Exercises/Glutes

The best glute exercises, rated

22 glute exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating A: Great choices 11

Rating ABodyweight45° Back ExtensionLoads the glutes and hamstrings in the stretch with little fatigue.How to do it Rating ABarbellB-Stance Hip ThrustAlmost single-leg, but with the stability of two feet: more load per glute without the balance problem of a true single-leg hip thrust.How to do it Rating ABarbellBarbell Hip ThrustGave as much glute growth as squats (but less quad growth), with low risk and easy to load.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Deficit Reverse LungeThe step gives more depth than the regular reverse lunge, so more stretch on the glutes and quads.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Reverse LungeMore stable and knee-friendly than the forward lunge, with a good glute stretch.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Hip AbductionIsolates the gluteus medius/minimus in a stable way.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Hip ThrustSame stimulus as the barbell version with less setup and more stability.How to do it Rating ADumbbellSingle-Leg Dumbbell Hip ThrustGoing unilateral gives you enough resistance at home even with little weight.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Front-Foot-Elevated Reverse LungeExtra range of motion with a stable path.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Hip ThrustSame stimulus as the barbell hip thrust.How to do it Rating ADumbbellWalking LungeBig stretch on glutes and quads, but fatiguing and balance-dependent.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 8

Rating BCableCable Glute KickbackUsable isolation, but often ends up in the lower back and has little stretch.How to do it Rating BCableCable Hip AbductionWorks, but harder to overload and less stable than the machine.How to do it Rating BCableCable Pull-ThroughGood exercise for learning the hinge, but the load quickly becomes limiting.How to do it Rating BBarbellDeadliftTop exercise for strength, but for hypertrophy a lot of fatigue per unit of growth stimulus.How to do it Rating BDumbbellDumbbell Hip ThrustA good hip thrust at home.How to do it Rating BBarbellGlute BridgeSmaller range of motion than the hip thrust.How to do it Rating BBarbellSumo DeadliftStrength variation with more adductors and glutes.How to do it Rating BBarbellTrap Bar DeadliftEasier on the back than a conventional deadlift and suited to strength, but situational for hypertrophy.How to do it

Rating C: Situational 3

Rating CBand, ball or wheelBanded Lateral WalkAlmost no tension in the stretch.How to do it Rating CBodyweightFrog PumpsHard to load and no stretch.How to do it Rating CKettlebellKettlebell SwingGreat for conditioning and power, but too little tension for hypertrophy.How to do it

Also trains your glutes

Exercises for other muscles where your glutes help.

Rating SMachineHack SquatStable, deep and easy to load, safe to take close to failure.How to do it Rating ABarbellBarbell Back SquatDeep squats gave more glute and adductor growth than half squats, and as much glute growth as hip thrusts plus more quad growth.How to do it Rating AMachineBelt SquatQuad and glute stimulus like a squat without loading the spine.How to do it Rating ADumbbellBulgarian Split SquatBig stretch on quads and glutes with just dumbbells, but very fatiguing and balance-dependent.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Front-Foot-Elevated Split SquatThe elevation gives extra depth and thus more stretch on the quads and glutes, with less balance demand than the Bulgarian split squat.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Romanian DeadliftSame mechanics as the barbell RDL, fine at home until grip becomes the limit.How to do it

Plan your training

Knowledge base
What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
glute training

What is the best glute exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated glute exercises are the 45° back extension, B-stance hip thrust, barbell hip thrust and dumbbell deficit reverse lunge. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my glutes at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the 45° back extension, dumbbell deficit reverse lunge, dumbbell reverse lunge and single-leg dumbbell hip thrust.

How many glute exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

Be one of the first in.

We’re opening Mitta to small groups. Join before launch and get 50% off Pro or Pro + AI for 3 months.

One email to confirm, then your invite when it’s ready. Write to privacy@digicc.one to stop. By joining you confirm you are 18 or older. Privacy