41 Butt Exercises to Tone, Lift, and Strengthen

Want to tone, lift and strengthen your glutes? Here are 41 key moves to get you started!

Despite what you may think, glutes aren’t just a glamour muscle — they’re actually key to your overall muscular structure! A strong rump will help keep your hips stabilized when walking or running, and works hand-in-hand with your hamstrings to improve your posture and alleviate lower back pain. A toned butt will also help prevent injury to your knees, hamstrings and groin. Your glutes are front back and center of attention for a very good reason!

With this comprehensive list of 41 different exercises, you have everything you need to take your glute training to the next level. Choose 6-8 exercises to complete 2-3 times per week for maximum benefit.

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Resistance Band Squat

Position the resistance band so you are holding both handles beside your head, standing evenly on the middle of the band with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. The height of the bands should be even on each side. This is your starting position. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When your quads are at least parallel to the ground, push through your heels and bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Resistance Band Squat

Dumbbell Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes slightly angled out. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. This is your starting position. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When your quads are at least parallel to the ground, push through your heels and bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat.

Barbell Squat

Load an appropriate weight onto the ends of the barbell. Position the barbell across the top of your shoulders and take it off of the rack. Place your feet shoulder width apart with toes slightly angled out. This is your starting position. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When your quads are at least parallel to the ground, push through your heels and bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Barbell Squat

Single Leg Squat

Balance on your right leg with your toes pointing straight ahead and your hands on your hips. This is your starting position. Lower your body down towards the floor as if you were going to sit in a chair. Take care that your knee does not go past your toes. Get as low as you can before driving through your right heel to return to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs. If this is too difficult at first, hold onto the back of a chair, a railing, or rest your hand on the wall for support.

Pause Squat

This exercise can be completed using dumbbells or a barbell. Hold dumbbells by your sides or load a barbell and place it across the top of your shoulders. Position your feet so they are shoulder width apart and slightly angled out. This is your starting position. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When your quads are at least parallel to the ground, hold the rep for 5 seconds and then push through your heels and bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Pause Squat

Pulse Squat

This exercise can be completed using dumbbells or a barbell. Hold dumbbells by your sides or load the appropriate weight onto a barbell and place it across the tops of your shoulders. Position your feet so they are shoulder width apart and slightly angled out. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When you’re at the bottom of the squat (your quads should be parallel to the ground), pulse up and down in a quick and controlled manner for the desired number of reps.

Exercise: Pulse Squat

Jump Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes slightly angled out. Lace your fingers together to form a loose fist and hold them out in front of you. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. Make sure your knees do not go past your toes. When your quads are at least parallel to the ground, this is your starting position. Forcefully push through the balls of your feet until your legs are fully extended and your feet are as high as you can get them off of the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat the reps at a quick pace.

Exercise: Jump Squat

Kneeling Smith Machine Squat

Load the appropriate weight onto the ends of a Smith Machine and place a mat on the floor beneath the bar. Get down on your knees on the mat and position the bar across the top of your shoulders. Lift the bar out of its safety lock. This is your starting position. Squat down by bending at the knees, as if sitting in a chair. When your butt has touched the back of your heels, push the weight upwards, bringing your body back to the starting position. Squeeze your glute muscles briefly and repeat.

Exercise: Kneeling Smith Machine Squat

Dumbbell Plie Squat

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and toes pointed outwards. Hold a dumbbell in your hands. This is your starting position. Lower your body as if you are going to sit in a chair until your quads are at least parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Exercise: Dumbbell Plie Squat

Wall Squat

Stand with your back against a wall. Squat down by bending at your knees and walking your feet out until your quads are parallel to the ground and your knees form a 90-degree angle. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and your toes are pointing straight ahead.

Dumbbell Split Squat

Holding dumbbells by your sides, stand in front of a bench or a chair with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Lift your left leg behind you until your toes are resting on the edge of the bench or chair. This is your starting position. Lower your body by bending at the right knee until your right quad is parallel to the floor. Make sure your knee does not go over your toes (if it does, stand further from the bench or the chair). Return to the starting position by pushing through your right heel. Repeat for the desired number of reps and then switch balance legs.

