Sculpt Lean, Strong Glutes With These…
4 Bodyweight Butt Exercises
If you want lean, strong glutes, you’ve got to do bodyweight isolation exercises!
Why are bodyweight butt exercises so important to include in your routine?
- Because most people can contract their glutes harder during bodyweight exercises than during heavy squats and deadlifts.
- The movements that recruit the most gluteal muscle fibers and target the glutes the best use no weight or very minimal resistance.
- Bodyweight exercises more easily allow you to put your glutes under constant tension for better results.
- You can easily work your glutes from every angle with bodyweight moves!
4 Bodyweight Butt Exercises:
Exercise #1: Straight Leg Fire Hydrant
Ever seen that funny move that looks like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant? Well it is a great butt exercise! It targets your glute medius to build hip stability and work your glutes from every angle! And you can make it even more challenging by making it a straight-leg instead of a bent-knee move.
To do the Straight-Leg Fire Hydrant, start on your hands and knees on the ground then straighten one leg out to the side in line with your hip. Keeping your arms straight, lift your straight left leg up toward the ceiling. Do not bend the knee. Squeeze your glute as you lift and make sure to keep your arms straight.
Hold for a second or two at the top then lower back down. Make sure that you lift straight out to the side and keep your leg straight. Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Exercise #2: Donkey Kicks
The Donkey Kick is a great move to work the upper and lower glutes. It puts the glutes under constant tension and allows for a harder contraction.
To do the Donkey Kick, start on your hands and knees. With your right knee bent and foot flexed, drive your right foot up and back toward the ceiling. Keep your core braced and squeeze your glutes as you kick your heel up and back. Do not let your right knee flare out as you lift. Make sure to really drive your heel up toward the ceiling.
Extend your hip as you kick back. Don’t simply swing the leg back and up or hyperextend your low back to kick up higher. You want to squeeze your glute and feel your hip extending. Hold for a second or two at the top and lower back down.
Exercise #3: Reverse Hypers
If you want a lean, strong butt, you have to do hip extension exercises and even hip hyperextension exercises. The Reverse Hyper is a great hyperextension exercise and has one of the highest glute activation percentages at 111%! AKA you will get better results strengthening your butt by including this move than a squat or deadlift that have under 60% activation.
To do Reverse Hypers, lie face down on a bench with your hips right on the edge of the bench. Keep your legs close together, and if you struggle to engage your glutes, turn your toes out. Bend your knees to almost 90 degrees and flex your feet.
Then, with your knees bent, drive your heels up toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes as you press your hips down into the bench. You can slightly drive up and out as you lift to really get your glutes to work. Make sure that you squeeze your glutes as you lift and don’t hyperextend your low back just to get up higher.
Consciously squeeze your glutes at the top and then lower down. You can even slow down the tempo of this move and add in a longer pause at the top to make your glutes work harder.
Exercise #4: Bird Dogs
The Bird Dog will activate your glutes and work your abs. Ever heard that tight hip flexors could cause a lower belly pooch? Well it is true! Tight hip flexors can contribute to that annoying lower belly pooch AND even prevent your glutes from engaging and working correctly! That is why the Bird Dog is an important move to include.
To do the Bird Dog, start on your hands and knees with your feet flexed. Then, keeping your foot flexed, kick your right leg back behind you as you raise your left arm out toward the wall in front of you. Brace your abs and keep your hips and chest square to the ground as you lift your arm and your leg. Do not rotate open as you lift.
Really try to drive your arm and leg toward opposite walls as you keep your core engaged and squeeze your glutes. Hold for a second at the top and then bring your arm and leg back down, crunching over as you bring your elbow to your knee under your body. Try to touch your elbow to your knee before extending back out.
Move slowly so you can stay balanced and don’t need to touch down or let your body rotate.
Are you ready to learn more about the glute workouts that can help you sculpt a lean, strong butt WITHOUT spending hours in the gym or time or money on fancy equipment or cardio?
Then check out our 28-Day Booty Burner Program – 15-minute workouts you can do anywhere for great results!