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Exercises

Hip exercises at home: glutes, outer hips, inner thighs and balance

Published October 19, 2026

The best hip exercises at home are the dumbbell hip thrust and kettlebell swing for the back of the hips, the clamshell, fire hydrant and lateral band walk for the outer hips, the Copenhagen plank and Cossack squat for the inner hips, and the skater squat, curtsy lunge and step-up for single-leg control. With no equipment, the one-leg hip thrust and skater squat supply the load. Train each area twice a week and push the sets close to failure.

  1. Dumbbell Hip Thrust Glutes
  2. Cossack Squat Quads, Adductors
  3. Lateral Band Walk Abductors
  4. Kettlebell Swing Glutes, Hamstrings
  5. Skater Squat Quads, Glutes
  6. Copenhagen Plank Adductors, Abs
  7. Clamshell Abductors
  8. Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge Quads, Glutes

Exercises for the back of the hips

The glutes and hamstrings straighten your hip, and they are your strongest hip muscles. Pick a thrust for the squeezed position and a hinge or swing for the stretched one.

Glutes, dumbbell hip thrust off the couch

Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Glutes

Your upper back on the edge of a couch and one heavy dumbbell on your hips is all a hip thrust needs at home. It loads the glutes hardest where they are fully shortened, and it is the hip exercise that takes the most weight you are likely to own.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your shoulder blades against the edge of a couch or bench and set a dumbbell across your hip crease, holding both ends.
  2. Plant your feet so your shins will stand vertical when your hips are up.
  3. Push through your heels and lift until your hips are level with your knees, chin tucked toward your chest.
  4. Squeeze at the top, lower until your hips hover above the floor, and repeat.

Cues

  • Shins vertical at the top
  • Chin down, ribs down
  • Squeeze before you lower

Common mistakes

  • Driving the hips up by arching the lower back: stop at level and squeeze harder instead of going higher.
  • Letting the couch slide back: push it against a wall first.

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

Build a session with Dumbbell Hip Thrust

Glutes, one-leg thrust

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Glutes

Doing the thrust on one leg doubles the load on each glute without needing a heavier dumbbell, and the hip has to resist twisting as well as extend. With bodyweight alone it is a hard exercise for most people.

How to do it

  1. Set your upper back on the couch edge and plant one foot in front of you, the other knee drawn up toward your chest.
  2. Rest a dumbbell on the working hip if bodyweight is too easy.
  3. Drive through the planted heel and raise your hips until they are level, keeping them square.
  4. Lower slowly until your hips nearly touch the floor and go again. Finish the set, then switch legs.

Cues

  • Hips level side to side
  • Free knee pulled in
  • Heel drives the floor

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hip of the free leg drop as you lift: keep both hip bones at the same height.
  • Pushing from the toes, which shifts work to the quads: keep the weight in the heel.

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

Build a session with Single-Leg Hip Thrust

Glutes and hamstrings, explosive hinge

Kettlebell Swing

Glutes, Hamstrings

A swing is a hip snap: you hinge, then drive the hips forward hard enough to float the bell to chest height. It trains hip power and conditioning together and is one of the best uses of a single kettlebell.

How to do it

  1. Set the bell a short step ahead of your feet, feet a little wider than your hips.
  2. Hinge to grip the handle with both hands, tilt the bell back toward you and hike it between your legs.
  3. Snap your hips forward and stand tall so the bell floats up to about chest height; your arms just guide it.
  4. Let it fall back between your legs as you hinge again, and go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Hike it like a football
  • Snap the hips, not the arms
  • Stand tall at the top

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the bell up and down: the knees bend a little, the hips go back a lot.
  • Lifting with the shoulders to get it higher: chest height is the target, driven by the hips.

Swap for: Dumbbell Swing, Kettlebell Deadlift, Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift

Build a session with Kettlebell Swing

Glutes and hamstrings, staggered-stance hinge

Dumbbell B-Stance RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

With the back foot set only for balance, the front hip carries most of the hinge, so a light pair of dumbbells feels heavy. It is the step between a two-leg Romanian deadlift and a full single-leg one.

How to do it

  1. Stand with one foot set a half step behind the other, heel raised, and hold dumbbells at your thighs.
  2. Put most of your weight in the front foot and soften that knee.
  3. Hinge at the hips, sliding the dumbbells down the front leg until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, back flat.
  4. Push the front hip through to stand, then repeat. Swap the stance after the set.

