Written by Kirsten Yovino | CPT Brookbush Institute
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
Whether you weight lift for aesthetics, strength, or both, glute training plays an integral role in how your body looks and functions.
And while the gluteus maximus is the most talked about and targeted muscle of the glutes, let’s not overlook the importance of the smallest muscle of your butt, the gluteus minimus (aka your side butt muscle).
The gluteus minimus is a vital piece of the whole gluteal muscle puzzle as it not only helps to fill out your butt and keep it firm, but it also plays a key role in hip stability and your ability to perform hip abduction, moving your leg away from your body. Given its importance, we are going to look at the 13 best gluteus minimus exercises to build stronger hips.
We've highlighted regression and progression options for many of the gluteus minimus exercises, and there are exercises both for at home and the gym.
Table of Contents:
- 13 Best Gluteus Minimus Exercises
- Gluteus Minimus Muscle Anatomy
- Importance Of Gluteus Minimus Muscle
- Issues Caused By Weak Glute Minimus
- How To Incorporate Gluteus Minimus Exercises Into Your Workout
- FAQs
13 GLUTEUS MINIMUS EXERCISES FOR GROWTH & STRENGTH
Before diving into our list, it's important to note that the first 10 exercises listed can easily be done at home (or the gym, or anywhere), and the final 3 movements are best for the gym. However, the gym exercises can easily be changed into at-home moves, and we explain how to do that for each.
The 13 best gluteus minimus exercises are:
- Side Plank With Hip Abduction
- Side Lying Hip Abduction
- Curtsy Lunge
- Fire Hydrants
- Lateral Lunge
- Glute Bridge
- Single Leg Press
- Lateral Walks With Band
- Front Plank With Hip Abduction
- Plank Jacks
- Cable Hip Abduction
- Hip Abduction Machine
- Hip Thrust
1. SIDE PLANK WITH HIP ABDUCTION:
The side-lying hip abduction is one of the best lateral glute exercises you can do. Like any side plank, your glutes and core are working in an isometric fashion to maintain the side bridge position.
Then, with the added hip abduction, your hip abductors are firing to raise your leg. While this exercise works pretty much all the muscles of your core and glutes, it’s really going to hone in on your side butt, which includes your gluteus minimus and medius, allowing you to make these muscles stronger.
How To Do The Side Plank with Hip Abduction:
- Lay on the side of your body with your elbow on the ground and your bottom leg on the ground.
- Raise your body up into a side plank by coming up on your elbow and the side of your bottom foot.
- Make sure you maintain a straight torso by not letting your hips sag throughout the entire exercise.
- From this side bridge (plank) position, raise your top leg as far as you can, squeeze your side glutes, and come down slowly.
- Repeat the leg lift for 10-12 reps then switch sides.
Side Plank With Hip Abduction Regression Options
If this seems too challenging to begin, you've got two great regression options you can perform.
- Side Plank: Practice the side plank until you can hold it for 30 seconds. Then, when you are comfortable, you can start adding in some hip abduction by raising your leg. Remember, even the side plank is going to work your gluteal muscles as they need to remain contracted to hold the position.
- Modified Plank With Hip Abduction (Easiest): A modified side plank is easiest as you have your lower extremities (from the knee down) to the floor and they will be shooting toward the back a little bit, making balancing the plank easier. If you are a very beginner, holding this position is good. But, if you can, add a hip abduction by bringing your knee up, keeping the entire leg in its same bent position, holding at the top for a second, and then lowering it back down.
2. SIDE LYING HIP ABDUCTION:
The side lying hip abduction exercise is about as close as you are going to get to an isolation exercise for the gluteus minimus. It is going to specifically target your hip abductor muscles, and while it may feel easier than other glute exercises, it is very effective at strengthening your gluteus minimus and medius.
Progression ideas include wraping a resistance band around your legs, above your knees, or by holding a weight in place at the side of your thigh (a weighted plate or dumbbell works fine).
How To Do The Side-Lying Abduction:
- Lie down on your side
- You can either lay your head down or rest it on your elbow.
- The bottom leg that rests on the floor can either be straight or bent with your feet shooting backward.
