What Exercises Lift Your Buttocks: 14 Workouts

Every person has different goals as to what they want to achieve from their workout, if you aim to have toned buttocks¹, then read on to know what exercises lift your buttocks.

Every youngster nowadays goes to the gym to lose weight and build muscles, but many forget to build or work on their butt muscles which are also crucial as other muscles.

Many who go to the gym or exercise do not know what butt-lifting exercises are. It is not only important for girls but also for boys. Knowing what exercises lift your buttocks is important so you don’t end up wasting your time. So, without further ado, let’s delve in!

14 Exercises that Lift Your Buttocks

Butt lifting exercises are always important for your health for building a strong, tight, and round butt. But what exercises lift your buttocks and what does it even mean?

Butt lifting exercises don’t only help you tighten or strengthen your muscles; instead, it also helps to perform the daily task with enthusiasm, reduce your lower body and knee bent, and improve your posture to work more efficiently with ease.

Here is where you will be getting the best exercises for lifting your buttocks.

Exercising is good for our health as well as keeping us active. But overburdening yourself or stocking yourself with lots of exercises will lead to the breakdown of muscles and not giving even enough time for muscle growth.

Let us see what exercises lift your buttocks in a good way. While there are many exercises choosing the best one according to your health, limit, strength, and capacity to do that exercise, never force your body to do exercises out of your capacity, and start with the most straightforward exercise.

So, research into what exercises lift your buttocks ²prior to starting your exercise regimen.

Shaping the Butt from all Sides

Doing one exercise won’t work for lifting hips, several exercises will help you shape your butt from different sides or angles. There are several versatile butt-lifting exercises, but what exercises lift your buttocks?

For having a toned butt, you should focus on the area where the hamstring is joined or connected with the gluteus maximus. ³

It not only strengthens your backside but also gives you good aesthetic results. Doing these exercises causes excessively tight quads and hip flexors and prevents your butts from firing.

What Exercises Lift Your Buttocks?

1. At Home

Exercise done at home is different from that in a gym. At home, we use household things that help lift the buttocks in a normal manner. The time we exercise at home is about 15- 20 mins, which is less than in a gym.

And in gyms, there are days for legs, arms, shoulders, and chest. Reps with some sets are also very important both at home and at the gym.

Equipment used are-

1. Mat
2. 1-2 litre water bottle
3. Chair
4. Resistance band

Time-

At least do it for 25- 30 mins.

Exercise for-

Every exercise does not target one muscle; it also targets many muscles. Other muscles also build but at a minimum rate. So these butt-lifting exercises⁴ are also good for the muscles like –

1. Glutes
2. Hamstrings
3. Outer-thighs
4. Quads
5. Inner thighs

2. At Gym

When we talk about what exercises lift your buttocks, there are several options at the gym. Exercises done at the gym are different and more challenging than those performed at home. These exercises need a trainer. Under the supervision of these trainers, every muscle is built in an exact and specific manner.

These types of muscle-building training are taken by sports persons and people who are interested in building muscles for their fitness.

Equipment used-

1. Dumbells
2. Rods
3. Plates with weights
4. Muscle-specific machines

Mirrors for monitoring yourself

Time-

There are specific days for leg and glute workouts.

Exercise for-

As we discussed earlier, each exercise is not for one muscle, it ensures the building of other muscles along with the major muscle that is targeted. The exercises done in the gym under a trainer are good for the following muscles:

1. Glutes
2. Hamstrings
3. Outer-thighs
4. Quads
5. Inner thighs

But under heavy equipment, it will lead to the building of solid muscles than at home.

Let us discuss the butt-lifting exercises, which are to be done regularly at home and on an alternative or weekly basis at the gym under the trainer’s supervision.

1. Glute Bridge

Instructions –

Lie on the floor with your back, also known as floor exercises. Keep your knees slightly bent, and your feet should be on the floor at least 15- 18 inches apart from your butt. Glute bridge has to be my chosen answer when it comes to my favourite exercises for shaping my butt.⁵

Forcibly press your heel and support your core and squeeze your butt or glutes for increasing your hips upwards, then wait in that position for at least 1-3 seasons, then lower down your body.

This is known as one rep or one repetition.

At least do 3-sets, each with 12-15 reps.

2. Squat Pulse

Instructions –

Stand with a leg straight but apart from each other. Then hip-width apart, hand griped in front of the chest. Then hips are to be pushed back and knees slightly bent to lower into a squat position.

Then, the bodyweight squat to lifted up and down. This is called one rep.

At least three sets, each with 12- 15 reps.

3. Donkey Kick

Every item on the list of what exercises lift your buttocks must be followed through and performed with a correct stance.

Instructions –

Get on all fours like a dog or donkey on the mat. First, keep both knees at 90 degrees, and your head should be straight perpendicular to your legs.

Then, first, lift your right leg into the air till your body forms a straight line starting from shoulder to knee, and your right toe should kick above in the air. Repeat this movement for doing again and again. Again, repeat it with the other leg.

At least do 3 sets each with 10-12 reps (each leg).

