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Exercises

Glute exercises for men: thrusts, hinges, single-leg work and side glutes

Published October 29, 2026

The best glute exercises for men are the barbell hip thrust and glute bridge for loading the glutes directly, the Romanian deadlift and cable pull-through for hip hinges, the Bulgarian split squat and step-up for one leg at a time, and the hip abduction machine for the side glutes. Squats and deadlifts work the glutes, but often leave them behind the quads and lower back. Train glutes twice a week with one thrust, one hinge and one single-leg exercise, 3 sets of 6 to 12 each, 1 to 2 reps short of failure. Beginners can start with the dumbbell hip thrust and reverse lunge.

  1. Hip Thrust Glutes
  2. Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Glutes
  3. Bulgarian Split Squat Quads, Glutes
  4. Dumbbell Hip Thrust Glutes
  5. Step-Up Quads, Glutes
  6. Cable Pull-Through Glutes, Hamstrings
  7. Hip Abduction Machine Abductors
  8. Glute Bridge Glutes

Hip thrusts and bridges

These load the glutes hardest where they are shortest, at full hip lockout, with little work for the quads or lower back. They are the most direct way to grow the glutes and the easiest to add weight to.

Glutes, loaded hip extension

Hip Thrust

Glutes

Most men can hip thrust more weight than they squat, and the glutes do most of the work at lockout. It is the easiest glute exercise to load heavy and keep progressing.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your shoulder blades against the long side of a flat bench and roll a padded bar over your hips.
  2. Plant your feet flat about hip width apart, close enough that your shins are vertical at the top.
  3. Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your torso and thighs form a straight line.
  4. Hold the top for a second with your chin tucked, then lower your hips most of the way down and repeat.

Cues

  • Chin tucked, ribs down
  • Shins vertical at the top
  • One-second squeeze

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get higher: stop when your hips are level with your knees and squeeze your glutes there.
  • Feet too far out, which turns it into a hamstring exercise: bring them in until your shins are vertical at lockout.

Swap for: Smith Machine Hip Thrust, Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Glute Bridge

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Glutes, barbell bridge from the floor

Glute Bridge

Glutes

The same lockout as a hip thrust with a shorter range and simpler setup: no bench to slide on. Good for heavy sets when the bench is taken.

How to do it

  1. Lie on the floor with a padded bar over your hips, knees bent, soles on the floor.
  2. Brace your ribs down and press your heels into the floor.
  3. Lift your hips until your thighs and torso line up, and squeeze your glutes.
  4. Lower your hips to the floor and repeat.

Cues

  • Heels down
  • Squeeze at the top
  • No arching

Common mistakes

  • Pushing the hips higher by arching the lower back: stop at a straight line.
  • Feet too close so the quads take over: move them out until your shins are vertical at the top.

Swap for: Hip Thrust, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Single-Leg Glute Bridge

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Glutes, dumbbell hip thrust

Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Glutes

The best first glute exercise for beginners. One dumbbell on the hips is easy to set up at home or in a crowded gym, and you can move to a barbell once it gets light.

How to do it

  1. Sit down with the edge of a bench just under your shoulder blades and roll a dumbbell into the crease of your hips, a folded towel underneath it.
  2. Plant your feet flat about hip-width apart, close enough that your shins will be vertical when your hips are up, and hold the dumbbell at both ends.
  3. Tuck your chin slightly and press through your whole foot to lift your hips until your torso and thighs form a flat line.
  4. Pause for a second at the top with your glutes squeezed hard and your ribs pulled down, not flared.
  5. Lower your hips until they are a few inches above the floor and start the next rep from there.

Cues

  • Chin tucked, eyes forward
  • Shins vertical at the top
  • Ribs down, glutes squeezed

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get the last inch: stop when your hips are level with your knees and your ribs stay down; the glutes finish the rep, not your spine.
  • Feet too far away or too close: if you feel it mostly in your hamstrings, walk your feet in; if it lands on your quads, walk them out until your shins are vertical at the top.
  • Letting the dumbbell roll toward your stomach: hold both ends and put a folded towel under it so it stays in the hip crease for the whole set.

Swap for: Hip Thrust, Kettlebell Hip Thrust

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Glutes, one leg at a time

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Glutes

With a kettlebell on the working hip, one leg lifts what two legs share in a regular bridge, and any side that lags shows up within a set.

How to do it

  1. On your back, plant one foot flat and the other leg lifted; rest a light kettlebell on the working hip if you have one.
  2. Press the planted heel down and raise your hips until your body is straight from knee to shoulder.
  3. Lower slowly and finish the set before switching.

Cues

  • Push through the heel
  • Hips level
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Letting one hip drop: lower the height until both stay level.

Swap for: Donkey Kick, Dumbbell Glute Bridge, Clamshell

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Hip hinges

Hinges load the glutes and hamstrings in a long, stretched position, the opposite end of the range from a thrust. Using both covers the whole muscle.

