How to get a bigger buttocks with exercise at home

Glute workouts may once have been the go-to for a Kardashian-style instant butt lift, but now they're now the preferred exercise for women who want to train smarter, not harder.

Table of Contents Show

Can exercise really make your bum bigger?
What are the best workouts for a bigger bum?
Single Leg Glute bridges
Side lying clams
13 best bum workouts to tone your behind
At-home bum workout
15-minute bum workout
Bum workout with equipment
Bum workout without squats
Bum workout with weights
Bum workout on a mat
Bum workout using bodyweight
Bum workout in the gym
Resistance band bum workout
Bum workout in park
Pilates inspired bum workout
Abs and bum workout
How can I get bigger buttocks naturally?
What exercise makes your buttocks bigger?

"The glutes are the engine of the body and hold everything together," says Stephen Pasterino, trainer and founder of P.volve. "They are the largest, strongest muscles in the body and have been strategically placed at the crossroads of the upper body and lower body."

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Let us decode that. If you want to tone your legs, tighten your lower stomach and fix your posture it's time to get to the bottom of the problem, which is often weakened glute muscles.

To help you finesse your lower body workout routine, we've rounded up the best bum workouts available online. Whether in the home or gym, with weights or just your bodyweight, good results are guaranteed.

Read on to discover why training your glutes will give you more than just aesthetic benefits, and which moves (other than squats) will help result in a perkier posterior.

Can exercise really make your bum bigger?

Absolutely. "It's possible to 'grow' this area of your body by using your workout to activate and engage particular muscles, which will make your bum stronger, firmer and have a more shapely appearance," says Pasterino.

So, what type of exercise results in a more rounded rear? "Strength training in particular will increase the size of your butt," notes Loui Fazakerley, trainer at Third Space. And there are three main muscles you should be targeting:

Gluteus maximus
Gluteus medius
Gluteus minimus

"The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the bum area, and the one responsible for making your bum 'pop'," explains Jenny Francis, trainer at F45 Islington. "The gluteus medius is smaller and situated higher up and towards the sides of your bum, and is attached to the ligaments in your hip joint. Finally, there's the gluteus minimus, situated underneath the gluteus maximus, which works alongside the gluteus medius to help stabilise the hip."

What are the best workouts for a bigger bum?

Before lift off, it's always wise to brush up on the ground work and identify which moves target each glute.

According to the experts your bum workout should include:

Gluteus maximus: hip thrusts, deadlifts, squats and donkey kicks
Gluteus medius: Sideways leg raises and the seated hip abduction machine
Gluteus minimums: Balancing exercises such as the side bridge/plank

Before you get started, try these two glute activation exercises to prime your rear for action...

Single Leg Glute bridges

Targets: Gluteus maximus

Do: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

Side lying clams

Targets: Gluteus medius

Do: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

side-lying-clamshell rebel

13 best bum workouts to tone your behind

Now onto the fun bit...

At-home bum workout

The unofficial glute-firming queen, Jen Selter, shows you six moves you can do from the comfort of your living room. Be prepared for the burn.

15-minute bum workout

Fitness star Alice Liveing talks you through four lesser-known bum exercises to strengthen your glutes. The trainer covers single leg step-up, sumo deadlifts, single-leg glute bridges and kettlebell swings in this 15-minute workout. All you need is a kettlebell and bench to hand.

Women's Health Cast Iron and Rubber Kettlebell - 12kg

Bum workout with equipment

Gunnar Peterson, the trainer behind the bums of Kim Kardashian and Sofia Vergara, reveals his four essential moves for a strong rear. The only equipment you need is a skipping rope and dumbbells.

Bum workout without squats

If you're bored of squatting, don't let that put you off working your glutes. Leandro Carvalho – who created the Brazil Butt Lift workout Kate Hudson swears by – has devised this five-move butt-blitzing circuit without a squat in sight.

Bum workout with weights

Challenge your body a little more by adding some weights. Lyzabeth Lopez, creator of the Hourglass Workout, has revealed the four moves she enlists for stronger glutes and a bigger bum. Try three one-minute sets per move with a 30-second rest after each set. All you need is two dumbbells and a Swiss ball.

Women's Health Grey Gym Ball - 65cm

Bum workout on a mat

Because sometimes standing up feels just too hard. Ariel Hoffman, the US-based trainer to the stars, has revealed her five-move circuit to isolate the glute muscles for focused sculpting.

Bum workout using bodyweight

This is another glute workout you can do from the comfort of your living room. And, as trainer Zanna van Dijk shows, you don't even need to put on your trainers. Her workout features hip thrust, leg raises, donkey kicks and glute brides. Plus, absolutely zero weights.