4. Jump Squat

Instructions –

Stand with a leg straight, but both legs should be apart from each other and then hip-width apart, hand griped in front of the chest. Keep your knees bent and try to jump as much as you can jump.

After jumping, come back on the floor in a similar squat position. Whenever you try to keep your legs in a squat position, don’t curl them up or decrease the space between the legs and hip width.

Keep them relaxed and then bent. Starting from jumping in the air and then coming back down in a squat position is one rep.

Ideally, you do 3 sets with 20 reps.

5. Bird Dog

Instructions –

Get on all fours like a dog or donkey on the mat. Extend your left leg backward straight line with your right hand forward, and then hold it for a few seconds, then back to the starting position.

Repeat this exercise with the right leg backward and the left hand forward.

At least do 3sets each with 20 -15 reps.

6. Kick Back Squat

Instructions –

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, parallel to your shoulder width. It extends your leg behind you and creates a burning sensation in the thighs. The resistance band around the ankle should be arranged so that it blocks your walking.

Now lower your body in a squat position again, then return to the starting position and kick behind the body. Repeat this exercise with the other leg in the same way.

At least do- 3 sets on each leg with 10-12 reps.

7. Deep squats

Instructions –

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart and join your hands with bent elbows. Make a wide difference between the left and right foot, then bend the knees.

Take a deep breath and bend downwards just like a squat but this time bend down a little deeper, hold the breath and posture, and release on it when you come back to the starting position. Repeat this one, rep.

At least do- 3 sets each with 12-15 reps.

8. Lateral Squat Walk

Instructions –

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, parallel to your shoulder width. A big step sideways laterally is taken by the right leg and increases the gap between the two legs by pulling the right leg sideways and not slightly bending the knees.

Only bend the knees of the left leg, which is straight in a standing position. Now come back by pushing the floor on the left leg and raising the hips and right leg, then return to the starting position.

You can do this exercise by gliding gliders under your feet.

At least do- 3 sets each with 12-15 reps.

Instructions –

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, parallel to your shoulder width. Move a step forward with your right leg and bend the knees of both legs. As you bend your knees, lower your hips towards the floor so that both of the legs make 90 90-degree angle.

For getting up from the floor, push the floor by the right leg and involve your glutes for standing up. Then step your left leg to meet your right leg. Now try to move forward in lunges and repeat the alternative legs.

At least do 3 sets each with 10-13 reps.

9. Pistol Squat

Instructions –

Stand straight with feet hip-width apart, parallel to your shoulder width. Extend one leg and two hands forward in the air. Try to maintain the full bodyweight squat on one leg, which is left. Try to put one leg and two hands in the air while performing the squat.

Do a complete squat, then push the floor and raise your body weight upwards as you go down. Repeat the same with the other leg as well.

At least do 3 sets each with 12-15 reps.

Modified Pistol Squat

Instructions on how to do this-

Sit on a chair and try to align your back and the chair’s back. Hold the dumbbells in each hand and the dumbbells to your chest.

Same as above mentioned, lift your left foot above the floor and try to stand up, putting your total body weight on one leg by pushing the floor, then slowly return to sit on the chair. Repeat this with the alternative leg.

This modified version is used much more than the authentic version of the pistol squat.

In the pistol squat, the whole body weight is on one leg, but in the modified version of the pistol squat, one leg holding the total body weight is given support by a chair and dumbbells are given in each hand to increase the weight. This is much easier as well as the authentic one, and we can learn it, it’s much easier than pistol squat.

At least do- 3 sets each with 12-15 reps.

10. Single-Leg Deadlift

Instructions –

On the list of what exercises lift your buttocks, this one has to be the hardest. Stand straight with shoulder width parallel to the hip-width apart. Hold dumbbells in each hand and keep the shoulder downward.

Extend your left leg behind in the air, your right leg straight in the standing position, then lean forward with your chest and hands with dumbbells downward.

Pause there for a few seconds, and then when you feel like your torso is parallel with your floor. Return slowly to the starting position. These are the best exercises to engage your gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.

This will shape and lift your full butt in a correct position. Repeat this with another or alternative leg. At least do 3 sets each with 10-15 reps.

11. Lateral Lunge

Instructions –

Stand straight with your shoulder and hip-width apart. Now take a large step sideways, and as you move sideways for taking a large start bending the right knee in a squat position, wait for a few seconds, then come back in the center.

Now switch legs and move in sideways on the alternative side where the left leg will bend the knees on its side. Like this at a time, switch legs in one rep only.

This is just like a walking lunge, we have to move sideways in a walking lunge. We have to move forward and backward. This workout will help you build your outer thigh muscles in a specific way.

These lateral lunges are also called side lunges.

At least do 3 sets each with 15- 18 reps.

12. Sumo Squat

Instructions –

Stand in a wide squat position. Stand straight with your shoulder and hip-width apart. Open your legs more than the usual squat.

In a normal squat, the difference between the two legs is 10-15 inches, but in a sumo squat, the gap between the two legs will be 5 inches more in the left leg and 5 inches more in the right leg.

