What Are the Best Glute Strength Exercises for Stronger Lifts and Better Posture?

If you think a few squats and deadlifts are all it takes to build your glutes, think again! The real secret lies in mastering Glute Strength Exercises that target every muscle fiber, from the mighty gluteus maximus to the supporting gluteus medius and minimus.

These muscles do more than just look good. They help you lift heavier, improve your posture, and give you more power with every step.

Most of us spend a lot of time sitting at work, at home, or in traffic. This can make your glutes less active, leading to weak hips, poor alignment, and frequent lower back pain.

Adding exercises like hip thrusts, split squats, and glute bridges can really help. Using just your body weight or a resistance band, you can wake up those muscles and move with better control, balance, and stability.

This guide covers top glute workouts, from single-leg glute bridges to reverse lunges and Romanian deadlifts, to help you lift more, improve your posture, and feel your best. Grab your mat, set your feet hip-width apart, and get started. Stronger glutes make everything better.

What Are The Best Glute Exercises?

Here are the best exercises to build muscle, improve your balance, and help you stand taller every day.

1. Barbell Hip Thrust

No other exercise isolates and strengthens the glutes as well as this one. It focuses on hip extension, which is the main job of your glutes.

How to do it:

• Sit on the floor with a bench behind you and a barbell rolled over your hips.
• Keep feet hip-width apart and knees bent.
• Lean back so your shoulder blades rest on the edge of the bench.
• Drive through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips.

Pro tip: Focus on good form and control instead of lifting heavy weights. If you don’t have a barbell, use dumbbells or a resistance band instead.

2. Step-Up

Step-ups train single-leg strength, balance, and power. Ideal for building glutes that perform inside and outside the gym.

How to do it:

• Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides.
• Place your left foot firmly on a step or box.
• Lean slightly forward and push through your heel to rise.
• Extend your right knee and hips fully at the top.
• Step down slowly, maintaining balance, and switch sides.

Why it works: Leaning forward and pushing through your heel makes sure your glutes, not just your quads, do most of the work.

3. Reverse Hyper

The Reverse Hyper works your entire back side and is gentle on your spine, making it great for both glute and lower back health.

How to do it:

• Lie face down on the reverse hyper machine with hips at the pad’s edge.
• Grip the handles and keep your core tight.
• With slightly bent knees, lift your legs until they’re parallel to the ground.
• Lower with control, no swinging.

Why it works: This exercise focuses on hip extension, which is a main job of the glutes, and it also helps improve blood flow for recovery.

Discover: Should I Hire a Personal Trainer for Lifting Weights?

4. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Few exercises work the glutes and hamstrings as well as the RDL. It’s great for improving posture, balance, and overall strength.

How to do it:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your thighs.
• Keep a slight bend in your knees.
• Hinge at the hips, sliding the weights down your shins until you feel a hamstring stretch.
• Engage your glutes to push your hips forward and return to standing.
• Maintain a neutral spine the whole time.

Pro tip: Keep the dumbbells close to your body. The closer the weights are, the safer and more effective your lift will be.

5. Curtsy Lunge

This move challenges your balance and works smaller stabilizing muscles, such as the gluteus medius and minimus.

How to do it:

• Start standing tall with your hands on your hips or holding dumbbells.
• Step your left leg behind and across your right foot diagonally.
• Lower into a lunge until your right thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Push through your right heel to return to the start.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Why it works: The diagonal step activates your hip abductors, which helps improve your side-to-side stability and posture.

6. Sprinter Position Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

This exercise combines balance, coordination, and glute activation. It’s a tough lower-body move that brings real athletic benefits.

How to do it:

• Stand a few feet in front of a bench.
• Place the top of your right foot on the bench behind you.
• Hold dumbbells at your sides and lean forward into a 45-degree angle.
• Lower until your left thigh is parallel to the ground.
• Push through your left heel to rise back up.

Pro tip: Keep leaning forward. This puts more of the work on your glutes instead of your quads.

7. Single-Leg Hip Thrust

This exercise helps balance strength between your right and left legs, and also improves hip stability and core strength.

How to do it:

• Sit with your shoulders on a bench and feet hip-width apart.
• Extend one leg straight in front of you.
• Drive through the heel of your grounded leg and lift your hips.
• Hold at the top for one second and squeeze your glutes.
• Slowly lower and repeat before switching sides.

Why it works: This move reveals any imbalances and makes each glute work on its own for better stability and control.

8. Dumbbell Frog Press

It may have a funny name, but this exercise really works. It targets your glute medius and improves hip mobility, making it a great way to finish your workout.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with a dumbbell across your hips.
• Press the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall outward.
• Drive through the outer edges of your feet to lift your hips.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Lower slowly, keeping tension throughout.

Why it works: The external hip rotation targets deep muscle fibers in the glutes, perfect for balance and tone.

Best Workouts for Building Glute Strength

Now that you know how your glutes work, it’s time to make them stronger, rounder, and more powerful. At Crunch, we believe glute training should be smart, efficient, and fun because when you train right, every lift, stride, and squat gets better.