- Lift your top leg as high as it can go, squeeze the glutes, and bring it back down.
- Keep your top leg straight throughout the entire movement. Really hone in on your side butt.
3. CURTSY LUNGE:
If you want an exercise that targets your entire lower body and works your gluteus minimus effectively, the curtsy lunge is it. The curtsy lunge is one of the best lunging and lower body movements, in general, for working your lateral glutes, because it moves you through the front plane (laterally).
To progress this exercise, hold onto a dumbbell, kettlebell, or barbell to increase the resistance.
How To Do The Curtsy Lunge:
- Stand with your back straight, chest up, and feet about hip-width apart.
- Step your right foot back and to the left while keeping your left foot planted in place. Both of your knees will bend as you lower your right leg toward the ground. Make sure your left knee remains directly over your ankle and your back stays straight and your spine keeps a neutral position.
- Just before your right knee touches the ground, push back up using your left leg as the driving force (the planted foot). Come back to the starting position with both feet facing forward at hip-width, then repeat to the opposite side, with your right foot planted and your left leg moving back and towards the right side.
4. FIRE HYDRANTS:
Fire hydrants do a great job strengthening your hip abductors, especially your gluteus minimus and medius muscles.
Hoping to make this move harder? Add a resistance band. For beginners, the fire hydrant without a band is great, and for those who are stronger, the band will make it so this exercise challenges your glutes sufficiently.
How To Do Fire Hydrants:
- Get into a quad position, which means on your hands and knees. Your knees should be directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders. Keep your back straight.
- Lift your leg to the side as high as you can, while keeping it in a bent position. Ideally, you want your knee to come up almost to the height of your back.
- Lower it back down, just so it barely taps the floor and then bring it back up.
- Do this for 10-15 reps then repeat to the opposite side.
Watch the Fire Hydrant Demo on YouTube
5. LATERAL LUNGE:
Lateral lunges are a lower body compound movement that requires your gluteus minimus to activate to press you back up from the lunge. In addition, the opposite side gets a little stretch as it lengthens as you lunge down.
Overall, this is a great exercise for those who want to strengthen their gluteus minimus efficiently as it is going to also hit many other muscles at the same time. We love including the side lunge in at home glutes workouts!
If after reading the directions you'd like to progress this move, hold onto one or two dumbbells or kettlebells while performing it.
How To Do The Lateral Lunge:
The lateral lunge can be done in a few ways. You can do alternating lateral lunges where you keep your feet planted, alternating lateral lunges by stepping the working leg out each rep from a position where your feet are hip width. Or, you can do one side at a time in the same manner (either keeping your feet planted in a wide stance or coming up to a hip width standing position each rep).
These directions are for the one side lateral lunge that requires you to step out with each rep.
- Stand with your back straight, chest up, and feet about hip-width apart.
- Step your left leg out to the side, give it some distance as it will allow you to lower down while keeping the planted foot’s leg straight (right side).
- Come down so your thigh is parallel to the floor (or as close as you can get to this). The front of your knee should be aligned with your foot and should not be pushed out past your toes (again, this requires good hip mobility to be able to sit back).
- Press up from the bottom position using your left leg and come back to the standing position with your feet hip width apart.
- Repeat to the same side for the desired 10 reps. Then do another 10 reps to the opposite side.
- You can do this same exercise by alternating sides, which you’d do 20 reps total.
6. GLUTE BRIDGE:
The glute bridge is one of the best isometric exercises for your glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and abs. Moreover, it is accessible to anyone as it is pretty easy to do. Squeeze those glutes to keep your body in a straight line and you will feel it.
Focus on never losing the contraction. When you do, the exercise is done and you can come down, rest, and repeat for the desired number of sets.
How To Do The Glute Bridge:
- Lie down on your back with your arms to the side. Bend your legs so your heels are at knee level, with your feet fully planted to the ground.
- Drive your hips up so that your body makes a straight line from your knees to your upper chest.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds, really focusing on maximum contraction of your glutes, hamstrings and core.
Note: Use a little wider of a stance to emphasize the gluteus minimus more.
