Top 6 Beginner-Friendly & Best Butt Exercises at Home

Looking for the best butt exercises that actually work? Many people want to tone, lift, or grow their glutes but don’t know where to start. Indeed, many of them are usually practiced in the gym, so we want to find some butt exercises at home.

In this guide, we select 6 best butt exercises that require little to no equipment. Whether you’re short on time, avoiding the gym, or new to working out, these simple and beginner-friendly butt exercises can get you results.

The glutes are the largest muscles in our body and are capable of developing a lot of strength. Regular butt exercises improve body posture by increasing the stability of the spine. It is made up of three main muscles:

• Gluteus maximus: The largest muscle, responsible for hip extension and shape.
• Gluteus medius: Supports hip movement and stability, especially during lateral motions.
• Gluteus minimus: Assists in internal rotation and balance.

The more you develop these three muscle groups, the better posture you will maintain in your daily life.

There are many effective butt exercises at home, without risk of injury, as long as you do them with the proper posture. By consulting with our fitness experts, we've picked the top 6 best butt exercises. These exercises can be performed without equipment and adapted for all fitness levels. Are you ready?

Butt Exercise 1: Squats (5–10 mins)

Squats are one of the most complete exercises for a bigger butt. Additionally, they target the entire lower body. If you are an advanced exerciser or want better support and a more standard squat posture, we recommend using the deep squat machine.

The squat assist trainer is specifically designed to guide you into the correct squat position and promote proper exercise form for a safe and effective butt exercise and reduce the risk of strain or injury. With 4 resistance levels, whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, you can easily adjust the intensity to suit your butt exercise routine.

Reps:  3 × 12–15 reps

Steps

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly bend your hips and knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground, as if you were sitting on a chair.
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, then stand up and return to the starting position.

Tips

• Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the entire butt exercise.
• If you want to level up, try a jump squat. Let your arms swing back when you go down, then throw them forward to help you jump up.
• For beginners who find it difficult to squat, you can raise your heels slightly to help with balance.

Butt Exercise 2: Glute Bridges (5–10 mins)

The glute bridge is a basic butt exercise because it is performed lying on the floor without weight. This butt exercise focuses on the development and strengthening of the buttocks to help you improve in intense butt exercises such as squats, deadlifts, strides, the clean, or the snatch.

Reps:  3 × 15 reps

Steps

• Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet planted firmly on the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes and raise your hips upward until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Make a small pause at the top and hold this position for 2–3 seconds, then return to the starting position.

Tips

• At the top of this butt exercise, your body should be aligned in a straight line from your shoulders down to your knees.
• Do not open your feet too much to keep your hips centered and achieve a stronger gluteal contraction.
• To make it more challenging, lift one leg off the floor and perform the glute bridge using just the other leg.

Butt Exercise 3: Lunges (5 mins)

Lunges is one of the most commonly used basic butt exercises. Its objective is to work all the muscles of the lower body with a gesture similar to squats. In addition to the basic lunge, you can also do a side lunge or reverse lunge to increase the intensity of your butt exercises.

Reps:  3 × 10 reps per leg

Steps

• Take a wide step forward and bend the knee of the forward leg, with the thigh parallel to the floor and the knee forming a 90-degree angle.
• Push back through the front heel to return.
• Repeat on the other leg.

Tips

• Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the entire butt exercise.
• The knee of the front leg should not extend beyond the foot.
• For added difficulty, you can use dumbbells or weights in your hands.

Butt Exercise 4: Kick Backs (8–10 mins)

This butt exercise is ideal for strengthening and toning the buttocks and can be performed both at home and in the gym. If you want to increase the intensity of your butt exercise, it is possible to wrap elastic bands around your legs for extra resistance.

Reps:  3 × 12 reps per leg

Steps

• Get on all fours and put your hands shoulder-width apart.
• Extend one leg straight back and up. Hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
• Lower your leg back down slowly, then do the same thing with the other side.

Tips

• Try to keep your shoulders down and away from your ears throughout the entire butt exercise.
• Hold that tucked position and really feel your glutes working.
• If you use resistance bands, make sure they are secure but not too tight, and don't let the bands drag you to do the butt exercise.

