the starting position, stand in front of a box, close to it. Pick one foot up and place it forward so it's completely on the box. Trying not to push off with the other foot, drive one foot forward down into the box. Instead of pushing your body up, you want to focus on that pulling-down motion, mimicking hip extension.
- Try to maintain your balance as you lift your body weight until your other leg is up and you're standing. Pause for a second and then step backward in reverse order, and keep in mind your body weight.
- For example: Step up with your right foot forward and then your left foot. Step down with your left foot and then your right foot. When you step down, do so in a controlled manner all the way down. Don't just hop off, but take advantage of the eccentric contraction.
3) Conventional Deadlift:
The conventional deadlift is another large compound movement that allows heavy loads with high muscle activation.
While individual biomechanics will differ on all exercises, the deadlift doesn't require a certain depth, such as getting parallel to the ground, to complete. As a result, different individuals will flex their hips and knees as needed, altering the amount of glute activation.
Studies show you will receive anywhere from 35-94% activation. Even those on the lower end place a huge load on the glutes, which is a primary factor in glute growth.
How to do the Conventional Deadlift:
- The starting position is crucial, so take time to get it right. Stand in front of a loaded barbell with feet hip-shoulder width apart. Bend down and grab the barbell with an overhand grip just outside your legs. Sit your hips back and pull up on the bar as you straighten and tighten your back.
- Continue to sit back and let your shoulders rise until they sit just in front of the bar with your arms extended straight down. This is your starting position before every rep.
- Begin the movement by driving your feet down and pulling the bar off the ground. Focus on driving your hips forward and squeezing your glutes. As the bar rises in a straight line, your back should remain at the same angle. Once the bar passes your knee, then extend your back as you aim to get into the standing position. Drive out of that knee bent position until you're standing upright.
- To lower the bar, I like to do a slow eccentric until the bar lowers on the upper thighs for a few inches and then perform a controlled drop.
4) Belt Squat:
I'm going to be honest. I'm a bit biased with the belt squat as I love it and feel like not nearly enough people do it. Therefore, I am thrilled to put the belt squat on this list as it elicits a crazy mean EMG reading of 71.34. According to the study I referenced above, the max end of the range is 100.76.
I chose the hip thrust as #1 due to its mean EMG being higher, its ability to use higher loads, and the promotion of the literal "Glute Doctor," Dr. Bret Contreras.
However, the belt squat is definitely up there, so it's not worth missing out on. The one benefit the belt squat has over the hip thrust is the ability to use a broader range of various foot placements.
How to do the Belt Squat:
- Ideally, you have an actual belt squat machine to do this. If you don't, you can use a dip belt and low boxes to stand on.
- Whether the squat belt machine places the belt low on your hips so the chain hangs in the middle of your legs, the belt should be catching on your hip bones.
- If using a dip belt, set up two boxes so they're close enough for you to use a normal squat stance. Be sure there's a gap in between big enough for weights to drop through. Bring your weights up to the boxes and hook up the belt on your hips.
- Now that you're set up, the movement is the same regardless of what you use. Stand with your feet flat and spread slightly wider than hip-width apart and toes pointed out slightly. This is the starting position.
- Begin the movement by pushing your hips back in the same manner as a squat. Since there is no load on your back, you have more freedom with positioning your upper body. However, you still want to keep your torso straight and attempt to keep your shoulders over your ankles.
- Go all the way down and then power up by pressing your feet down into the ground. Continue until your hips are erect and your torso upright. Since the movement is basically the same, the fact that the load is on the hips instead of the back alters muscle activation. In this position, the glutes must push the entire load, preventing the erector spinae from getting overly involved from poor movement patterns.
Want to avoid the hassle of belt squat set-up and be able to just get right to it? Here are our 3 Best Belt Squat Machine Options.
5) Back Squat:
I'm going to alter our course of only using EMG a little here. All of the above movements are significantly better glute exercises than the squat when looking at EMG readings. On the analysis I've been using, the back squat only has a mean activation of 53.10%
Every huge squatter I know has a massive set of glutes. They also swear that the squat gave them their powerhouse. With that in mind, I'm putting this on the list due to the anecdotal evidence of testimony from people much stronger than us.
