The 33 Best Glute Exercises for Your Workout
A good glute workout trains all three glute muscles — maximus, medius, and minimus. The gluteus maximus, the largest of the three, is mainly responsible for hip extension, the movement behind exercises like hip thrusts and deep squats.
On this page you'll find 33 glute exercises curated by Befit, with execution videos, posture tips, and variations for the gym, home gym, and bodyweight training. Every exercise has been reviewed by a fitness professional specialized in strength training.
If you already know what you want, use the level and equipment filters to jump straight to the right exercise. If you'd rather start somewhere, check the top 10 below — the movements with the strongest consensus for glute hypertrophy and strength.
And if you want a glute workout built from scratch, personalized to your goal, your time, and your equipment, that's exactly what the Befit app does automatically.
How to build your Glutes workout
Volume per session: 4 to 5 exercises, 12 to 18 total sets.
Movement split: 1 hip thrust (barbell or dumbbell — the exercise with the highest glute activation in EMG studies), 1 deep squat or Bulgarian split squat, and 1 to 2 isolation moves (cable hip extension, kickback).
Sets and reps: 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps for hypertrophy, with load close to failure on the last reps and 60 to 90 seconds of rest.
Frequency: twice a week is the sweet spot between stimulus and recovery for most people.
Top Glutes exercises
| # | Exercise | Level | Equipment | Muscle focus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Barbell Hip Thrust
|
Advanced | Olympic barbell | Glutes | See execution |
| 2 |
Dumbbell Hip Thrust
|
Beginner | Dumbbells | Glutes | See execution |
| 3 |
Lever Hip Thrust
|
Beginner | Hip Thrust Machine | Glutes | See execution |
| 4 |
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
|
Intermediate | Dumbbells | Glutes | See execution |
| 5 |
Bodyweight Hip Thrust
|
Beginner | Straight Bench | Glutes | See execution |
| 6 |
Single Leg Hip Thrust
|
Beginner | Straight Bench | Glutes | See execution |
| 7 |
Smith Machine Hip Thrust
|
Beginner | Smith machine | Glutes | See execution |
| 8 |
Cable individual glute kickbacks
|
Beginner | Dual cable pulley machine | Glutes | See execution |
| 9 |
Kettlebell Deadlift
|
Intermediate | Kettlebell | Glutes | See execution |
| 10 |
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
|
Beginner | Dumbbells | Glutes | See execution |
Barbell Hip Thrust
Dumbbell Hip Thrust
Lever Hip Thrust
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Bodyweight Hip Thrust
Single Leg Hip Thrust
Smith Machine Hip Thrust
Cable individual glute kickbacks
Kettlebell Deadlift
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
All 33 Glutes exercises
Glutes workout at home vs. at the gym
Training glutes at home works well with a pair of dumbbells and, ideally, a sturdy bench or chair to support hip thrusts.
With that minimum you can build dumbbell hip thrusts on the floor or bench (single-leg for more intensity), Bulgarian split squats, and high-rep bodyweight glute bridges.
At the gym, the toolkit is bigger. You've got a barbell for heavy hip thrusts (the exercise with the highest glute activation there is), a dedicated hip thrust machine with a guided path, and a cable machine for low-pulley hip extensions, a good isolation move for the end range of the movement.
Use the Bodyweight or Home Gym filter above to see only exercises that fit your setup.
How Befit builds your Glutes workout with AI
Picking an exercise is only half the problem. The other half is: how many sets, how many reps, what load, in what order, when to switch things up. And that changes every week as you progress.
Befit solves this with an AI that builds a personalized training plan for your goal (hypertrophy, strength, definition), your level, your time per session, and your equipment. Every week, the algorithm adjusts volume and load based on what you've logged.
You don't need to know how to program periodization. Just train and log it.
Safety tips for Glutes training
- On hip thrusts, the movement comes from hip extension, not your lower back — avoid hyperextending your spine at the top of the movement. Keep your chin neutral, looking forward, not at the ceiling.
- Rest your upper back (not your neck) on the bench during hip thrusts, using a pad if the bench edge is too hard.
- On Bulgarian split squats, keep most of your weight on the front leg — the back leg is just there for balance.
- Control the lowering phase on any hip extension exercise — dropping too fast reduces the stimulus and increases the chance of lower back compensation.
- Rest at least 48 hours between glute sessions.
Frequently asked questions about Glutes training
-
How many exercises should I do for a glute workout?
An effective glute workout has 4 to 5 exercises per session, prioritizing hip thrusts (proven highest glute activation) and rounding out with a squat or lunge plus cable isolation. Total volume between 12 and 18 sets per week works well for hypertrophy.
-
How many sets and reps for glute hypertrophy?
For hypertrophy, 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps work well, with load close to failure on the last reps. Hip thrusts also tolerate heavy loads and lower reps well, since it's a stable, body-guided movement.
-
What's the best beginner glute workout?
For beginners, a solid glute workout has 2 exercises: dumbbell hip thrust on the floor (easier to learn than with a barbell) and bodyweight glute bridge. Focus on not hyperextending your lower back at the top of the movement.
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Can you train glutes at home?
Yes. Dumbbell hip thrusts (on the floor or supported on a bench or chair) and Bulgarian split squats cover the main movements. Use the Bodyweight filter in the exercise list above.
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Does training glutes and hamstrings on the same day work?
It works very well, since both muscle groups work together in hip extension movements. Suggested order: hip thrust first (glute-focused), then a stiff-leg deadlift or leg curl (hamstring-focused).
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How many times a week should I train glutes?
Twice a week is the sweet spot between stimulus and recovery for most people. Glutes respond well to higher frequency, since they recover relatively quickly between sessions.
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What's the best exercise for glutes?
The barbell hip thrust has the highest glute maximus activation in EMG studies, since it isolates hip extension well without involving the quads as much as a squat does. Deep squats pair well by working the glute together with the whole leg.
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How do I know I'm feeling it in my glutes and not my lower back during hip thrusts?
You should feel your glutes squeezing hard at the top of the movement, not your lower back. If your lower back hurts, you're probably hyperextending your spine instead of driving the movement from the hip. Film a set from the side and compare it to the execution video on Befit.
