What if I told you that you were only 10 minutes away from stronger prey? I’m just easy exaggerate. There’s no quick fix for the perfect peach, but the good news is You don’t need a full weight room or lots of time in it to grow your glutes. All you *really* need: a pair heavy dumbbells10 minutes a few times a week and consistency.
Strengthening your glutes means working three different muscles – the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minor. Sure, these advances look great, but they also help you with everyday activities like getting up, climbing stairs, To run, jumping and walking, says Macy Pruett, CPT, certified personal trainer and founder of Fittest Core. Plus, training your glutes improves your overall body composition. “When you do glute-focused exercises, you engage many other muscle groups, resulting in high metabolic costs and Calories burned during and after a training session,” She explains.
Meet the Expert: Macy PruettCPT, is a certified personal trainer and founder of Strongest Core.
Clearly, Glute training is worth the hype…but what is the best way to approach them? “Progressive overloading is the most effective way to build glutes, and it simply means doing more over time,” says Pruett. This can mean increasing the weight, increasing the number of repetitions, or minimizing rest. Those dumbbells you have on hand are *more than* adequate for toning, toning and grow your butt.
So how are you? Choose the right weight? Pruett says you want to pick a weight that allows you to do 10 reps of an exercise without failure. “When you can do 10 reps with ease, it’s time to increase your weight,” she says, helping to maintain proper form with the added iron.
Pro tip: If you’re doing an exercise with fewer reps, you can go for a heavier dumbbell, but if you’re doing an exercise with more reps, you’ll probably need a lighter one.
Notice: Consistency is key for results, and that means doing this Pruett-programmed 10-minute workout three to four times a week. Check it out and get ready for some serious booty burn.
Time: 10 minutes | Gear: dumbbells | Good for: glutes
Instructions: This glute workout includes three supersets (two exercises done back to back with minimal to no rest) that engage all three muscles. Do 3 sets of bridge supersets, 2 sets of deadlift supersets, 2 sets of non-resting squat supersets, and 3 sets of finishers.
Bridge Superset
1. Weighted glute bridge
Why it rocks: This move is a basic glute exercise because it is easy to perform and can be done with or without weight. “It offers a huge range of variations and, most importantly, it maxes out the glutes without overworking the quads,” says Pruett. “It works on the gluteus maximus, which is the largest muscle in our body and the one where we can see the glute growth the most.”
How one:
- Lie on the floor with your feet about shoulder-width apart, your knees bent, and your arms on the floor by your sides.
- Place the dumbbell where it’s comfortable on your hipbones and maintain a neutral pelvis. (Ability to complete the movement without weight.)
- Engage your core and then push through your heels as you pull your hips up toward the ceiling.
- Squeeze your glutes on top as you reach full hip extension. Keep your ribs down (don’t tense them or arch your back) and keep your chin slightly tucked or your head neutral throughout.
- Inhale as you lower yourself down in a controlled manner. This is a repeat. Complete 20 repetitions.
2. Glute Bridge March
Why it rocks: “This glute bridge variation is awesome because it lets you feel the burn that’s essential for glute growth,” says Pruett. This exercise also engages the hamstrings and quads time under tension.
How one:
- Push yourself into a glute bridge as above, with your knees, hips, and shoulders aligned, and hold this position. (Option to place a dumbbell on hips or complete with body weight.)
- From here, raise one leg at a time, keeping the stationary leg firmly on the floor and pelvis stable.
- Keeping your core engaged, alternately lift your legs to maintain the lifted butt position. Perform 20 repetitions on each side.
Superset deadlift
1. Romanian Deadlift
Why it rocks: Romanian deadlifts are a great addition to any glute workout because they focus on the “eccentric phase” of the movement, says Pruett — where the muscles lengthen. “This allows you to take it slow on the way down while lengthening the hamstrings and requires more work from your glutes and hamstrings.”
How one:
- Start with feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your body. (You can hold a heavier dumbbell or a pair of dumbbells with one in each hand.)
- Keeping your knees slightly bent, pivot them at your hips as you shift them backwards.
- Maintaining a flat back and engaged core as you inhale, lower the weights toward the floor, keeping them close to your body. Make sure to keep your shins vertical and shift your weight back onto your heels.
- Exhale and bring the dumbbells back to the starting position, engaging your glutes by straightening your hips and raising your torso.
- Keep the weight close to your body and squeeze your glutes at the top of the position. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 repetitions.
2. One-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift
Why it rocks: This variation of the deadlift isolates the glutes. Plus, performing this single-leg exercise allows you to focus on one side of your body, which in turn creates more work for that side, Pruett says. This is also the exact movement of the Romanian Deadlift, so you’ll perform it using the same techniques as above, but unilaterally.
How one:
- Begin by standing on your right leg, with your left leg slightly behind your body, toes pointing and resting on the floor, right arm on your hip, and left arm stretched straight down to your side as you hold your hold dumbbell. (Pruett always suggests holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand of the working leg.)
- Inhale, tighten your abs, and maintain a neutral spine as you slowly lean forward, lift your left leg straight behind your body, and lower your torso toward the floor until both are parallel to the ceiling, with the left Hand/dumbbell almost touches the floor.
- Exhale and drive into right heel to return to starting position. That’s 1 rep. Perform 10 reps on the left side, then switch sides and repeat.
Squat Superset
1. Dumbbell Sumo Squat
Why it rocks: “The sumo squat is essential for glute training because it engages the glutes more than a standard squat, allowing you to lift heavier weight and achieve a greater range of motion,” says Pruett. As an added bonus Sumo squats also work your adductors build up strength around the kneesankle and core.
How one:
- Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, weight evenly distributed, and toes rotated at 10 and 2 o’clock while holding a heavy dumbbell with your arms straight down, or one dumbbell in each hand.
- Keeping your core engaged and chest up as you inhale and bend your knees, lower your hips down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Remember to push your knees outward at the button of the position while maintaining a neutral spine and your weight in your heels.
- Exhale as you drive your feet back to an upright standing position. That’s 1 rep. Do 10 repetitions.
Pro Tip: Always make sure your knees stay in line with your feet to avoid injury, Pruett says.
2. Bodyweight sumo squat pulse
Why it rocks: Pulse variations are great for pumping up muscles because they isolate and activate your glutes and tire them faster, which helps build endurance and increase muscle growth, Pruett explains. This movement also allows for high reps, which is perfect for supersets.
How one:
- Stand with your feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, weight evenly distributed, and toes rotated at 10 and 2 o’clock.
- This is the same move as a sumo squat, but instead of doing it to your full range of motion, crouch and only come up about halfway before returning to the bottom position (this is your “pulse”) . You can keep your hands on your hips or in front of you.
- Continue pulsing up and down while maintaining an engaged core and neutral spine. Do 30 pulses.
Finishers: Glute Kickback
Why it rocks: No glute workout is complete without burnout, says Pruett. She suggests packing things up with glute kickbacks because they target the gluteus maximus and hamstrings. You can also torch the medius if you turn your foot inward. “Glute kickbacks are one of my favorite glute exercises that I can incorporate into any glute workout because they can be performed while standing on my four-legged friend bandsweight or the cable machine.”
How one:
- Start on all fours, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Make sure your hips are straight and your core is engaged throughout the movement.
- Using your glutes (really focus on that working muscle), raise and straighten the active leg and press at the top of the movement.
- Lower your back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Perform 15 repetitions on each side.
Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. A mass consumer of social media, she cares about women’s rights, holistic well-being and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. A former college pole vaulter, she loves all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.