Exercise: Dumbbell Split Squat

Body Weight Step Up to Balance

Stand before a box, bench, or chair and place your hands on your hips. Keeping your toes pointing straight ahead, lift your left leg up until your left foot is resting on the box, bench, or chair and the inside of your knee forms a 90-degree angle. This is your starting position. Driving through the heel of your left foot, bring your right leg up until your right quad is parallel to the ground and the inside of your knee forms a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Body Weight Side Step Up with Kickback

Stand to the left of a box or a bench with your feet close together and your toes pointing straight ahead. Place your hands on your hips. Lift your right foot onto the box or the bench so that your right knee is bent. This is your starting position. Shift your weight onto your right leg as you contract your glute muscles to bring your left leg out behind you. Return to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Side Step Up with Kickback

Body Weight Single Leg Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, toes pointed straight ahead and shoulder width apart. Lift your right leg off the floor and suspend it in the air. This is your starting position. Driving through your left heel, lift your pelvis off the floor until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in line. Squeeze your glutes for 2-3 seconds and return your pelvis to the floor. Repeat and then switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Single Leg Glute Bridge

Weighted Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, toes pointed straight ahead and shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell or weighted plate on your quads/stomach. This is your starting position. Lift your pelvis off the floor until your knees, hips, and shoulders are in line. Squeeze your glutes for 2-3 seconds and return your pelvis to the floor. Repeat.

Barbell Hip Thrust

Sit on a bench with a barbell across your lap. Walk your feet out until your upper back is positioned against the bench. Your feet should be shoulder width apart with toes pointing straight ahead. Position the barbell so it is across your hips. This is your starting position. Holding the barbell steady, dip your butt towards the floor. When your butt is about 3-4 inches from the floor, drive through your heels and return to the starting position. Squeeze your glute muscles briefly and repeat.

Exercise: Barbell Hip Thrust

Weighted Curtsy Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides or a kettlebell in both of your hands in front of. This is your starting position. Move your left leg diagonally behind your right leg as you bend at your right knee. When your right quad is parallel to the ground, push through your right heel and bring your left leg back to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Weighted Curtsy Lunge

Body Weight Reverse Leg Raise

Lie on your stomach on a bench with your hands folded below your head and your forehead resting on your hands. Your legs should be hanging off of the end of the bench. This is your starting position. Keeping your legs fully extended, lift them up into the air by contracting your glute muscles. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Body Weight Reverse Leg Raise

Body Weight Reverse Leg Raise on Stability Ball

Lie on a stability ball, stomach down, so your hips are positioned on top of the ball. You can hold onto a bench or a chair for support if you need it. This is your starting position. Keeping your legs fully extended, lift them diagonally up into the air by contracting your glute muscles. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Body Weight Reverse Leg Raise on Stability Ball

Dumbbell Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side. This is your starting position. Lunge forward with your left leg until the inside of your knee forms a 90-degree angle. *The farther you lunge forward, the more you will activate the glute muscles. Do not to allow your knee to go past your toes. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat with the right leg.

Walking Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead before a long hallway. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side or place a barbell across the tops of your shoulders. Lunge forward with your left leg until the inside of your knee forms a 90-degree angle. *The farther you lunge forward, the more you will activate the glute muscles. Do not to allow your knee to go past your toes. Next, bring your right leg from behind you and lunge forward with your right leg. Keep repeating as you move down the hallway for the desired number of reps.

Exercise: Walking Lunge

Dumbbell Side Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your body. This is your starting position. Take a wide step out to the side with your left leg, squatting down as you do. Your right leg should remain straight. Pushing through your left foot, return to the starting position and repeat. Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise: Dumbbell Side Lunge

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side. This is your starting position. Bring your right leg behind you, getting into a lunge position with your left leg until your left knee forms a 90-degree angle. *The farther you lunge backwards, the more you will activate the glute muscles. Make sure your knee does not go past your toes. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat with the right leg.  

Exercise: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge Using a Box

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead on top of a medium sized box. Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your side. This is your starting position. Bring your right leg behind you, lowering down into a lunge position with your left leg until your left knee forms a 90-degree angle and your right foot hits the ground. *The farther you lunge backwards, the more you will activate the glute muscles. Make sure your knee does not go past your toes. Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Repeat with the right leg.  

Exercise: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge Using a Box

Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift

Holding dumbbells in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Lift your right leg behind you so you are balancing on the left. This is your starting position. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards the ground as you bend at your hips. Slightly bend at the left knee if you need to. Return to the starting position by pushing through your left heel and bringing your torso upright again. Repeat and switch balance legs.

Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. Your knees should be slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your body with your palms facing your quads. This is your starting position. Keeping your knees stationary, slowly lower the dumbbells downwards. When the dumbbells are just above your feet, push through your heels and returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Dumbbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Cable Pull Through

You will need access to a cable tower for this exercise. Attach a rope to a low cable. Stand with your back 3-4 feet from the cable. Position your feet so they are slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your toes are pointing straight ahead. Bend forward at your hips, keeping a slight bend in your knees, and grasp each end of the rope. This is your starting position. Keeping your arms extended, lift the rope upwards, while simultaneously moving into an upright, standing position. Squeeze your glute muscles briefly before returning to the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Cable Pull Through

Barbell Good Morning

Load an appropriate weight onto the ends of a barbell. Position the barbell across the tops of your shoulders and take it off of the rack. Place your feet shoulder width apart with toes pointing straight ahead. This is your starting position. Keep your head up, looking straight on, as you slowly lower your torso forward. Lower your torso as far forward as you can, bending slightly at the knees, or until you are parallel to the ground. Push the weight back up until your torso is in the starting position. Repeat.