Cues

  • Front leg does the work
  • Back toes only for balance
  • Hips back, flat back

Common mistakes

  • Sharing the load between both feet: if the back leg is tired after a set, move more weight forward.
  • Rounding the back to reach the floor: stop where your hamstrings stop you.

Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift

Build a session with Dumbbell B-Stance RDL

Exercises for the outer hips

The outer hip muscles raise the leg sideways and keep your pelvis level on one foot. Start with the clamshell and the fire hydrant, and add a band once bodyweight reps run past 25.

Outer hips, side-lying knee lift

Clamshell

Abductors

Lying sideways with bent knees, you open the top knee like a clamshell. It isolates the deep outer hip muscles that turn the thigh outward, and it is the easiest outer-hip exercise to start with.

How to do it

  1. Lie sideways, hips stacked, knees bent forward and heels lined up with your back.
  2. Pillow your head on the lower arm, upper hand resting on the hip bone.
  3. Keep the feet touching and raise the top knee as far as you can without rolling your hips back.
  4. Lower it under control and repeat. Add a loop above the knees once 25 reps is easy.

Cues

  • Feet stay together
  • Hips do not roll back
  • Slow down, pause up

Common mistakes

  • Rocking the pelvis backward to open further: a smaller range with still hips works the muscle better.
  • Rushing short reps: open fully and pause.

Swap for: Fire Hydrant, Band Seated Hip Abduction, Lateral Band Walk

Build a session with Clamshell

Outer hips, all-fours side lift

Fire Hydrant

Abductors

On hands and knees, you lift one bent leg sideways while your trunk stays still. It trains the outer hip at a higher range than the clamshell and needs nothing but floor space.

How to do it

  1. Kneel on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
  2. Brace your trunk so your back stays flat and your shoulders level.
  3. Raise one knee sideways, keeping the knee bent, until the thigh is close to level with your hips.
  4. Lower it back under your hip and repeat. Finish the set, then change sides.

Cues

  • Knee leads, foot follows
  • Shoulders stay level
  • Pause at the top

Common mistakes

  • Shifting your weight onto the far hand to lift higher: keep your torso centered.
  • Swinging the leg: lift and lower over about two seconds each.

Swap for: Clamshell, Standing Side Leg Raise, Band Standing Hip Abduction

Build a session with Fire Hydrant

Outer hips, standing straight-leg lift

Standing Side Leg Raise

Abductors

Lifting one straight leg sideways works the outer hip of the moving leg while the standing hip holds you level. Holding a chair turns it into pure outer-hip work; letting go adds balance.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall beside a chair or wall and rest one hand on it.
  2. Put your weight on the inside leg and keep the outside leg straight, toes pointing ahead.
  3. Raise the outside leg sideways, stopping before your torso leans.
  4. Lower slowly until the foot almost touches the floor, then lift again. Switch sides after the set.

Cues

  • Toes forward, not up
  • Stand tall
  • Lower slowly

Common mistakes

  • Tilting the torso away to get more height: the leg stops when your trunk starts to lean.
  • Turning the toes toward the ceiling, which moves the work to the front of the hip.

Swap for: Fire Hydrant, Lateral Band Walk, Clamshell

Build a session with Standing Side Leg Raise

Outer hips, banded side steps

Lateral Band Walk

Abductors

A loop around your ankles adds resistance to every side step, so the outer hips of both legs work at once. It is the quickest way to make outer-hip work hard at home once bodyweight lifts get easy.

How to do it

  1. Place a loop band around your ankles and stand with your feet under your hips.
  2. Bend into a shallow squat and keep your chest up.
  3. Step sideways with one foot until the band is tight, then follow with the other foot, keeping tension.
  4. Take the target number of steps one way, then come back leading with the other foot.

Cues

  • Stay in the squat
  • Band stays tight
  • Toes forward

Common mistakes

  • Straightening up between steps: keep the same depth throughout.
  • Letting the feet come all the way together: stop them a little apart.

Swap for: Band Standing Hip Abduction, Fire Hydrant, Standing Side Leg Raise

Build a session with Lateral Band Walk

Exercises for the inner hips

The adductors pull the legs together and help steady your knees on lunges. One exercise a session is enough.

