7 Best Exercises to Reduce Banana Roll Fat Under the Buttocks

You know that soft bulge that forms underneath your butt when you look in the mirror? We’re talking about banana roll fat here. No matter how much time you spend in the gym shredding your body fat, if you have broad hips and roll over fat accumulates here. It’s located between your butt cheeks and thighs and might be one of your hardest body parts to tone because of your genetics, body shape, and fat distribution.

Get rid of that banana roll fat under your butt once and for all! This exercises routine will target your lower gluteus maximum, hamstrings and your posterior chain. Working out these muscles will tighten the space underneath your butt, build muscle, lift your butt, enhance your hip shape, and give you a tighter more sculpted lower half.

What Is the Banana Roll Fat?

The “banana roll fat” is a small pocket of fat and soft tissue that sits just below the buttocks and above the thighs . It’s often more noticeable in people with wider hips or those who already have a leaner frame — meaning even fit individuals can struggle with it. While you can’t eliminate it overnight, building strength and muscle in your glutes and hips can help lift and tighten the area, reducing its appearance over time.

7 Best Exercises to Target Banana Roll Fat

Fire up your lower glutes and hamstrings with these 7 proven banana roll fat exercises to smooth out banana rolls, boost booty lift, and create seamless curves. No fancy equipment needed.

1. Warm-Up First – Get Ready to Move

Muscles worked: Glutes (gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus), hamstrings, quadriceps, hips, core, and entire lower body.

How to do it step by step:

1. Stand upright, with a slight engagement in your core, and allow your arms to swing freely.
2. Skip or jog in place with high knees (bring knees up toward your chest)- keep your chest lifted and land softly on your mid-foot/toes
3. Keep breathing– Exhale as you lift your knee.
4. Scale: Moderate (get slightly winded, but able to hold a conversation.)
5. Do it for 2–3 minutes

Targets banana roll fat because:

Skipping a warm-up means your glutes won’t be activated when you do your booty exercises. Dormant glutes equals less efficient work and injury. This full body dynamic warm-up wakes up the flow of blood to your glutes (particularly the gluteus medius which helps stabilize your hips) it lubricates your joints AND wakes up your hamstrings. The result? Improved muscle activation, more calories burned, quicker shaping of the under-butt region, and less injury risk.

2. Bounce Squats

Muscles worked: Gluteus maximus (raising), gluteus medius (stabilizing), quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and core.

How to do it step by step:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart (or slightly wider) and toes pointed forward or slightly out.
2. Cross your arms over your chest or extend them forward.
3. Keep your chest up, your core tight and your eyes straight ahead.
4. Breathing in, push your hips back, bend your knees and sit back into a squat ( thighs to near parallel with the floor or lower).
5. Maintain your weight on your heels/mid-foot and ensure your knees are going directly over your toes.
6. Exhale hard and explode up a few inches (a small pulse—don’t fully extend your legs or jump), then return right back down into a squat.
7. Do not bounce up. Keep this movement controlled (your feet should not leave the floor).
8. Continue for reps.
9. Reps/Sets: 3 sets × 15 reps

Targets banana roll fat because:

The small pulse at the top of the movement creates a plyometric effect. Plyometric power = explosive glute recruitment. You do not have to jump all the way up. This exercise works the fast-twitch fibers of your lower glutes to create lift and roundness. Also works the hamstrings. Increases metabolism/calorie burn while tightening the area under the butt crease. The squat depth creates a nice blend from your glutes to your thighs.

3. Donkey Kicks Circuit

Muscles Targeted: gluteus maximus (lifting), gluteus medius (sideways shaping), hamstrings, core stabilizers

How to do it step by step:

1. Begin on all fours on a yoga mat with your hands stacked under shoulders, knees stacked under hips, core engaged, spine in neutral alignment.
2. With right knee bent 90° and foot flexed (toes facing towards the floor), squeeze your right glute → lift leg up and back (point heel towards ceiling) with knee still bent.
3. Trace the outer part of your foot in a small semicircle as you slowly lower (keep knee hovering just above the ground).
4. Then actively pull your right knee towards your chest like you are doing a crunch, engaging your abs as you squeeze glute.
5. Reset to starting position and repeat for all reps on right leg. Switch legs and repeat for prescribed amount of reps.
6.  Reps/ Sets: 3 sets x 15 reps per leg

How it torches banana roll fat:

The lift isolates the lower portion of your glutes and allows minimal hamstring involvement. Lifting your leg off the ground and squeezing will help increase lift and roundness underneath your butt. Creating the small semicircle at the top of the movement allows abduction or outer glute contraction. Pulling the knee towards your chest adds in a hip flexion which fires up the muscles along your crease, creating a seamless blend between your butt and thigh.