Glutes and hamstrings, barbell hinge

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

It loads the glutes in a deep stretch with a heavy bar, which builds the lower glutes where they meet the hamstrings. Use it as your main hinge.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a barbell at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, feet under your hips.
  2. Soften your knees and push your hips back, sliding the bar down your thighs.
  3. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually just below the knee, with your back flat.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up, glutes tight at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Back flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat: keep them soft and still.
  • Reaching for the floor: stop where your back would round.

Swap for: Weighted Back Extension

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Glutes, cable hinge

Cable Pull-Through

Glutes, Hamstrings

The cable pulls you backward rather than down, so the glutes work hard to lock out while the lower back gets little load. Useful when your back is tired from deadlifts.

How to do it

  1. Attach a rope to a low pulley, turn your back to the stack and take the rope ends between your legs.
  2. Walk forward until the stack lifts, feet a bit wider than your hips.
  3. Hinge back, letting the rope pull your hands between your thighs, back flat and knees softly bent.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand tall and squeeze your glutes at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back, then hips through
  • Arms just hold the rope
  • Squeeze your glutes to finish

Common mistakes

  • Squatting down instead of hinging: keep your shins near vertical and move your hips back.
  • Pulling with your arms or leaning back at the top: stand tall and stop.

Swap for: Band Pull-Through, Kettlebell Swing

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Glutes and hamstrings, back extension

45-Degree Back Extension

Glutes, Hamstrings

Round your upper back slightly and squeeze your glutes to lift, and this becomes a glute exercise rather than a lower back one. Hold a plate when bodyweight gets easy.

How to do it

  1. Set the pad so it sits just below your hip bones, then hook your heels under the foot rollers.
  2. Fold your arms over your chest and stand straight in line with the bench.
  3. Bend forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Lift your torso back to a straight line with your legs, squeezing your glutes, and stop there.

Cues

  • Hinge at the hips
  • Stop at a straight line
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top

Common mistakes

  • Arching back past a straight line at the top: the rep ends when your body is straight.
  • Setting the pad too high so it blocks your hips: you should be able to fold freely over it.

Swap for: Back Extension, Superman, Weighted Back Extension

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Split squats, step-ups and lunges

Training one leg at a time puts more of the work on the glute of the front leg, especially when you lean slightly forward and take a long stride. They also show a weaker side quickly.

Glutes and quads, rear-foot-elevated split squat

Bulgarian Split Squat

Quads, Glutes

A long stride and a small forward lean make this one of the hardest glute exercises you can do with dumbbells. It also trains each leg alone, so a weaker side can't hide behind the stronger one the way it can on squats.

How to do it

  1. Set the top of your back foot on a bench and place your front foot a long stride ahead.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, and keep your front foot flat.
  3. Drop your back knee straight toward the floor until the front thigh is close to level.
  4. Press through the front foot to rise, then finish all reps before switching legs.

Cues

  • Go deep for the inner thigh
  • Front foot flat
  • Rear foot is just a kickstand

Common mistakes

  • Pushing up with the back leg: let it relax and make the front leg do the work.
  • Front knee collapsing inward: keep it pointed the same way as your toes.

Swap for: Dumbbell Split Squat, Step-Up, Reverse Lunge

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Glutes and quads, step onto a bench

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Driving through the heel of the top foot trains the glute at the start of the climb. It is easy to learn and needs only a bench and dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing the bench with two dumbbells.
  2. Place one whole foot on the bench.
  3. Lean forward a little and push through the top foot to stand up on the bench.
  4. Bring the other foot up only to touch, then lower it back to the floor.
  5. Finish all reps on one leg before switching.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the bench
  • Push through the top heel
  • Lower slowly, do not drop

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the floor with the back foot: that halves the work. Keep the trailing foot light.
  • Using a bench so high that your knee is far above your hip: you will rock instead of step.

Swap for: Barbell Step-Up

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Glutes and quads, step-back lunge

Dumbbell Reverse Lunge

Quads, Glutes

Stepping back lets you sit into the front hip, which keeps more of the load on the front glute. A good single-leg exercise for beginners.

How to do it

  1. Start tall with a dumbbell hanging from each hand and your feet under your hips.
  2. Step one foot back and lower until your back knee is just above the floor and your front thigh is near parallel.
  3. Keep your front heel flat and your chest tall.
  4. Push through your front foot to bring the back foot forward to the start, then alternate or finish all reps on one side.

Cues

  • Front shin stays vertical
  • Back knee kisses the floor
  • Drive through the front heel

Common mistakes

  • Taking a short step so the front knee shoots forward and the heel lifts: step farther back.
  • Letting the torso twist or lean to the side as you tire; keep both dumbbells hanging straight down.

Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Dumbbell Split Squat

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Side glutes

The glute medius sits on the side of the hip and holds your pelvis level when you stand on one leg. Squats and thrusts load it far less, so give it one exercise a week.

Side glutes, seated abduction

Hip Abduction Machine

Abductors

It isolates the side glutes with load you can add in small steps. Sit tall or tip your chest a few inches forward and feel which one puts more of the burn on the side of your hip.