Inner thighs, side plank with top leg on a chair

Copenhagen Plank

Adductors, Abs

Your top leg rests on a chair or couch and holds most of your body up, which loads the inner thigh harder than any band or floor exercise. Short sets are enough.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side by a couch, forearm under your shoulder, and rest the inside of your top knee on the seat.
  2. Let the bottom leg rest under the couch or on the floor.
  3. Press down through the top knee and raise your hips so your body runs in one line from head to knee.
  4. Hold, or raise and lower the hips for reps, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Press the seat down
  • Hips in line
  • Knee support first

Common mistakes

  • Sagging at the hips: shorten the set and keep the line.
  • Moving the support to the ankle too soon: earn it with clean knee-supported sets.

Swap for: Cossack Squat, Band Hip Adduction, Kettlebell Lateral Lunge

Build a session with Copenhagen Plank

Inner thighs and hip range, side squat

Cossack Squat

Quads, Adductors

Sinking into one hip while the other leg stays straight loads the inner thigh in a stretch and asks the bent hip for a lot of range. It is how you build hip mobility with strength attached.

How to do it

  1. Set your feet very wide, toes turned slightly out.
  2. Sit your hips down toward one heel, letting the other leg straighten with toes pointing up.
  3. Go as low as you can keep the bent-side foot flat.
  4. Push back to the middle, then sit toward the other side.

Cues

  • Bent foot flat
  • Straight leg, toes up
  • Pause low

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the heel to get deeper: stop where the heel stays down.
  • Hurrying side to side: stand in the middle between reps.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Kettlebell Lateral Lunge, Copenhagen Plank

Build a session with Cossack Squat

Single-leg exercises for hip control

Everything the hip does comes together when you stand on one leg. These three ask it to extend, stay level and keep the knee in line at once.

Glutes and hip control, one-leg squat

Skater Squat

Quads, Glutes

Squatting on one leg with the other knee dropping behind you, the hip has to hold the knee in line and the pelvis level through a deep range. It is the hardest bodyweight hip exercise here and needs no gear.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg with the other knee bent so that foot is behind you, arms reaching forward.
  2. Lean your torso forward and lower your hips, bringing the back knee toward the floor.
  3. Touch the back knee lightly to a cushion or stop just above the floor.
  4. Drive through the standing foot to rise. Finish the set, then switch legs.

Cues

  • Back knee to the cushion
  • Arms forward to balance
  • Standing knee over the toes

Common mistakes

  • Letting the standing knee cave in: shorten the depth until it tracks over the toes.
  • Dropping fast into the bottom: take two seconds down.

Swap for: Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge, Step-Up, Bulgarian Split Squat

Build a session with Skater Squat

Outer hips and glutes, crossover lunge

Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge

Quads, Glutes

Stepping back and across makes the outer glute of the front leg stop the knee from caving in. Holding dumbbells at your sides adds load to an exercise that also trains balance.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides.
  2. Step one foot behind and across the other, as in a curtsy.
  3. Lower until the front thigh is close to level with the floor, front knee pointing over the toes.
  4. Press through the front foot back to standing, then repeat.

Cues

  • Square hips
  • Front knee in line
  • Moderate crossover

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips rotate toward the back leg: keep them facing forward.
  • Stepping too far across: you should feel stable at the bottom.

Swap for: Dumbbell Reverse Lunge, Band Curtsy Lunge, Skater Squat

Build a session with Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge

Glutes and hip control, step onto a box or bench

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Stepping up onto a sturdy box or bench makes one hip lift your bodyweight while keeping the pelvis level. It is simple, easy to load with dumbbells, and the step height sets how much the glutes work.

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell at each side and stand facing a bench or sturdy box.
  2. Put one whole foot on the step.
  3. Drive through that foot to stand up on the step, without pushing off the back foot.
  4. Lower back down slowly with the same leg in control, and repeat on the same side.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the step
  • Back foot does not push
  • Lower slowly

Common mistakes

  • Bouncing off the floor foot: let it hang and lift with the top leg only.
  • Letting the knee drift inward as you rise: keep it over the middle toes.

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

Build a session with Step-Up

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. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

No equipment at all

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You have a floor, a couch and a cushion, and you want to strengthen your hips without buying anything.

Without weights, single-leg versions supply the load: the one-leg hip thrust and skater squat lead the session at 1 to 2 reps in reserve. The clamshell and fire hydrant follow for the outer hips, taken to 0 or 1 in reserve since they are safe to push hard, and the Copenhagen plank and Cossack squat cover the inner hips. About 15 working sets.