Glute Bridge Progressions
There are a few variations and progression to make this exercise harder.
- Single Leg Glute Bridge: The single leg glute bridge is not only more difficult as one leg and one side of your glutes are going to be holding your body up, but also it requires more hip stability, which is great for the gluteus minimus.
- Glute Bridge With Resistance Band: The glute bridge with a resistance band can be done by wrapping the band around your heels and bringing it over your hips. The resistance band works by trying to force you to come back down, causing your muscles to engage to a greater degree to maintain the position.
- Glute Bridge with Weight: Just like a resistance band, you can place a dumbbell or weighted plate on your hips to add more resistance.
- Elevated Glute Bridge: By elevating both your shoulders and your feet (or just your feet), you will increase the difficulty of the exercise, and if you add reps into the holds (i.e. hold for 5 seconds, lower down, then drive your hips back up), you will significantly increase the difficulty as you are going from a much deeper position.
7. SINGLE LEG PRESS:
Your gluteus minimus and medius must support your body when you are on one leg, so single leg presses (and squats) are great for targeting these muscles. They must produce force to keep your hips from sagging.
While single leg squats are the best, they are very difficult as they require a lot of strength (lifting your entire body with one leg is a lot harder than it sounds if you’ve never tried it). A great option that enables you to use a lot of weight is the single leg press machine, as shown in the picture above.
For beginners or lifters who work out at home, try the single leg press with a band. You can use a lighter or heavier band to accommodate your strength level.
Alternative options include pistol squats, which enable you to hold on to a chair for balance if needed, and lateral step ups, where you elevate your stationary foot, bringing your body and opposite leg up to the elevated surface.
How To Do The Single Leg Press Machine:
- Ensure the seat is adjusted to position your knees at a minimum 90-degree angle when your back is flush against the support. Position both feet at shoulder width on the plate, then lift one foot and place it firmly on the floor.
- Hold onto the handles, activate your core muscles, and initiate the movement by pushing through your foot, extending your leg until it is fully straightened with a slightly bent knee.
- Pause briefly before gradually returning to the starting position by bending at the knee.
- Complete the desired number of repetitions before switching to the opposite leg.
- Repeat for 10-15 reps then do it on the opposite leg.
8. LATERAL WALKS WITH BAND:
Lateral walks can be done with just your bodyweight alone, but they are more effective with a resistance band or to make it even harder, two bands, as shown in the picture above.
How To Do Lateral Walks With Band:
- Begin by placing the resistance band around your thighs, just above the knees. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining tension on the band.
- Engage your core and maintain a slight bend in your knees. Keep your back straight and chest up, adopting a neutral spine position.
- Take a step to the side with your right foot, ensuring that you maintain tension on the band throughout the movement. Follow with your left foot, bringing it back to shoulder-width distance.
- Continue stepping sideways, leading with the right foot for a set number of repetitions.
- Maintain a constant level of resistance on the band by keeping your steps controlled and deliberate.
- Avoid crossing your feet; instead, focus on moving laterally to engage the hip muscles effectively.
- Keep your knees slightly bent to activate the muscles of the thighs and hips.
- After completing the desired number of repetitions in one direction, switch and lead with the left foot.
9. FRONT PLANK WITH HIP ABDUCTION:
A front planks is a great core exercise that also engages the glutes when you squeeze your glutes and quads throughout the hold. With the added hip abduction, you double down on the glute work and significantly increase the demand of your hip stabilizers and core stability.
This means your gluteus minimus will be working both in an isometric and isotonic fashion - one side stabilizes (isometric), the other side changes length and contracts (isotonic).
To make the exercise more difficult, use a loop band around your ankle or above your knees (fabric bands should go above the knee, latex will likely be better for you around the ankle).
How To Do The Front Plank With Hip Abduction:
- Get into a plank position with your elbows below your shoulders and your feet about hip width apart.
- Lift your right foot about 6 inches off the ground, then move it to the right side as far as you can within a normal range of motion.
- Bring your right foot back to the starting position and repeat to the opposite side.