How to do it

  1. Sit with the outside of your knees against the pads and set the start so your legs are close together.
  2. Lean your torso forward slightly and hold the handles.
  3. Push your knees apart as far as the machine allows.
  4. Pause at the widest point, return slowly without letting the stack touch, and repeat.

Cues

  • Lean forward a little
  • Pause at the widest point
  • Do not let the plates rest

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing the pads out and letting them slam back: count two seconds on the way in.
  • Using so much weight that the range shrinks to a few inches: full range with less load works better.

Swap for: Lateral Band Walk, Band Seated Hip Abduction, Standing Side Leg Raise

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Side glutes, banded side steps

Lateral Band Walk

Abductors

A cheap band trains the side glutes anywhere, and it works well as a warm-up before squats or thrusts.

How to do it

  1. Place a mini band around your legs just above the knees or at the ankles.
  2. Sink into a quarter squat with your feet hip-distance apart.
  3. Step sideways with the lead foot, follow with the other without letting the feet touch, and keep tension in the band.

Cues

  • Stay low
  • Toes point forward

Common mistakes

  • Swaying the torso side to side: keep your shoulders level and take shorter steps.

Swap for: Clamshell, Band Standing Hip Abduction

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Beginner, first glute training, two days

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets14 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Resistance Bands, Flat Bench

You are new to lifting or have never trained glutes directly, and you have a few dumbbells and a bench, at home or in the gym.

Beginners grow from fewer sets, so two days with about 7 sets each are enough. Every day has one thrust, one single-leg exercise and one side-glute move, so you learn all three patterns in the first week.

Day 1
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Hip Thrust 3 × 10–15 3 90 s
Dumbbell Reverse LungePer leg. 2 × 8–12 3 90 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps per side. 2 × 10–15 2 1 min

Open Day 1 in the session builder

Day 2
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 75 s
Step-UpPer leg. 2 × 8–12 3 90 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps per side. 2 × 10–15 2 1 min

Open Day 2 in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1 and Day 2 with two or three days between them, such as Monday and Thursday. Each session takes about 30 minutes, including warm-up sets.
How to progress
Stay at 2 to 3 reps in reserve for the first four weeks while you learn the movements. After that, add reps until you reach the top of the range on every set, then go up one dumbbell size.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Full gym, two lower days built around the glutes

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Flat Bench, Dumbbells, Hip Abductor +1

You have trained for a while, your squat and deadlift are decent, and your glutes still look flat next to your quads.

Two lower days with three glute exercises each give about 20 hard glute sets a week, split between a heavy thrust, a stretched hinge and single-leg work. Day 2 starts with the hinge so each pattern gets a fresh day.

Day 1: Thrust
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Hip Thrust2 warm-up sets first 4 × 6–10 1 2:30 min
Bulgarian Split SquatPer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Hip Abduction Machine 3 × 12–20 0 1 min

Open Day 1: Thrust in the session builder

Day 2: Hinge
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Romanian Deadlift2 warm-up sets first 4 × 6–10 2 3 min
Step-UpPer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
45-Degree Back Extension 3 × 12–15 1 75 s

Open Day 2: Hinge in the session builder

How to run it
Do these as your two lower body days, with at least two days between them. Add a quad exercise to the end if your quads need their own work.
How to progress
Add 10 lb to the hip thrust and 5 lb to the Romanian deadlift when every set reaches the top of the range at the target reps in reserve. On the split squat and machines, add reps first.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Lower back already tired from squats and deadlifts

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets10 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Hip Abductor, Adjustable Cable, Dumbbells

You squat and deadlift heavy on other days, and adding Romanian deadlifts leaves your lower back sore for days.

This adds about 10 glute sets a week through exercises that load the glutes without bending the spine under a bar. The bridge and pull-through cover both ends of the range, and the machine handles the side glutes.

Session A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Glute Bridge1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 1 2 min
Hip Abduction Machine 2 × 15–20 1 1 min

Open Session A in the session builder

Session B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Cable Pull-Through 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Single-Leg Glute BridgePer leg. 2 × 10–15 1 1 min

Open Session B in the session builder

How to run it
Place each session after your main squat or deadlift day, or on a day of its own. It takes about 25 minutes.
How to progress
Add weight to the glute bridge and pull-through when you reach the top of the range at 1 rep in reserve. Pause for 1 second at lockout on every rep, and only count reps where you hold it.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is the best glute exercise for men?

The barbell hip thrust, because it loads the glutes harder than almost anything else. Add a Romanian deadlift and a split squat and you have trained them through their full range.

How long does it take to grow glutes?

Strength shows first: your thrust and Romanian deadlift numbers should climb most weeks for the first couple of months. Visible size takes several months of training them twice a week and adding weight steadily.

Can I do glute exercises every day?

You can, but you don't need to. Two or three hard sessions a week with rest between them grows the glutes better than daily light work.

Is walking good for glutes?

Walking keeps them active, but it is too easy to build muscle. Uphill walking or stair climbing does more, and lifting does the most.

Do squats build glutes in men?

Deep squats do train the glutes, but many men find the quads and lower back do most of the work. Adding hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts fills that gap.