How to do the Back Squat:
- Set up a squat rack with a barbell and load it. Stand under the bar and situate it on your traps, placing it lower on your back to hit the glutes better, as it requires more hip flexion and extension. Grab both sides with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the bar and step back and set your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back to lower your body. Bend at the knees and slightly lean forward as you come down to keep the bar dropping in a straight line. Go down until you hit parallel, then power back up.
- Keeping your shoulders pulled back and your core and abs tight is essential. Also, always keep your knee slightly bent to prevent joint issues when you come up.
6) Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift:
Single-leg (unilateral) exercises are significantly better at hitting the gluteus medius as it's required for stabilization. Studies have verified this, so you should always have some unilateral training in your system. A review of the best gluteus medius exercises found the Romanian deadlift to be in the top tier for the exercises3.
Therefore, combined with its high gluteus maximus activation, this is one of the best glute exercises you can do that targets massive muscle gain while giving medius and minimus some extra love.
Single-leg Romanian deadlifts seem easier for most people than the one-legged squat, so it's our first pick.
7) Single Leg Squat:
This one is a bit harder to do than the single-leg Romanian deadlift, but it's a fantastic glute exercise. If you're struggling, you can use single-leg squat modifications, which've also been tested for gluteus medius and maximus activation.
In fact, the single-leg wall squat may be the best choice for maximal medius and minimus activation due to its ease. Both modified and wall squats produce similar 65-70% EMG readings4.
8) Split Squat:
The split squat would be the last unilateral exercise to train the glutes while working the medius and minimus a bit harder. Studies show they reach 70-75% EMG. Hold two dumbbells instead of a barbell for a loading apparatus, or use a belt squat setup if available.
The Bulgarian split squat is another option, especially for more advanced athletes. This version is significantly more challenging as you keep your back leg on an elevated surface, increasing both the stability and load on your working leg.
What Are the Glutes? Anatomy Overview
As a group of lower body muscles, this group is collectively known as glute muscles. It's made up of three distinct muscles that sit (pun intended) on the posterior of the body just below the hips.
They are easily the strongest muscles in the entire human body and are known as the powerhouse due to their essential role in human motion and performance. Let's take a closer look at each.
- Gluteus Maximus: The gluteus maximus, aka glute maximus, is the largest of the three muscles and the strongest. It's massive and has multiple attachments around the tailbone, pelvis, and erector spinae.
- Gluteus Medius: This is the second largest of your three muscles and sits on the outer portion of your pelvis. A large portion of the gluteus medius is covered by other muscles, including the gluteus maximus, which covers 1/3 of the posterior side, and the gluteal aponeurosis, which covers 2/3 on the anterior side.
- Gluteus Minimus: The gluteus minimus is the smallest of the three muscles and sits just beneath the gluteus medius. Due to its size, its origins are only located on the ilium's anterior and inferior gluteal lines. It also has a single insertion on the femur.
Functions of the Glutes
As a whole, the gluteal muscles control the hips in just about every motion. Perhaps the only movement in which it's not the primary mover is hip flexion, yet it still plays a pivotal role in stability during this movement.
The function of the glutes include:
- Hip Extension: Straightening the hips as in a deadlift. It also includes pulling your leg, such as when you walk.
- Hip Hyperextension: Extending the hips past full extension (torso straight).
- Hip Abduction: From any position, lifting your leg farther out laterally.
- Hip External Rotation: With your leg straight, rotate your leg outward so your toes point outward. Or, if your knees are bent, rotate your knee outward so your knee is pointing outward.
- Hip Stability: The glutes also play a significant role in the overall stability of the hips, including when you're just sitting, standing, and even running. When walking, the gluteus medius also keeps your hips from sagging laterally in the middle of a stride.
All three muscles will play an intricate role in all these movements. The glute max will be the primary hip extender, which you can see when looking at the best Gluteus Maximus Exercises.
Alternatively, the glute medius and glute minimus work together as the primary hip abductors and external rotators, which you can see in these round-ups of the best Gluteus Medius Exercises and Gluteus Minimus Exercises.
3 Factors to Consider With Glute Exercises
Apart from knowing the best glute exercises, there are a few other factors to consider with your glute training.
1) Include Isolation Exercises:
Glute isolation exercises help to really get that mind-muscle connection with your butt muscles.