10. PLANK JACKS:
This is a dynamic, explosive exercise that can burn a lot of calories while training your side glutes (not to mention a bunch of other lower body and upper body muscles). For each rep, you are jumping your feet out to the side (lateral movement), while the plank position forces your glutes to activate to maintain the position.
You can make this exercise more difficult and better target your gluteus minimus by looping a light booty band around your legs.
How To Do Plank Jacks:
- Get into a plank position with your elbows below your shoulders and your feet about hip-width apart (you can also do this in a high plank position with your hands to the floor rather than your elbows).
- Jump both feet at the same time to the sides (like you would a jumping jack) and bring them back in as soon as they touch the floor. So you will jump them out and in for 20+ seconds.
11. CABLE HIP ABDUCTION:
Cable hip abduction is very effective for training the hip abductors and is a great gym exercise to include in your routine. Alternatively, if you want to perform these at home, use a resistance band, looping it around an anchor, and then placing one ankle through the other side and do the same movement as described below in the directions. If your band is shorter, place your knees in between it and do the same movement.
If you have a fabric hip band or latex booty band, you can wrap it around your knees, calves or ankle and do the same exact movement in a standing position as well!
How To Do Cable Hip Abduction:
- If your gym has ankle straps for its cable machine, strap up your ankle to the cable pulley on its lowest level. If it doesn’t, use one of the handles to slide your foot through.
- Hold onto the cable pulley machine (the vertical structure) and while keeping your leg straight, raise it to your side as high as you can within a normal range of motion.
- Bring it back down slowly, and repeat.
- Do it on both sides.
12. HIP ABDUCTION MACHINE:
In terms of machines, this one is made for your hip abductors so it's going to isolate the gluteus minimus as best as possible. This can also be turned into an at-home exercise by mimicking the same movements using a resistance band.
How To Use The Hip Abduction Machine:
- Sit down on the machine with good posture, keeping your back straight.
- Set the weight to an adequate amount relative to your strength (start light if you are unsure).
- Using your hip abductor muscles, press your legs out. Hold the outer position for a moment, then slowly return them to the starting position and repeat.
13. HIP THRUST:
While the hip thrust is mainly a gluteus maximus targeted exercise, your gluteus medius and minimus still get significant activation, which is why this is one of the Best Glute Exercises! This is even more true when you use a resistance band as the band forces the gluteus medius and minimus to remain fully engaged.
To make this move harder, turn it into a single leg hip thrust, with or without a dumbbell, which can better activate your gluteus minimus as you will need more hip stability.
How To Do A Barbell Hip Thrust:
You can do this with a barbell or a smith machine. Either way, the mechanics are the same. The smith machine is an easier set up.
- Place your upper back and shoulders on the bench, move the loaded barbell to your pelvic region (use a pad to make it more comfortable). Position your feet so they are flat on the ground, heels a little past your knees.
- Using your glutes, with your knees bent, drive your hips up until your torso is parallel with the floor, hold the position and really squeeze your glutes, then lower back down slowly.
- Repeat for desired reps. Usually 8-12 is a good amount of reps for this exercise for hypertrophy, but if you go very heavy, then 3-6 is ok as well for strength training.
Notes:
- Use a wider stance to emphasize the gluteus minimus more (this is because it involves a slight hip abduction).
- Use a resistance band for better hip and side glute activation.
If a barbell is too much, you can just place a plate on your pelvis region and perform the hip thrust like that.
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GLUTEUS MINIMUS ANATOMY & FUNCTION
The gluteus minimus is the smallest of three gluteal muscles - gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. These three muscles are what make up your buttocks. It is a deep-seated triangular-shaped muscle that runs from your hip bone to your upper thigh bone and is located deep in the back region of your hip.
It lies deep to the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and tensor fasciae latae, with the gluteus medius covering the majority of it. The gluteus minimus helps you rotate and move your thighs to the side, and it does so in conjunction with your gluteus medius.
IMPORTANCE OF DOING GLUTEUS MINIMUS EXERCISES
When it comes to glute training, it’s not all about the gluteus maximus. Yes, training your gluteus maximus with squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts is great.
In fact, it's essential, as having a strong gluteus maximus is a must if you want a nice-looking, powerful butt. However, training your other gluteal muscles with buttocks lifting exercises is just as important.
