The best butt workout pairs a hip thrust with a deep squat or split squat, adds a hip hinge like the Romanian deadlift, and finishes with hip abduction for the upper and side glutes. Do 2 to 4 hard sets of each, 0 to 2 reps short of failure, twice a week, for roughly 16 to 18 hard glute sets plus 6 abduction sets a week.
Lifters with 6+ months of training and a full gym who want their glutes to be the priority of their lower-body days.
Each day leads with a different glute pattern: the hip thrust and split squat on day A, the deep squat and Romanian deadlift on day B, so the glutes are loaded at the top of the movement and in the stretch every week. That adds up to about 18 hard sets of glute max work and 6 sets of abduction for the upper glutes. Squat and Romanian deadlift stay at 6 to 10 reps, 2 reps short of failure, with 3 minutes of rest; the rest of the work runs 8 to 25 reps closer to failure on shorter rest.
Glutes A: Thrust
Exercise
Sets × reps
RIR
Rest
Hip Thrust2 warm-up sets first1-second hold at the top; ribs down
Run both days each week with at least two days between them, and use them as the lower-body days of an upper/lower or push/pull/legs split. Squats and split squats cover your quads; add a leg curl on day B if you also want more hamstring work.
How to progress
Use double progression: once every set reaches the top of the rep range at the target RIR, add the smallest load jump next session. Hip thrust and squat move in 5 to 10 lb steps; the abduction machine moves one plate.
Anyone training glutes at home with a pair of dumbbells, a loop band, and a couch or sturdy bench.
Light dumbbells run out fast on two-leg moves, so every glute max exercise here is single-leg, which roughly doubles the load each side carries. Sets run 10 to 30 reps at 0 to 1 reps in reserve, because lighter loads build muscle as well as heavy ones once the set is taken close to failure. No set is crushing on its own, so rests stay at 60 to 90 seconds.
Do this session twice a week with at least two days between, for about 16 hard glute sets and 6 band abduction sets a week. Count reps per leg on the first three exercises.
How to progress
Add reps until you hit the top of the range, then make the set harder without heavier dumbbells: a 2-second pause at the top of the thrust, a 3-second lowering on the split squat, or a heavier band. Move up in dumbbells once the top of the range comes easy.
EquipmentBarbells, Flat Bench, Adjustable Cable, Hip Abductor
Lifters who squat and deadlift but feel it mostly in their quads or lower back, and want their glutes to do the work.
Every exercise here keeps the knee nearly still and the spine unloaded, so your quads and lower back can't take over: a paused hip thrust, a cable pull-through, a kickback and abduction. Thrusts stop 2 reps short of failure and everything else 1 short, mostly at 10 to 25 reps, so you can hold the pause and the position on every rep. Focusing on the target muscle grew the biceps more in a study of single-joint exercises, and these single-joint glute lifts are where that focus has room to work.
Glutes First
Exercise
Sets × reps
RIR
Rest
Hip Thrust2 warm-up sets first2-second pause at the top; chin tucked
Do this session twice a week in place of the glute work in your lower-body days for 6 to 8 weeks, for about 16 hard glute sets and 6 abduction sets a week, and keep your leg press or squat for your quads. Then bring a split squat back in after the hip thrust.
How to progress
Keep the 2-second pause on the thrust and add load only when every rep still pauses cleanly. On the cable work, add reps first, then one plate. You don't need a strong burn in your glutes for them to grow; steady load increases on these lifts are the sign it's working.
Go single-leg so light dumbbells feel heavy: single-leg hip thrusts off the couch, Bulgarian split squats and B-stance Romanian deadlifts. Take sets to 0 or 1 rep short of failure, since lighter loads build muscle as well as heavy ones when the set is hard. A loop band around your knees covers the upper glutes.
Train hip abduction directly. Hip thrusts and squats grow the big glute max well but barely touched the glute medius and minimus in a direct comparison, and those sit on the upper, outer part of your hips. Do 3 sets of the abduction machine or a banded abduction on each glute day, 12 to 25 reps, leaning your torso forward.
It loads your glutes hardest with your hips fully extended, and you can add weight for years without your quads or lower back giving out first. In a head-to-head study it grew the glutes as much as squats did, so it earns the first slot on a glute day.
How to do it
Sit on the floor with the bottom edge of your shoulder blades against a bench and roll a padded barbell into the crease of your hips.
Plant your feet about hip width, far enough out that your shins are vertical when your hips are up.
Tuck your chin, brace, and drive through your whole foot until your hips are level with your knees and shoulders.
Hold the top for a beat, then lower until your hips nearly touch the floor and go again.
Cues
Chin tucked, eyes forward
Ribs down at the top
Push the floor away with your heels
Common mistakes
Arching your lower back to finish the rep. Stop when your hips line up with your knees and keep your ribs down.
Feet too close, so your quads take over. Walk them out until your shins are vertical at lockout.