Butt Exercise 5: Side Leg Lifts (6 mins)

The side leg lifts cannot be missing in the best butt exercises. It is a very typical exercise in fitness. It is a low-frequency butt exercise, so it doesn't punish the body as much as deadlifts or squats. It is perfect for beginners as a complement to butt exercises at home.

Reps:  3 × 15 per side

Steps

• Lie on one side with your legs fully extended, one on top of the other.
• Raise the top leg upwards approximately 45-70° until the point of maximum gluteal contraction is reached, and hold this position for 2-3 seconds.
• Lower your leg back down, but don’t let it completely relax onto the other one.
• Perform the same exercise with the opposite leg.

Tips

• Keep your legs straight and don't bend your knees.
• It is important to maintain a neutral position of the spine throughout the entire butt exercise.
• You can place a resistance band or weight on the top leg to increase your butt exercise load.

Butt Exercise 6: Step-Ups (5 mins)

According to longevity experts, step-ups is one of the most effective butt exercises, and you don't need to go to the gym. It builds strength and balance while deeply activating glutes. You can even add extra equipment, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell.

Reps:  3 × 10 per leg

Steps

• Stand in front of a sturdy step, ladder, drawer, chair, or bench.
• Step one foot up and press through the heel to lift your body.
• Step down and repeat on the opposite leg.

Tips

• Keep your chest up and your back straight throughout the entire butt exercise.
• The supporting leg on the chair should be positioned at 90°, and the knee should not extend beyond your toe.
• If you are a beginner and want to add this movement to your butt exercise routine, it is best to choose a low step-up and increase the step width little by little.

Comparison

Here are some targeted tips to help you get the most out of your butt exercises, whether you're male or female, and no matter your starting point.

Butt Exercises for Men

Men may seek to increase strength and mass in the glutes. Compound movements like lunges, kickbacks, and step-ups offer excellent results. Add intensity gradually by increasing reps or incorporating dumbbells or a butt exercise machine.

Best butt exercises for men:

• Lunges: Ideal for muscle building and coordination.
• Kick backs: Helps isolate and grow the gluteus maximus.
• Step-ups: Activates multiple leg muscles for strength and size development

Butt Exercises for Women

Women often aim to tone, lift, or shape their glutes. Focus on exercises like squats, glute bridges, and side leg lifts. These are low-impact yet highly effective. You can begin with body weight and progress by adding resistance using tools like resistance bands or the adjustable dumbbell.

Best butt exercises for women:

• Glute bridges: Great for activating the gluteus maximus without stressing the knees.
• Side leg lifts: Focuses on the gluteus medius, enhancing hip definition and improving stability.
• Squats: Builds strength and improves lower-body balance.

How Often to Do Butt Exercises

No shortcuts here — sticking with it is what really gets you results. In the case of butt exercises, there is a genetic predisposition that affects results, so some people need to train harder than others to see results. It also depends on your initial body fat percentage, age, and fitness level. However, as a general rule, you can usually see practical results within 3 weeks of starting butt-building exercises.

• Beginners: 2–3 times per week
• Intermediate/Advanced: 3–4 times per week

Q1: How to get a bigger butt without exercise?

While posture improvements, weight gain, or clothing choices can create the illusion of a bigger butt, real changes come from consistent butt exercises. Strength training builds muscle, which increases volume and firmness. Exercise also improves circulation, posture, and overall lower-body function—benefits that can't be replicated without movement.

Q2: What exercises make your butt bigger?

To make butt exercises more effective, focus on compound exercises that activate multiple muscles, such as squats, lunges, and glute bridges. These movements build muscle mass in your butt while also improving strength. For best results, gradually add resistance as your strength improves.

Q3: What is the best butt exercise?

There isn’t a single "best" butt exercise since your glutes have three different muscles. However, squats are often regarded as one of the most effective and best butt exercises. Combine them with bridges, lunges, and side leg lifts to target all areas of the glutes. For enhanced results, incorporate equipment like resistance bands or the deep squat machine to support proper form and intensity.

Strengthening your glutes goes beyond just aesthetics—it supports posture, balance, and athletic performance. These 6 best butt exercises at home are easy to follow, don’t require equipment, and deliver visible results over time.

Begin with manageable steps, keep it steady, and pay attention to how your body feels. When you're ready to level up, add tools like the adjustable dumbbell or deep squat machine to boost your progress. There’s no better moment than now to own your fitness journey.