Want to train your glutes? These 6 exercises will give you the best round glutes!

Nice, round glutes we all want them. Unfortunately, the chances are slim that one day you’ll wake up with glutes that would make Kylie Jenner jealous. You’ll have to work for it. And work hard! Do you already go to the gym regularly or are you planning to get a membership at your local gym, but wondering which exercises are truly effective for your glutes? In this blog, we highlight the 6 very best exercises for round glutes, so that in no time, you’ll be walking around with the glutes you’ve been dreaming of for years!

What are glutes?

You’ve probably seen it on social media: videos with one-liners like “your glutes will be on fire after this workout” or “the 5 glute exercises that grew my glutes like crazy!!!” All fun and games, but what are glutes exactly?

The glutes are the various muscles that together form the buttocks. There are three muscles that work together to help you, among other things, walk. The different exercises we’ll explain later in this blog each target a different muscle group. These are the three muscles in our buttocks:

• The Gluteus Maximus is the largest muscle in the buttocks and is the muscle that determines the shape of your glutes. So, if you’re training for round glutes, it’s recommended to focus on your gluteus maximus.
• The Gluteus Medius is the middle of the three glute muscles and can be felt on the side of the hip. The function of this muscle is to move the leg sideways and stabilise it.
• The Gluteus Minimus is the smallest of the three glute muscles. Like the gluteus medius, this muscle helps stabilise the pelvis while walking.

Training glutes at the gym: These are the 6 best exercises for round glutes!

Do you want to train your glutes at the gym? When you do the exercises below regularly, you’ll notice that you’ll get those toned glutes you’ve always dreamed of in no time! Do you prefer training at home? No problem! In our blog Exercises for toned glutes: easily work on your perfect glutes at home, we cover the best home exercises!

Exercise 1: Barbell Hip Thrust

The king (or queen) of glute exercises: the barbell hip thrust! This exercise is a must if you're aiming for toned glutes. The barbell hip thrust is similar to the glute bridge we discussed in the article about glute exercises for home. The hip thrust can be made more challenging by adding extra weight. In this exercise, the glutes are even more isolated than in the glute bridge, making it a great addition to your workout routine!

To start, make sure you have a barbell with the desired weight. Don’t go too heavy at first; you can gradually increase the weight over time. Next, sit with your shoulder blades against a fitness bench. If your shoulders don’t reach the edge, you’ll need to lift your glutes slightly off the ground. Bend your knees at about a 90-degree angle and place your feet flat on the ground. Lay the barbell horizontally on your legs and roll it up towards your hips. Ensure the barbell rests on your hips during the exercise. If your hips hurt from the barbell, roll a towel, fitness mat, or barbell pad around it.

Now it's time to shine: hold the barbell securely with your hands and lift your hips up. Do this by pushing your feet into the floor and squeezing your glutes. Hold the position at the top and then lower yourself back down slowly. It's important to keep your back straight during the exercise. Try to form a straight line with your body from your knees to your shoulders as you come up.

Exercise 2: Romanian Deadlift

You definitely don’t want to skip the Romanian deadlift when training your glutes at the gym. This is one of the many variations of the deadlift, but it’s highly effective for targeting the glutes!

To begin the exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then slightly bend your knees and grip the barbell with an overhand grip. Make sure your knees form about a 20-degree angle. Next, stand up straight. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings when you're fully upright. Keep looking forward as you come up, as this helps you maintain a straight back—something that's very important in this exercise. Then push your hips slightly back and slowly bend forward to lower the barbell until it hangs just above the ground. From here, repeat the exercise.

Want to learn more about this popular exercise? In our blog Everything about the Romanian deadlift, we explain step by step how to perform the exercise correctly!

Exercise 3: Leg press

The good old leg press; a machine you’ll find in most gyms! With the leg press, you can effectively train not only your legs but also your glutes.

To perform the exercise, first set the weight. This is the weight you’ll be pushing away with your legs during the exercise. Once you’ve set the desired weight, sit down and place your feet high on the platform. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart. This position shifts the focus onto your glutes instead of your quads.