Exercise: Barbell Good Morning

Standing Body Weight Leg Lifts

Hold onto the back of a chair or a railing with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead. This is your starting position. Keeping your left leg fully extended, contract your glutes and bring it out behind you. Squeeze your glutes for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat. This is a great exercise for people who have lower back pain while performing certain glute-focused exercises.

Exercise: Standing Body Weight Leg Lifts

Single Leg Glute Pushdown

You will need access to an assisted pull up/triceps dips machine for this exercise. Lower the foot lever and set the machine to an appropriate weight. Climb up the steps and hold onto the handles. Place your right foot onto the lever. This is your starting position. Driving through your right heel, push the lever downwards until your leg is fully extended. Return to the starting position, repeat, and then switch legs.

Exercise: Single Leg Glute Pushdown

Leg Press

You will need access to a leg press machine for this exercise. Adjust the seat and weight appropriately before placing both of your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointing straight up, on the leg press plate. This is your starting position. Push the plate upwards by extending your legs completely. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise: Leg Press

Sideways Single Leg Press

You will need access to a leg press machine for this exercise. Adjust the seat and weight appropriately before sitting in the seat sideways and placing whichever leg is closest to the plate, sideways, onto the plate. Your knee should be bent and close to your shoulder. This is your starting position. Push the plate forward by extending your leg completely. Return to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Sideways Seated Single Leg Press

Single Leg Cable Kick Backs

You will need access to a cable tower for this exercise. Attach a low cable ankle cuff to your left ankle and face the tower. Select an appropriate weight and position your right foot 1-2 feet from the cable tower. Balance on your right leg while holding onto the tower’s handles. This is your starting position. Keeping your left knee slightly bent, drive your left leg backwards. Squeeze your glute muscles briefly before returning to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Single Leg Cable Kick Backs

Body Weight Donkey Kicks

Get down on your hands and knees. This is your starting position. Contract your glute muscles as you bring your right leg up behind you. Keep the right knee bent as you perform the movement. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before lowering your leg back to the starting position. Repeat and then switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Donkey Kicks

Donkey Kicks with Resistance Band

Get down on your hands and knees. Position a resistance band so you are holding the handles beneath your hands and the band is strung around the heel of your right foot. This is your starting position. Contract your glute muscles as you bring your right leg up behind you. Keep the right knee bent as you perform the movement. Lower your leg back to the starting position, repeat, and then switch legs.

Body Weight Single Leg Raise

Get down on your hands and knees and extend your right leg out behind you. This is your starting position. Keeping your leg completely straight, contract your glute muscles to lift your right leg up into the air. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before lowering your leg back to the starting position. Repeat and then switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Single Leg Raise

Abductor

You will need access to an abductor machine for this exercise. Sit on the abductor machine and select an appropriate weight. Grip the handles on both sides. This is your starting position. Keeping your torso stationary in the seat, push your legs away from one another until you feel a strong contraction in your outer thighs and glutes. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise: Abductor

Resistance Band Abductor

Sit on a chair with a resistance band looped and secured around your thighs. Hold onto the sides of the chair for support. This is your starting position. Lift your feet slightly off of the ground as you move your legs as far away from each other as you can, against the resistance of the band. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Exercise: Resistance Band Abductor

Cable Abductor

You will need access to a cable tower for this exercise. Select an appropriate weight and attach a low cable ankle cuff to your right ankle. Stand so the cable tower is to your left and hold onto the handle with your left hand for support. This is your starting position. Keeping your right leg fully extended, bring your leg up against the resistance of the cable until you can feel the contraction in your outer thigh and glutes. Return to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Cable Abductor

Body Weight Abductor

Lie on your left side on a mat. Your legs should be bent at the knee and stacked on top of one another. You can prop your head up with your arm. Extend your right leg out. This is your starting position. Raise your right leg upwards until it creates a 45-degree angle with the floor and you can feel the contraction in your outer thigh and glutes. Return to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Abductor

Body Weight Fire Hydrant

Get down on your hands and knees. This is your starting position. Keeping your right leg bent at the knee so it forms a 90-degree angle, contract your glutes to lift it out to the side and upwards. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before lowering your leg back to the starting position. Repeat and switch legs.

Exercise: Body Weight Fire Hydrant

(Your Next Workout: 8 Exercises to Tone Your Butt That Aren’t Squats)