It is known that the muscles of the glutes and buttocks are very important because they help you walk, run, and climb stairs. Even though these muscles are used a lot in daily life, you probably spend a lot of time sitting unless your job has you standing and moving all day. Sitting and relaxing might seem good but it’s not here. Sitting all day can make your body lose or forget how to properly activate the gluteal and buttock muscles during normal daily activities and exercise. The muscles of the glutes are some of the biggest and strongest muscle groups in the human body. So it’s important to do exercises that target this area. To help you with this, we will show you a set of exercises that fully target the gluteal and buttock muscles.
Workout duration: 15 minutes
Used tools: A pair of dumbbells
Target muscles: Butt and hips
How to do the exercise: You can make five sets, each set has two exercises. Then do each exercise for three rounds of 12 reps with 30 seconds rest between sets.
Or you can do the exercises in order with the number of reps mentioned, repeating the full set three times.
1. Exercise (Sumo Pulse Squats)
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and point your toes out to the sides. Hold one dumbbell with both hands, palms facing each other.
- Lower your butt a few centimeters toward the ground while keeping your back completely straight and your chest up.
- Stand up again then immediately lower your butt down to finish one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps.
2. Curtsy Lunges
- Stand with your feet slightly apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Move your right foot back then to the left with your right toes on the ground. Lower your right knee until it’s just above the ground. Your left knee should make a 90-degree angle.
- Reverse the movement to return to standing then repeat on the other side to complete one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps.
3. Exercise (Donkey Kicks)
- Get down on your hands and knees so your knees are right under your hips and your hands right under your shoulders. Then put a light dumbbell behind your right knee.
- Make sure your right knee makes a 90-degree angle so the dumbbell doesn’t fall. Then lift your right leg up toward the ceiling until your thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Slowly lower your leg toward the ground but don’t touch it. That completes one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps then do the same on your left leg.
4. Exercise (Weighted Glute Bridges)
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Hold one dumbbell in each hand and rest them on your hips.
- Use the balls of your feet to lift your hips up while squeezing your glutes together and try to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold this position for 3 seconds then slowly lower back down to the ground to complete one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps.
5. Bulgarian Split Squats
- Place your weaker foot on a chair or low table and your front foot should be about 60 cm away from the chair.
- Bend your knees and lower your body down but keep your back straight, chest up, and shoulder blades squeezed together.
- Push yourself back up through your front foot to complete one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps.
6. Exercise (Single-Leg Deadlifts)
- Stand with your feet together and hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your body.
- Shift your weight to your right foot, bend your right knee slightly, lift your left leg behind you and lean your torso forward until both are parallel to the ground. Lower the weights toward the floor.
- While doing this exercise, keep your back straight and at the end of the movement the weights should be just above the floor.
- Push yourself back up to standing using your right foot and pull the weights back toward your body to complete one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps, then do the same on the other side.
7. Exercise (Kneeling Side Kicks)
- Get down on your hands and knees with your knees directly under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Then place a light dumbbell behind your right knee.
- Make sure your right knee forms a 90-degree angle so the dumbbell doesn't drop, then lift your right leg out to the side as far as you can, then slowly return to the kneeling position to finish one rep.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps, then do the same on the other side.
8. Exercise (Lateral Lunges)
- Stand with your feet together, hold a dumbbell in each hand and raise them to your shoulders.
- Take a big step to the right with your right foot, bend your right knee and lower your hips down while leaning your torso forward a bit.
- Push yourself up until you're standing, then bring your feet back together. That completes one rep.
- While doing this exercise, make sure to tighten your core by keeping your chest up and your left leg straight.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps, then do the same on the other side.
9. Exercise (Eccentric Deadlifts)
- Stand with your feet a little apart and knees slightly bent then hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Lower your body slightly by leaning your torso forward with bent knees and push your hips back.
- While lowering down, try to keep the dumbbells close to your legs and make sure your back is straight.
- Push yourself up until you’re standing up straight and that’s one rep done.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 reps.
10. Exercise (Three-Pulse Squat Jumps)
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
- Bend forward moving your hips back until you are in a squat position and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Raise your body up a few centimeters then lower down again. Do this three times and on the third time jump as high as you can but keep your back straight and chest up. Land gently. This completes one set.
- Keep repeating this exercise until you finish 12 sets.