Now, push the platform away to lift the weight. This is the starting position of the exercise. It’s important to keep your knees slightly bent here to reduce pressure on them and prevent knee injuries. Then, slowly lower the weight in a controlled manner by bending your legs until they form a 45-degree angle. Finally, push the platform away from you again.

Exercise 4: Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is another exercise that shouldn’t be missing from your list when training your glutes at the gym. All you need is a fitness bench and some weights if you want to make the exercise more challenging.

To begin, stand with your back to the bench. Place your right leg on the bench with the top of your foot resting on it. Then bend your left leg and lower yourself until your right knee is as close to the ground as possible. Make sure your left knee points in the same direction as your left foot. Next, push yourself back up. Repeat the exercise several times, switching the supporting leg in between sets. Additionally, make sure your left leg is positioned far enough from the bench so that the squat movement can be performed properly.

Note: The photo above is for illustration purposes only. It’s important to tilt your upper body slightly forward during this exercise (while keeping your back straight!). This will shift the focus onto your glutes rather than your quads, which will naturally cause you to look at the floor instead of straight ahead.

Exercise 5: High Box Step-Ups

Climbing stairs is actually already an exercise where you use your glutes well. The high box step-up is somewhat similar to climbing stairs. Training your glutes doesn’t require asking much new from your body; you probably perform this movement daily. In the gym, you’re just going to make it a bit more challenging.

To begin, stand in front of the box with your feet hip-width apart. Place your right foot on the box and lift the rest of your body up, as if you’re taking a giant step. Fully extend your body when you’re standing on the box. Then step back down with your left foot and slowly lower yourself. Be careful not to push off with your leg when you’re back on the ground to go up again. This reduces the effort your glutes have to make, which is something you want to avoid. The best technique is to start lifting yourself back up just before your foot touches the ground (without letting it touch). If this makes you lose your balance, try performing the exercise on a Smith machine or place the box next to a climbing frame so you can stabilise yourself by resting one hand on it during the exercise.

If this exercise becomes too easy, you can hold weights in your hands to give your glutes an extra challenge!

Exercise 6: Cable Kickback

It's time to isolate your glutes: the cable kickback is a very popular exercise among women for building toned glutes. During the exercise, your glutes get extra help from the hamstrings as you bring your leg backward.

To begin, set the appropriate weight (the weight is often lower for this exercise), and then attach the ankle strap of the cable machine to your ankle. Make sure the cable runs through the lower pulley of the machine. Set the pulley so that it’s at knee height, which helps to target the glutes even more.

Now, stand facing the cable machine and hold the bar with both hands. Keep your body upright, and extend the leg attached to the cable straight backward. How far you extend your leg is completely up to you. Move your leg back as far as feels comfortable, without overextending. When your leg reaches what feels like the highest point, squeeze your glutes for a moment before lowering your leg back down. Repeat the exercise as many times as you like, switching legs in between sets. You can also perform this exercise on the hip extension machine if desired.

Boost your performance with supplements

Along with a good workout plan, proper nutrition and supplementation are essential for achieving optimal results. For training your glutes, we recommend the following supplements:

• Whey protein helps with muscle recovery and building muscle mass after intensive training sessions, which is important for strengthening and shaping your glutes.
• Creatine improves your explosive strength and performance, allowing you to perform heavier exercises and do more repetitions.
• A multivitamin ensures you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals, which are important for your overall health and recovery.
• Magnesium supports muscle function and helps prevent cramps and fatigue, which is crucial during intense glute workouts.

These supplements are perfectly tailored to a training program focused on glute exercises and will help you get the most out of your workouts.

In Conclusion

Nice, round glutes; we all want them. Unfortunately, the chances are slim that you’ll wake up one day with glutes that even Kylie Jenner would envy. You’ll have to work for it. But with the exercises mentioned above, you can make it happen! So, what are you waiting for? Start incorporating these exercises and supplements into your routine today and work towards those dream glutes. With consistency, the right approach, and a little help from our recommended supplements, you’re well on your way to firmer, stronger glutes. Happy training!