Start with Bodyweight Glute Strength Exercises

These movements are great for beginners and perfect for warming up before heavier lifts:

• Slick Floor Bridge Curl: Grab a towel or sliders, lie down, and curl your heels in while keeping your hips lifted. It builds glute and hamstring strength while improving hip extension.
• Hip Drop and Lift: A standing move that targets the gluteus medius and improves balance and posture, ideal for better hip alignment.
• Prone Frog Curl: Lying face down, press your feet together and curl them toward your glutes. This activates deep glute muscles often ignored in traditional training.
• Internal Rotation Hip Lift: Strengthens your gluteus minimus and helps improve mobility and stability in your hips.
• Fire Hydrant: The name says it all! This exercise hits your outer glutes for shape, symmetry, and total lower-body control.

Add Machine-Based Workouts

Crunch gyms have equipment like glute drive machines, cable kickbacks, leg presses, and Romanian deadlifts. These machines help you build strength safely with controlled resistance, which supports muscle growth and better posture.

Level Up with Crunch Classes & Trainers

Try a Butt Camp, Band Camp, Body Sculpt, or HIITZone class to work your glutes with expert guidance and group support. For even better results, work with a Crunch personal trainer who can help with your form, create a custom plan, and help you reach your glute goals.

How Many Glute Exercises Should You Do?

There isn’t a single answer for everyone, but most fitness experts suggest doing 10 to 20 sets of glute exercises each week. You can spread these sets over one to three workouts, depending on your experience.

For beginners, a sample weekly workout might include:

• Monday: 2 sets of barbell hip thrusts, 2 sets of step-ups
• Wednesday: 2 sets of glute bridges, 2 sets of reverse hyper
• Saturday: 2 sets of Romanian deadlifts, 2 sets of curtsy lunges

For intermediates, consider:

• Monday: 3 sets of barbell hip thrusts, 3 sets of single-leg glute bridges
• Wednesday: 3 sets of split squats, 3 sets of reverse hyper
• Saturday: 3 sets of Romanian deadlifts, 3 sets of Bulgarian split squats

Finish with a high-rep move like frog pumps or fire hydrants to really work your muscles. The goal is to challenge your glutes, not wear them out, so they can recover and get stronger.

To make real progress, focus on progressive overload. This means slowly increasing the weight, resistance, reps, or sets over time. Each small change helps your glutes adapt, recover, and grow.

How Often Should You Work Your Glutes?

Most people should leave at least 48 hours between glute workouts to allow for proper recovery and muscle repair. If you have delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and feel like you can’t sit down, it means your muscles need more rest.

Remember, recovery is just as important as training. Eat lean protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs to rebuild muscle and keep your energy up. With the right balance of consistency, good nutrition, and rest, your glutes will get stronger and more stable, ready for every lift and step.

How Crunch Fitness Can Help You Build Stronger Glutes

At Crunch, our personal trainers understand that strong glutes are important for better lifts, posture, and confidence. They are here to help you see results quickly.

Everyone’s glutes are different, so your trainer will create a plan that fits your goals, fitness level, and lifestyle. Whether you want to tone up, get stronger, or fix muscle imbalances, they will guide you through the best glute workouts for you.

Your trainer will also:

• Teach you proper form and alignment, so every rep targets the right muscles.
• Introduce progressive overload safely to help your glutes grow stronger week by week.
• Combine bodyweight and resistance training for balanced, real-world strength.
• Keep you motivated and accountable when that “just one more set” moment hits.

Crunch personal trainers do more than count reps. They are your partners in reaching your goals. They make sure your workouts challenge you, your recovery helps you grow, and your mindset stays positive.

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FAQ’s

How Do I Strengthen My Weak Glutes?

Focus on glute activation and strength exercises like dumbbell frog press, single-leg hip thrust, and curtsy lunge. Start with bodyweight moves, then add resistance bands or weights for progressive overload.

What Are The Symptoms Of Weak Glutes?

Weak glutes can cause lower back pain, poor posture, knee discomfort, and balance issues. You may also notice instability during squats, lunges, or single-leg movements.

What Is The 888 Rule For Glutes?

The 888 rule involves performing 8 reps of 8 different glute exercises for 8 rounds. It’s a high-volume burnout method to fully activate and strengthen all areas of your glutes.

What Is The Most Effective Glute Exercise?

The barbell hip thrust is often considered the best glute exercise. It targets the gluteus maximus through full hip extension, maximizing strength, size, and muscle activation.

How Long Does It Take To See Results From Glute Workouts?

You can start seeing visible improvements in 4–8 weeks with consistent training, proper form, and balanced nutrition that supports muscle growth and recovery.

Can I Train My Glutes Every Day?

It’s best to train glutes 2–3 times per week with at least 48 hours of rest between sessions. Daily training can lead to fatigue and slow recovery, reducing your overall progress.