The benefits of gluteus minimus exercises are:
- Important for maintaining pelvic alignment.
- Improves athletic and training performance.
- Prevents injury.
- Improves your aesthetics.
- Makes for great rehab exercises.
1. Maintains Good Pelvic Alignment:
As you walk or run, your gluteus minimus contracts to maintain pelvic alignment. If you have a weak gluteus minimus, your hips sag downward as you pick the other leg off the floor. This kind of improper pelvic alignment causes many lower body issues over time, such as chronic hip pain, improper knee tracking, and balance issues.
By training your glute muscles, you are ensuring that you never have issues with pelvic alignment. And, while preventing it is ideal, if you have poor pelvic alignment already, with gluteus minimus and gluteus medius exercises, you should be able to improve it.
2. Improves Athletic and Training Performance:
The hips are extremely important for athletic movements and exercises. Hip stability is vital for any kind of running, jumping, lunging, and rotating movement.
If you want to be explosive, agile, and injury-resilient, you need to have great hip stability, and strong gluteal muscles are one of the most important aspects of hip stability.
3. Prevents Injuries:
The inability to maintain hip alignment is known as Trendelenburg Gait (gait meaning how you walk), and it is one of the major contributors to lower extremity injuries. When people develop it, doctors prescribe gluteus medius and minimus exercises. But, if you proactively keep your glutes strong, you can prevent it from happening altogether.
Weak gluteal muscles don’t just affect the hips - issues can occur all the way down the legs. Another common issue with weak glutes is Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS), a pain in the knee from improper tracking, that eventually can lead to valgus of the knee too (when your knee caves inward - aka knock knees).
Other common injuries that can occur from weak gluteus minimus, and your glutes in general, include ACL injuries, ankle injuries, and hip injuries from a lack of hip stability. If you want to be injury-resilient and have the longevity to keep yourself walking, even as you age, keep those glutes strong.
4. Improves Aesthetics:
As we mentioned already, doing gluteus minimus exercises will help with firmness and sculpting your glutes. Needless to say, aesthetics also relies on dietary choices, as if you want to your glutes to grow or become more toned, you need to eat right.
5. Great for Rehab:
Bodyweight or banded hip abduction exercises (which are also gluteus minimus exercises) are great for people coming back from an injury1.
The exercises will help you regain hip strength and stability and they are easy to implement as for many of the exercises, you are simply resisting gravity with your bodyweight.
ISSUES CAUSED BY WEAK GLUTEUS MINIMUS MUSCLE
If your gluteus minimus muscles are weak, you will be prone to lower extremity injuries, including the hips, knees, and ankles. It can even cause bad back pain.
Weak glutes can cause:
- Poor Hip Stability: With weak glutes, comes poor hip stability, which means bad balance.
- Injuries: If you don’t take action by making your gluteus minimus strong, you may develop Trendelenburg gait, PFPS, or knee valgus.
- Lower Body Pain: Weak gluteal muscles can lead to pain in any area from your lumbar back down to your feet, as your joints will have pressure that they shouldn’t2.
- Decreased Hip Mobility: This occurs because your body begins to compensate for the lack of function and mobility, causing other lower body muscles to take over functions that they shouldn’t.
HOW TO INCORPORATE GLUTEUS MINIMUS EXERCISES INTO YOUR WORKOUT
Doing a gluteus minimus workout (or more so a hip abductor workout) alone doesn’t really make sense. The best thing to do is choose a couple or a few of these exercises and throw them into your leg workout or your full body workout a couple of times a week.
Try the different gluteus minimus exercises and keep switching things up. If you feel certain ones are better for you, stick to those.