Now bend your knees and try to go down just like a squat but don’t go as much as in a regular squat. Hold there for a few seconds, and then come back from where you started in a wide squat position. This is one rep; now repeat it. At least do 3 sets each with 12-15 reps.

13. Frog Squat

Instructions –

Stand in a straight position with hip-width apart. Bent your knees and sit in a squat position but keep your elbow touched with the knees slightly bent. Hold for a few seconds in that position, then raise your hips facing forward.

Just raise your hips, not your elbow from the knees slightly bent. Your toes pointed slightly outward, just like a frog.

In this, you just have to raise your hips facing forward and keep your hands on the elbow, this is one rep. Repeat it just like a normal squat. At least do 3 sets each with 12- 15 reps.

14. Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Instructions –

On a mat, lie down straight along with the backside. Knees are bent with the foot facing the floor and hands on the side of your waist, then straighten your right knee.

Know your weight is on one leg, which is the left knee. Now press the left foot that has its knee bent and raise your full body weight on your gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.

Hold it for a few seconds. When the body weight is not raised above, the left leg with the floor is made perpendicular or 90 degrees. After holding it in the air for a few seconds, bring your right straight leg in the same position and repeat the same. This is one rep.

This full workout concentrates on the lower body and specific muscles like hamstrings, glutes, quads, and flat feet muscles. The above-mentioned is shown with one leg. Repeat it with the right foot.

At least do 3 sets each with 10-15 reps.

How Often to Do the Butt Workout?

Now that you know what exercises lift your buttocks, let’s talk about how often to perform these.

By including different postures after or while doing the exercises like hip-width apart, feet slightly wider, knees bent, arms straight, many exercises were there in which only one leg was used to support single leg deadlift, etc.

There are some exercises like deep squats that are not very effective. We don’t do them by doing too much down, but in a deep squat, these are like sit-ups. It means that they are slightly effective when an individual is starting with zero.

By doing all these exercises weekly for two days, your butt will be targeted very nicely and lifted from all angles, which will undoubtedly strengthen, tighten, increase, and grow your muscle.

This was all about what exercises your buttocks. How often we can do glute workouts? We should practice glute workouts for two days; in those two, the muscle breakdown will happen, but after two, give rest to your glutes and focus on other muscles like the shoulder, chest, arms, etc.

This rest will allow your body to repair all damaged muscles. Adequate rest and a proper protein diet will allow your body to repair and grow targeted or, we can say, glutes.

Cardio Workout

After doing all these exercises mentioned under what exercises lift your buttocks, our body needs a cardio workout according to our needs. For example, if an individual has started as a beginner, they should do cardio, which is easier to do. But it should be done after the exercises.

1. Cycling

Cycling is the most common cardio exercise done by almost all of us. In this exercise, our lower body involvement is greater. As we peddle the cycle, the lower body feels pressure on the thighs, calves, and gluteus Maximus.

2. Running or Jogging

When we talk about what exercises lift your buttocks, running is the most feasible option. Running or jogging are cardio exercises involving your lower body and upper body.

Both of these exercises include the left leg pushing the floor and the right foot’s knee slightly bent. Both the elbows are bent, which brings your shoulder to the back and position.

This exercise is to be repeated with the right leg. In this cardio, starting from shoulder to toe, every part is engaged in the cardio workout.

Killer Cardio Workout

A killer cardio workout is for those who all do a heavy-strength workout as their body demands a killer cardio workout to burn more calories.

Like push-ups which include raising hips upwards and all four limbs downwards parallel to the floor, squats with arms raised include simple squats with standing legs and arms straight upwards, etc.

These cardio, killer cardio, and exercises include different postures of limbs like left foot, left knee, right foot, feet shoulder-width, squat position, foot flexed, left arm, lift the left foot, feet flat, left heel, lift hips.

EndNote

Above mentioned items on the roster of what exercises lift your buttocks are all beneficial for the said purpose if performed daily.

In all these exercises, we can see different types of postures are formed due to which not only the glutes as well as quads, hamstrings, and a little bit of the upper body also become rigid if we continue to do all these exercises along with the upper body exercise, cardio, or killer cardio.

Our body starts feeling more robust and more active for the rest of the day, but the key is to be consistent!

Read more from us here.

1. Cuenca-Guerra, Ramon, and Jorge Quezada. “What makes buttocks beautiful? A review and classification of the determinants of gluteal beauty and the surgical techniques to achieve them.” Aesthetic plastic surgery 28 (2004): 340-347. ↩︎
2. Detz, Jeanine. “Get your best butt! Big butt, no butt, droopy butt? Reshape your assets in time for swimsuit season with our six supereffective moves.” Shape 24.10 (2005): 238-244. ↩︎
3. Lieberman, Daniel E., et al. “The human gluteus maximus and its role in running.” Journal of Experimental Biology 209.11 (2006): 2143-2155. ↩︎
4. Khan, Arif Maghribi. “How to Get a Bigger Butt and Wider Hips Naturally.” ↩︎
5. Hu, Minghan, et al. “Shaping the assembly of superparamagnetic nanoparticles.” ACS nano 13.3 (2019): 3015-3022. ↩︎

Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by ayeshayusuf