20 Effective At-Home Glute Exercises To Get That Bubble Booty
Trying To Build Your Booty?
It's no secret that sculpted "bubble booties" are the physical attribute most coveted by women right now. However, building glute strength isn't just about body image. Glutes are critical for overall body strength, stability, athletic performance, and injury prevention. They may even help maintain proper pelvic alignment, which directly supports the natural curvature of your spine, improving posture. But before you run off to buy a gym membership and spend hours on the cable machine, there are plenty of effective glute exercises you can do in your own home with practically no equipment. Here are 20 of our favorite at-home booty-building exercises.
1. Squats
Oftentimes, the exercises no one likes are the most effective. Such is the case with squats. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and bring your booty down as close to the ground as you can.
2. Bulgarian Split-Squats
Using a bench or chair as your platform, stand a few feet in front of it and put one foot on it so it's elevated. Then bend your front leg so your back knee just grazes the floor. This is one of the most effective exercises for targeting your glutes and quads.
3. Lunges
Lunges are an incredibly simple but effective exercise for targeting your glutes, hips, ankles, and knees. Do a lunge by taking a big step in front of you and bending your knees so your back knee is about an inch off the ground.
4. Side Lunges
Side lunges are a great all-around glute exercise that also targets your quads and hamstrings. Get into a wide-legged stance and bend one knee as much as you can while sitting your hips back.
5. Fire Hydrants
Fire hydrants are the perfect exercise for targeting the gluteus maximus which is not only the main glute muscle but also the biggest muscle in your body. Just like a dog encountering a fire hydrant, get on all fours and kick one leg out to the side so it's in line with your torso.
6. Clamshells
Clamshells are one of those exercises that look easy but are astonishingly hard. Lay on your side propped up on your elbow, bend your knees, and lift your hips off the ground. Then, with your heels together, open and close your legs like a clam shell.
7. Glute Bridge
Glute bridges are another great glute and hip-strengthening exercise that targets the gluteus maximus. Lay flat on your back and bend your knees. Then lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from your knees to your neck.
8. Glute Bridge Pulses
Glute bridge pulses are just like glute bridges but instead of placing your hips back down on the ground between reps, they stay hovered. It's a more intense version that is particularly effective at activating the glutes.
9. Curtsy Lunges
Curtsy lunges are great for targeting the often neglected gluteus medius which is located at the top and side of your glutes. Do a curtsy lunge by taking a big step back and placing your foot on the opposite side of your front leg. Bend your knees so your back knee is just barely hovering off the ground.
10. Single Leg Deadlifts
The single-leg deadlift is a triple whammy for targeting your hamstrings, lower back, and yes, glutes. Stand straight and slowly bend forward at the hips while one leg lifts behind you until your body forms a T-shape.
11. Goblet Squat
A goblet squat is similar to a regular squat, except that you hold a weight in two hands in front of you just below your chin. It can be a dumbbell, kettlebell, or just a heavy bottle of water if you don't have weights. Stand with your legs a little wider than shoulder width apart and bring your hips down as low as you can, engaging your glutes as you stand back up.
12. Donkey Kicks
Donkey kicks are the perfect simple exercise for glute activation and strengthening. Get in an all-fours position and kick one leg back with force so your thigh is at least level with your torso.
13. Crab Walks
You may remember doing a crab walk on the playground as a kid. Well, it's time to bring out your inner child again and crabwalk all over your apartment. Your glutes will thank you.
14. Step Up
This all-around glute targeting exercise requires some sort of platform, whether it be a high step or a wooden box. Just step up with one foot and then the other and step back down. The higher the platform, the harder the exercise.
15. Frog Glute Bridges
This exercise combines clamshells with glute bridges to activate the gluteus maximus and medius muscles. Lay on your back with your knees bent. Then let your knees fall to the side so your legs are wide and lift your hips off the ground.
16. Single Leg Glute Bridges
Once you've got the glute bridge down, it's time to try the single-leg glute bridge which puts all your weight on one leg instead of two, making it a lot more intense. Get ready for a bridge but straighten one leg off the ground and lift your hips.
17. Reverse Lunges With Knee Drive
Reverse lunges with a knee drive have all the benefits of regular lunges but with the added component of power and stability. Just take a big step back and lower yourself into a lunge, then drive your back knee forward so your knee is bent in front of you.
18. Sumo Squats
A summer squat is like a regular squat but your legs are in a much wider stance and your knees are angled outwards. The wider stance allows for greater glute activation, especially in the gluteus maximus.
19. Kickbacks
Kickbacks can mean many things, but in the context of an at-home workout, we mean glute kickbacks which entail laying on your side like you're about to do clamshells, then extending one leg and kicking it back diagonally. This is great for targeting all of your glute muscles and despite how basic it looks, you will feel the burn.
20. Pistol Squats
Don't worry if you're not a calisthenics professional and can't do a full pistol squat (most of us can't). You can still reap the benefits with a modified version either on an elevated platform or holding onto something. The lower you go with your hips, the more glute activation you get.
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