SAMPLE LOWER BODY WORKOUT FOR STRENGTH & SIZE
Warm Up (5-10 minutes):
- Jogging: 5 minutes
- Lateral leg swings: 10 each side
- Forward leg swings: 10 each side
- Rotating Toe Touches: 5 each side
- 90/90 Dynamic Stretch: 5 each side
Workout:
- Squats: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Curtsy Lunges: 3 sets x 10 reps each side
- Hip Thrusts or Single Glute Bridges: 3 sets x 8 reps (or 20-second holds for Single Leg Glute Bridges)
- Reverse Lunges: 3 sets x 10 reps each side
- Nordic Ham Curl: 3 sets x 4-5 reps
- Lateral Walks with Band (or Seated or Standing Hip Abduction): 3 sets x 10 reps
Static Stretching (5-10 minutes):
- Downward Dog: 20 seconds
- Upward Dog: 20 seconds
- Pigeon Pose: 20 seconds (right leg)
- Downward Dog: 20 seconds
- Upward Dog: 20 seconds
- Pigeon Pose: 20 seconds (left leg)
- Low Lunge: 20 seconds (right leg)
- Low Lunge: 20 seconds (left leg)
- Quad Stretch: 20 seconds (each leg)
- Figure Four: 20 seconds (each leg)
- Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch: 20 seconds each leg)
Repeat stretches twice if you’d like.
SAMPLE REHAB WORKOUT
**We are not licensed medical practitioners. If you are concerned about your injury, please see a licensed practitioner and ask them what you can do for exercises**
Warm Up (5-10 minutes):
- Walking: 5 minutes
- Lateral leg swings: 10 each side
- Forward leg swings: 10 each side
- Hip circles: 5 each way
- Knee circles: 5 each way
Workout:
- Bodyweight Squats: 3 sets x 10 reps
- Glute Bridge: 3 sets x 10-20 second holds
- Side Lying Hip Abduction: 3 sets x 10 each leg
- Lateral Walks: 3 sets x 10 steps each way
- Banded Good Mornings: 3 sets x 6-8 reps
Cool Down:
- Light stretching for 5-10 minutes. Go very light with the stretching and only stretch if it feels ok.
FAQs
Let's look at (and answer) some frequently asked questions about the glute minimus.
Can you isolate the gluteus minimus?
It’s not possible to isolate the gluteus minimus completely. You will be working your other gluteal muscles, especially the gluteus medius, when performing gluteus minimus exercises, as well as your other hip abductor muscles. This is why most of the gluteus minimus and medius exercises are the same. After all, the gluteus minimus lies directly underneath the gluteus medius and it shares the same functions.
WHAT CAUSES WEAK GLUTEUS MINIMUS MUSCLE?
In addition to not strengthening your glutes, certain behaviors can weaken the gluteus minimus. This includes sitting for long periods, standing with your weight shifted to one side, and sitting with your legs crossed for extended periods. This not only weakens the glutes, but also makes them tight. Exercises and stretches will help this.
HOW DO YOU ACTIVATE THE GLUTEUS MINIMUS MORE?
To activate you need to do exercises and movements that specifically involve the function of the glute minimus muscle. This means performing the exercises we went over above, which require hip abduction, including frontal plane lower body exercises - i.e. lateral lunges, are going to directly train and strengthen your gluteus minimus. Single-leg exercises are also going to activate and engage the gluteus minimus as hip stability is required to perform the movement.
Try these glute activation exercises before a leg day at the gym!
Glute Minimus Training: Summary
As you can see, there are many ways to train your gluteus minimus and now you know just how important this deep-seated side butt muscle is!
Don’t neglect it. Add these glute exercises into your workout plan and you will reap the rewards both aesthetically and functionally.
We've covered the best gluteus minimus exercises, and now it's time to learn about the Best Gluteus Maximus Exercises and Best Gluteus Medius Exercises!
Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...
References:
- Moore D, Semciw AI, Pizzari T. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF COMMON THERAPEUTIC EXERCISES THAT GENERATE HIGHEST MUSCLE ACTIVITY IN THE GLUTEUS MEDIUS AND GLUTEUS MINIMUS SEGMENTS. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. 2020. doi:https://doi.org/10.26603/ijspt20200856
- Jeong UC, Sim JH, Kim CY, Hwang-Bo G, Nam CW. The effects of gluteus muscle strengthening exercise and lumbar stabilization exercise on lumbar muscle strength and balance in chronic low back pain patients. Journal of Physical Therapy Science. 2015. doi:https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.27.3813
Kirsten Yovino
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