Bodyweight Hips
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Single-Leg Hip ThrustPer leg. Back on the couch. 3 × 10–20 1 1 min
Skater SquatPer leg. Cushion under the knee. 3 × 5–10 2 90 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 2 × 6–10 2 1 min
ClamshellPer side. 3 × 15–30 0 45 s
Fire HydrantPer side. 2 × 12–20 1 45 s
Copenhagen PlankReps per side. 2 × 6–12 2 1 min
How to run it
Do it twice a week with two days between. Use a cushion under the back knee on the skater squat.
How to progress
Add reps each week. When an exercise passes the top of its range, slow the lowering to three seconds or add a pause at the hardest point.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

One kettlebell or dumbbell set and a loop band

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets23 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Dumbbells, Resistance Bands, Flat Bench

You have a kettlebell or a pair of dumbbells, a mini loop and a sturdy step, and you want your hips to get bigger and stronger.

With load, the hip extensors carry the session. Day A uses the swing and the thrust; day B the staggered RDL and step-up, both at 1 to 2 in reserve. The curtsy lunge and band walk each appear once to work the outer hips under load and alone. Each day is 12 to 13 working sets.

Hips A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Swing1 warm-up set firstHips snap. Stand tall. 4 × 12–20 2 90 s
Dumbbell Hip ThrustPause 1 s at the top. 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Dumbbell Curtsy LungePer leg. 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Lateral Band WalkSteps per direction. 2 × 12–20 1 45 s

Open Hips A in the session builder

Hips B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell B-Stance RDL1 warm-up set firstPer leg. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Step-UpPer leg. 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Single-Leg Hip ThrustPer leg. 3 × 10–15 1 1 min
Copenhagen PlankReps per side. 2 × 8–12 2 1 min

Open Hips B in the session builder

How to run it
Run Hips A and Hips B once each per week, with at least one day between.
How to progress
Double progression: once every set reaches the top of the range at the target RIR, go up a weight step. With one kettlebell, add reps to the swing and a pause to the thrust.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Rebuilding balance after time off

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench

You have not trained in a while, standing on one leg feels shaky, and you want your hips stronger and steadier before moving on to harder exercises.

This plan starts with support and short ranges: the side leg raise holding a chair, the clamshell lying down, and the step-up on a low step. Every set stops 2 to 3 reps short of failure so you learn the positions without soreness, and the staggered RDL builds the hinge with a back foot for balance. Ten working sets, three times a week.

Steady Hips
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Step-UpPer leg. Low step. 3 × 8–12 3 1 min
Standing Side Leg RaisePer side. Hold a chair. 2 × 10–15 2 45 s
ClamshellPer side. 3 × 12–20 2 45 s
Dumbbell B-Stance RDLPer leg. Light or bodyweight. 2 × 8–12 3 1 min
How to run it
Do it three times a week. Start with a low step, about the height of a stair, and hold a chair for balance on anything that feels shaky.
How to progress
Add reps first. When you reach the top of every range at RIR 2, raise the step, let go of the chair on the side leg raise, or add a light dumbbell to the staggered RDL.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What exercises build hip muscles?

Hip thrusts, swings and Romanian deadlifts build the glutes; clamshells, side leg raises and band walks build the outer hips; Copenhagen planks and Cossack squats build the inner hips. Single-leg squats and step-ups tie them together.

Can you strengthen your hips at home without equipment?

Yes. The one-leg hip thrust, skater squat, Cossack squat, Copenhagen plank, clamshell and fire hydrant all use bodyweight and furniture. Use single-leg versions and slow lowering to keep them hard as you get stronger.

Does walking strengthen the hips?

Walking keeps the hips active, but once you are used to it the effort is too low to build strength. Exercises that take each set close to failure, like the ones on this page, build strength much faster.

How often should I do hip exercises at home?

Two or three times a week. Short sessions of 10 to 15 sets, with a day between, are easy to recover from and fit around other training.

What is the best single hip exercise at home?

If you can only do one, the skater squat trains hip extension, outer-hip stability and knee control together. Add a hip thrust and a side lift when you have time for more.

How many reps should I do for hip exercises?

Loaded lifts like the hip thrust and swing work well at 8 to 20 reps. Bodyweight outer-hip exercises often need 15 to 30 to get close to failure. Stop each set 0 to 2 reps short of failure.