Swap for: Smith Machine Hip Thrust, Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Hip Thrust
Glute max, stretched, one leg
Bulgarian Split Squat
Quads, Glutes
The front leg works through a deep hip bend, which loads the glutes in their stretched position, and it needs only a bench and a pair of dumbbells. A longer stride and a slight forward lean move more of the work onto your glutes.
How to do it
Stand about two steps in front of a bench and rest the top of your back foot on it, a dumbbell in each hand.
Lean your torso slightly forward and lower straight down until your back knee is just above the floor.
Keep most of your weight on the front foot, knee tracking over your toes.
Drive through your front foot to stand back up, then finish every rep on that leg before switching.
Cues
Long stride, slight lean
Front foot does the work
Sink, don't lunge forward
Common mistakes
Short stride and upright torso, which turns it into a quad exercise. Step out further and hinge forward a little.
Pushing off the back foot. Keep it relaxed on the bench as a kickstand.
Swap for: Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squat, Dumbbell Reverse Lunge, Step-Up
Glute max and quads, deep
Barbell Back Squat
Quads, Glutes, Adductors
Squatting to full depth grew the glutes about three times more than half squats did, and it builds your quads at the same time. Depth is the glute variable, so it stays in the plan only if you go low.
How to do it
Set the bar on your upper back, stand it up out of the rack and take two short steps back.
Place your feet a little wider than shoulder width with toes turned out.
Brace, then sit down between your heels until your thighs are below parallel.
Drive up through your whole foot, keeping your chest and hips rising together.
Cues
Below parallel every rep
Knees out over toes
Chest and hips rise together
Common mistakes
Cutting depth to lift more. Lower the weight until every rep reaches the same depth.
Hips shooting up first out of the bottom. Drive your upper back into the bar as you stand.
Swap for: Smith Squat, Goblet Squat, Leg Press
Glutes and hamstrings, hip hinge
Romanian Deadlift
Hamstrings, Glutes
It loads your glutes through a long stretch at the hip, the opposite end of the range from the hip thrust. Pairing the two covers the whole range your glutes work through.
How to do it
Stand tall with the bar at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, knees softly bent.
Push your hips straight back and let the bar slide down your thighs, back flat.
Stop when your hips can't travel back any further, usually just past your knees.
Drive your hips forward to stand up and squeeze your glutes at the top.
Cues
Hips back, not down
Bar stays on your legs
Knee bend stays fixed
Common mistakes
Bending the knees more to reach lower. Keep the bend fixed and stop where your hips stop.
Rounding your back to chase depth. End the rep where your back stays flat.
Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell B-Stance RDL, Cable Pull-Through
Glutes, hinge with no spinal load
Cable Pull-Through
Glutes, Hamstrings
It trains the same hinge as a Romanian deadlift, but the cable pulls from behind, so nothing presses on your spine and the knees barely move. If deadlifts and squats light up your lower back or quads instead of your glutes, this puts the load where you want it.
How to do it
Attach a rope to a low pulley, face away from the stack and hold the rope between your legs.
Walk forward until the weight lifts, feet a bit wider than hip width, knees soft.
Push your hips back and let the rope pull your hands through your legs until you feel a stretch in your glutes.
Drive your hips forward until you stand tall, squeezing your glutes, without leaning back.
Cues
Hips back, arms long
Stand tall, don't lean back
Knees stay soft
Common mistakes
Pulling with the arms. Keep them straight; they only hold the rope.
Leaning back at the top to finish. Stop when you are standing straight.
Swap for: Romanian Deadlift, Band Pull-Through, 45-Degree Back Extension
Glute max, isolated, one side
Cable Glute Kickback
Glutes
Your knee and lower back stay out of it, so the glute on the working side does almost all the work. It is the easiest place to practice feeling your glutes and a cheap way to add sets without more fatigue.
How to do it
Strap a cuff to one ankle on a low pulley and hold the frame with both hands.
Hinge forward slightly and bend your standing knee a little.
Push the strapped leg back and slightly up until your hip is straight, without arching your back.
Return slowly until the stack almost touches, then repeat before switching sides.
Cues
Hips stay square
Drive the heel back
Slow return
Common mistakes
Swinging the leg up and arching your lower back. Lighten the weight and stop when your hip is straight.
Twisting your hips open to lift higher. Keep both hip bones facing the stack.
Pushing your thighs apart trains the glute medius and minimus, the upper and outer glutes that thrusts and squats barely grow. A machine lets you take it close to failure safely and add load in small steps.
How to do it
Sit with the pads against the outside of your knees and grab the handles.
Lean your torso forward from the hips, chest toward your thighs.
Push your knees out as wide as the machine allows and hold for a second.
Let the pads come back in slowly without letting the stack rest.
Cues
Lean forward from the hips
Pause wide
Slow on the way in
Common mistakes
Bouncing out of the bottom with momentum. Control the return and pause at the widest point.
Short reps near the middle. Use the whole range the machine gives you.
Swap for: Multi-Hip Abduction, Band Seated Hip Abduction, Band Standing Hip Abduction
Glute max at home, one leg
Single-Leg Hip Thrust
Glutes
Going single-leg doubles the load on each glute, so a light dumbbell or no weight at all becomes a hard set. It is the home version of the hip thrust when you don't own a barbell.