Some of the best isolation exercises to use as a glute finisher are:
- Back Extensions
- Standing Cable Hip Abductions
- Standing Cable Hip Extensions
- Quadruped Hip Extensions
I like to perform 2-3 sets with high reps (12-15+). You could also run these in a circuit after a lower body routine ends.
2) Use Varied Loads:
Your gluteal muscles are unique and consistently activated under low and high loads. For example, your glutes are responsible for walking or simply maintaining correct posture, so they're working when you're not even thinking about it.
At the same time, they see periods of high intensity, even on a typical day, during activities like walking up the stairs swiftly or jumping forward to catch the door. Compared with all other muscles, no other group of muscles consistently sees this much activation in varying ways.
For this reason, you should use a wide range of loads with all your exercises. To be clear, I don't mean to use heavy loads with your big compound exercises and smaller loads with accessory work. I mean use heavy and light loads with your squats, heavy and light loads with your hip thrusts, heavy and light loads with your step-ups, etc.
3) Use a Variety of Exercises:
In addition to consistently being under different loads, the glutes are also consistently worked with different motions and from different angles. For this reason, use a variety of exercises.
Your programs should always feature some of the biggest and best butt exercises, such as squats and hip thrusts. After your prime movement, swap around the accessory exercises within your program to hit the glutes from all angles. For example, you might stick with the main articles featured here, but then after 12 weeks, consider adding in Bulgarian split squats to keep your leg growth going.
Consistency in the main lifts gives you a base for the progression, so I like to use those the same. Then, I'll vary the other exercises, training to a specific RPE or failure within a given rep range.
FAQs
Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about training those glute muscles.
Is the hip thrust the best glute exercise?
If I had to pick one, the research and anecdotal evidence says yes. But the best glute workout doesn't feature just one exercise, so your best bet is to hit the glutes often and from a variety of angles. Check out our list of best glute and hamstring exercises for more ideas!
How many glute exercises should I do per workout?
If it's a lower body day, aim to hit one main glute exercise (squat variation, deadlift variation, hip thrust, step up) plus 3-5 accessory exercises, depending on your training experience and total training time.
What is the best way to build glutes fast?
Skip the ankle weights. Just like any other muscle, your glutes will grow quickest by training with moderate loads for at least 10 sets per muscle group each week.
What are the best glute exercises for men?
Glute growth isn't gender-specific. That said, the best glute exercises are the ones you will do consistently, so pick a squat, deadlift, hip thrust, or step-up variation and get to work!
What are the best glute exercises for women?
Same as above: Pick from our top 5 (belt and back squats, deadlifts, hip thrusts, and step ups), vary your unilateral options, and train them 10+ times/week, regardless of gender.
Best Glute Exercises: Final Takeaways
If you've been following any of the SET FOR SET programs, you probably already have great buns as we program all of these exercises into our workout routines.
As you head to the gym ready to tackle your glutes, we want you to remember that the best glute exercises are generally your big, lower-body compound movements, as you can lift a large load that demands muscle growth.
At the same time, it's also important that you train your gluteus medius and minimus as well. If you haven't been doing glute exercises that target all 3 glute muscles, it's time to start. And if you have, keep up the good work.
Here's to glute growth!
Looking for a complete glute workout to build some serious backside muscles? Check out this Best Glutes Workout At Home!
For a full lower body routine, you'll love this Ultimate Leg Workout to build strength and mass.
References:
- Contreras, B., Vigotsky, A. D., Schoenfeld, B. J., Beardsley, C., & Cronin, J. (2015). A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis Electromyographic Activity in the Back Squat and Barbell Hip Thrust Exercises. Journal of applied biomechanics. https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.2014-0301
- Neto, W. K., Soares, E. G., Vieira, T. L., Aguiar, R., Chola, T. A., Sampaio, V. L., & Gama, E. F. (2020). Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. Journal of sports science & medicine.
- Reiman, M. P., Bolgla, L. A., & Loudon, J. K. (2012). A literature review of studies evaluating gluteus maximus and gluteus medius activation during rehabilitation exercises. Physiotherapy theory and practice. https://doi.org/10.3109/09593985.2011.604981
- Hamstra-Wright, K. L., & Huxel Bliven, K. (2012). Effective exercises for targeting the gluteus medius. Journal of sport rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.21.3.296
Garett Reid
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