Squats are great for building overall leg strength, but if your main goal is to maximise glute activation, achieve faster shaping and a visible lift in as little as two weeks, and get that round, perky, shelf-like look, then these four glute exercises are for you! These four glute exercises deliver maximum glute activation — they are even better than squats for shaping and lifting! Be consistent, squeeze hard and watch your booty transform!
Say hello to perkier, stronger glutes in only two weeks! This glute exercises routine targets all angles of the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. Wake up your glutes, build shape and feel the lift — perfect for quick, visible toning! They require minimal space and are perfect for home, travel or the gym. Do them 3–5 times per week.
4 Best Glute Exercises Better Than Squats – Build a Stronger, Rounder, More Lifted Booty in Just 2 Weeks
1. Glute Bridge
Targets: Glute and hamstring activation with minimal spinal load, making it an excellent foundational exercise.
How to do it:
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- Lie supine (on your back) with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, and heels a few inches from your glutes.
- Place your arms at your sides with palms facing down for stability. Engage your core to flatten your lower back against the floor.
- Drive forcefully through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- At the top, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Avoid arching your lower back.
- Hold the peak contraction for a moment before lowering your hips back to the starting position with control.
- Reps: 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
Tip: To increase glute activation, imagine trying to push the floor apart with your feet without actually moving them.
Why it works: Unlike squats, which are quad-dominant, glute bridges isolate the glutes and hamstrings. They achieve this with maximum hip extension and peak contraction at the top. This leads to higher glute activation, less quad involvement, a lower spinal load (which is great for back-friendly training), and better muscle recruitment for growth and shaping, especially of the upper glutes, for a lifted, rounded appearance.
2. Dead Bug
Targets: Core stabilization and lumbo-pelvic control, which is essential for transferring force and protecting the spine during all movements.
How to do it:
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- Lie on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs in a tabletop position (hips and knees bent at 90 degrees).
- Press your lower back firmly into the floor. This is the most critical part of the exercise.
- Slowly and simultaneously, lower your right arm and your left leg toward the floor.
- Lower only as far as you can while maintaining contact between your lower back and the floor.
- Return to the starting position with control and repeat with the opposite arm and leg (left arm, right leg).
- Reps: 3 sets of 20 total reps (10 per side).
Tip: The goal is not to touch the floor, but to challenge your core’s ability to resist extension. If your back arches, reduce the range of motion.
Why it works: Powerful glute exercises in any hip extension exercise is founded on killer core stability, even though this isn’t a direct glute move. Dead bugs train anti-extension and lumbo-pelvic control. This prevents energy leaks and protects your spine. So, when you do glute-focused work, your glutes fire harder and more efficiently, without your back compensating. A better core leads to better glute gains overall.
3. Donkey Kicks
Targets: Isolating the gluteus maximus to improve peak contraction and hip extension.
How to do it:
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- Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, with your hands stacked directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Keeping your core braced and your back flat, lift your right leg straight back and up toward the ceiling, maintaining the 90-degree bend in your knee.
- Focus on driving your heel upward and squeezing your right glute at the top of the movement.
- Lower the leg back to the starting position without letting your back sag.
- Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10 repetitions per leg.
Tip: Imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back to prevent it from arching or twisting. The movement should come entirely from your hip.
Why it works: It provides pure glute isolation at the end range of hip extension, where the gluteus maximus works hardest. This creates a peak contraction, which is better than the partial range of squats for many people. It builds a shelf-like upper glute shape and minimizes quad and hamstring takeover. It’s great for improving the mind-muscle connection and fixing flat or underactive glutes.
4. Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Targets: Unilateral glute strengthening, which helps to correct muscle imbalances and improve pelvic stability.
How to do it:
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- Assume the same starting position as a standard glute bridge.
- Extend one leg straight out, keeping your thighs parallel to each other.
- Engage your core and drive through the heel of the foot that is on the floor, lifting your hips off the ground.
- Keep your pelvis level and square throughout the movement; do not allow the hip of the extended leg to drop.
- Lower your hips with control and repeat. Complete all repetitions on one side before switching.
- Reps: 3 sets of 15 repetitions per leg.
Tip: Place your hands on your hip bones (iliac crests) to provide tactile feedback and ensure they remain level as you lift.
Why it works: Unilateral work increases glute activation by up to two times compared to bilateral work. It corrects imbalances between the left and right sides, which is a common cause of weak or flat glutes. It also forces deeper hip extension and stability and builds functional strength for better athleticism and shape. Squats often mask imbalances, but this method exposes and fixes them, resulting in even, powerful glutes.
These glute exercises are mostly bodyweight (optional light weights or bands for progression), require minimal space, and are perfect for home, travel, or gym. Do them 3–5× per week.