How to do it
Sit with your upper back against a couch or bench and a dumbbell resting on the hip of your working leg.
Plant that foot under your knee and lift the other foot off the floor, knee bent.
Drive through the planted heel until your hips are level, keeping them square.
Lower until your hips nearly touch the floor and repeat before switching sides.
Cues
Hips stay level
Chin tucked
Pause at the top
Common mistakes
Letting the free side drop at the top. Keep both hip bones level as you rise.
Pushing off the floor with the free foot. Hold it up for the whole set.
Swap for: Dumbbell Hip Thrust, Single-Leg Glute Bridge, Band Hip Thrust
Glutes and hamstrings at home
Dumbbell B-Stance RDL
Hamstrings, Glutes
With the back foot only touching down for balance, the front leg carries most of the load, so a pair of dumbbells goes much further than in a regular Romanian deadlift. It is easier to balance than a true single-leg version.
How to do it
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and set your back foot a half step behind, heel up, toes on the floor.
Put most of your weight on the front leg with that knee softly bent.
Push your hips back and lower the dumbbells along the front shin until you feel a stretch in that glute.
Drive your hips forward to stand, then finish the reps before switching legs.
Cues
Front leg does the work
Hips back, back flat
Back toes only for balance
Common mistakes
Splitting the weight evenly between your legs. Keep about 80% on the front foot.
Rotating the hips open. Keep both hip bones pointing at the floor.
Swap for: Single-Leg RDL, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Kettlebell Deadlift
Upper glutes at home
Band Seated Hip Abduction
Glutes, Abductors
A loop band above your knees turns any chair or bench into an abduction machine. Bands are light, so high reps close to failure are what make the set count.
How to do it
Sit on the edge of a bench or chair with a loop band just above your knees and feet together on the floor.
Lean forward from the hips with your hands on the seat behind you or on your thighs.
Push your knees apart as far as you can and hold for a second.
Let them come back in slowly and go again before the band goes slack.
Cues
Lean forward
Knees wide, pause
Keep the band tight
Common mistakes
Rushing short reps. Open fully and pause every rep.
A band so light you can go past 30 reps. Switch to a heavier band or double it up.
Swap for: Band Standing Hip Abduction, Lateral Band Walk, Hip Abduction Machine
Make it fit you
Glutes are the priority
Put the glute exercise you care most about first in the session and add a set to it. If your glutes aren't the only thing you train, keep total glute work around 16 to 20 hard sets a week so your other lifts still recover.
Upper glutes lagging
Add a third abduction set to each day and lean your torso forward on every rep. Thrusts and squats won't grow this part much, so it only grows if you train it directly.
Hip thrust hurts your hips
Use a thicker pad or a folded mat on the bar, or switch to the Smith machine hip thrust, which is easier to set up. At home, a dumbbell on a folded towel works the same way.
Short on time
Superset the kickback or abduction with the exercise before it, resting only after both. You keep every hard set and lose most of the rest time.
Log reps in reserve
Write down how many reps you had left on every set and count hard glute sets per week. In RIRLift you log RIR per set and see weekly hard sets per muscle, so you know whether your glutes are getting the work you planned.
Questions
What is the #1 glute exercise?
There isn't one. In a 9-week study, the hip thrust and the back squat grew the glutes by similar amounts, and the squat also grew the quads more. Use a hip thrust plus a deep squat or split squat, and add abduction for the upper glutes.
Will doing 100 squats a day make my bum bigger?
Not much. If you can do 100 squats, each rep is too easy to push your glutes. Growth comes from hard sets taken close to failure, so do 3 hard sets of a tougher squat like the Bulgarian split squat, two or three times a week, and add load or reps over time.
How can I build my glutes fast?
Train them twice a week with about 16 to 20 hard sets total, mostly 6 to 20 reps taken 0 to 2 reps short of failure, and add load or reps every week or two. Expect visible change over months, not weeks.
How do I fix a flat butt?
Build the glute max with hip thrusts, deep squats and split squats, and train abduction for the upper glutes that give your hips their shape from the side. Follow one of the plans above for at least 12 weeks and keep adding weight.
How do I lift my butt at the gym?
Use the full-gym plan: a thrust day and a squat day each week, with abduction on both. Thrusts load the top of the movement, deep squats and Romanian deadlifts load the stretch, and abduction builds the upper glutes.
Are 4 exercises enough for glute day?
Yes. Every plan here uses 4 exercises per day: one or two glute max moves, a hinge or kickback, and abduction. More exercises only help if your weekly hard sets are too low.
How often should I train glutes?
Twice a week works well. With the same weekly sets, training a muscle twice a week grows it at least as well as once, and two sessions keep each one short enough that your last sets are still hard.
Do I need to feel my glutes burn for them to grow?
No. In the study comparing hip thrusts and squats, the exercise with more glute activity didn't produce more glute growth. Load going up over the weeks on glute exercises is the sign that matters.