4. Surrender Lunge

Muscles worked: Glutes (mainly gluteus maximus – posterior lift), gluteus medius (abduction/adduction balance), quads, hamstrings, core

How to do it step by step:

1. Begin kneeling on a mat (knees on ground, hips stacked over knees, chest up tall). Optional: place cushion/pillow under knees for padding.
2. Step right foot forward into a lunge (right knee over ankle, left knee bent and just off floor behind you).
3. Squeeze abs, keep chest tall – press into your right heel and through glutes to return to standing position (bring left knee forward to meet right knee).
4. Reverse movement: Step back with left leg into kneeling position, lower hips slowly with control.
5. Perform all reps leading with right leg, then switch and repeat on the other side (left leg forward).
6. 3 sets x 12-15 reps per leg (10-12 if balance is an issue)

Targets banana roll fat because:

Single-leg movement allows you to really squeeze your glutes at the bottom of the move for a deep contraction of the lower glutes and hamstrings through complete hip extension and knee drive – this will build under-butt strength/lift while correcting muscle imbalances and improving hip stability. Bonus: Increase your metabolism for fat burning with this move. Bonus 2: Kneeling to standing motion directly targets the crease.

5. Jumping Squats

Muscles Targeted: gluteus maximus/medius, quads, hamstrings, calves, core (developing plyometric power)

How to do it step by step:

1. Stand up straight with feet hip width apart, core tight, chest up, arms down or crossed.
2. Lower your body into a squat as low as you can go (hips back, thighs as close to parallel with the ground as possible, weight on your heels/mid-foot.
3. Knees pushed forward but DO NOT allow knees to cave inward, they should be exactly where your toes are).
4. Powerfully exhale → push through your heels into a jump as high as possible while swinging your arms up overhead.
5. Land softly on the balls of your feet/mid-foot and lower back down into a squat.
6. Ready to repeat!
7. Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 12-15 reps

Banana roll Fat Burning:

Jumping targets fast twitch muscle fibers of the glutes that need to be activated in order for them to grow and rise up — creating shape and fullness under the butt as you raise your metabolism via extreme calorie burn. It will also help strengthen your hammies and improve the look/seam between your butt and legs.

6. Lateral Hip Openers

Muscles worked: Gluteus medius/minimus (side glutes), tensor fasciae latae (outer hip), core stabilizers

How to do it step by step:

1. Begin on all fours on your mat (hands should be underneath shoulders, knees under hips, core tight).
2. Flex right foot, bend knee to 90°.
3. Drive right leg up to side stack (doggy style at the fire hydrant) – lift as high as you can WITHOUT tilting hips.
4. Squeeze outer glute at top – pulse up and down small amount (1–2 inches) for 5–10 reps.
5. Slowly lower with control (do not let knee touch floor).
6. Complete all reps on right leg before switching.
7. Recommended sets/reps: 3 sets x 15 reps per side

Targets banana roll fat because:

This exercise specifically targets your gluteus medius and minimus – responsible for lifting your hips up and to the side. When your outer glutes are strong, they’ll lift up and out so you have nice rounded hips that smoothly connect your thighs to your buttocks without the dreaded banana roll crease.

7. Side-Lying Leg Lifts

Muscles worked: Gluteus medius/minimus (side/glute), tensor fasciae latae (outer hip/thigh), core stabilizers.

How to do it step by step:

1. Begin on your LEFT side, resting on a mat with legs straight and stacked. Keep your hips and shoulders squared and directly on top of each other.
2. Place your head on your LEFT arm or pillow (for support) and rest your right hand on floor/five for balance.
3. Tighten your core by sucking your belly button into your spine.
4. As you exhale raise your RIGHT leg up straight (toes toward front of room — do not rotate) about 12–18 inches from your bottom leg (or as high as your form allows).
5. Once you reach the top squeeze your OUTER GLUTE (gluteus medius) as hard as you can and hold for 1–2 seconds.
6. As you inhale slowly lower your leg down with control (fight gravity; do not let leg drop).
7. Perform reps with your right leg then repeat exercise on opposite side lifting your LEFT leg.
8. Sets/Reps: 3 sets × 15–20 per side (can start with 12–15 reps per set)

Why it burns banana roll fat:

Because this exercise isolates your gluteus medius as well as tensor fasciae latae muscles. When strengthened, these muscles carve out your outer hips and thighs. It helps build that shelf under your butt, lift everything up and tighten it. Smoothing your banana roll has never been easier!

Exercise your under butt to blast banana roll fat, improve posture and shape your booty to be rounder and lift higher. Perfect for women who want a natural smoothness without surgery. Stick with this exercise 4–5 days/week and watch the magic happen!

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Last Updated: April 2026 – Completely Rewritten

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical. Always see a qualified healthcare provider for concerns about your health.