A heart shaped butt, also called an A-shaped or inverted heart, features a narrow waist that flares into wider, rounded lower glutes.
This shape emphasizes the gluteus maximus for fullness and lift at the bottom and the gluteus medius and minimus for that coveted upper shelf and side curves. While genetics play a role in base shape, targeted training can build volume, lift, and roundness, especially in the lower and side glutes, while creating the illusion of a smaller waist.
9 Best Exercises to Build a Heart Shaped Butt
These 9 exercises are highly effective for developing that desirable heart shape. Now, let’s build that heart shaped butt!
1. Glute Bridges
Target Muscles: Gluteus maximus and hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Lie down on your back with knees bent and feet flat on floor (hips-width apart).
- Put your arms at your sides with palms facing down.
- Press into your feet and squeeze your glutes as you drive your hips up off the floor until your body creates a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- Pause, then slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
- Perform 3 sets of 12–15 reps.
Why it works for heart shaped butt: Glute bridges recruit very high amounts of muscle fibers in your glutes (per EMG studies they’re actually one of the best exercises you can do for glute activation/isolation). Plus they focus on pure hip extension allowing for a peak contraction at the top of the movement while building upper shelf/lift without needing to use quadriceps as much.
2. Hip Thrusts
Target muscles: Glutes • Hamstrings
Instructions:
- Position yourself sitting on the floor with your upper back against a bench or other raised platform.
- Rest a barbell across your hips (pad with a towel for comfort) or use a dumbbell.
- Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
- Push through your heels and drive your hips upward until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
- Pause at the top squeezing your glutes, and reverse direction by slowly lowering your hips back down.
- Repeat for 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
Targets heart shaped butt area because: EMG studies have proven time and time again that hip thrusts are THE superior glute-building exercise. Hip thrusts allow you to utilize heavy weight in full hip extension (peak contraction range) while maximizing gluteus maximus recruitment. This creates a heart shaped butt by developing a big, high rounded shelf faster than any other exercise.
3. Bulgarian Split Squats
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings
How to do it:
- Stand 2 feet away from a bench or elevated surface.
- Put one foot on the bench behind you (top of foot only).
- Go into a lunge position making sure your front knee tracks over center with your ankle.
- Push through your heel to return to standing position.
- Do 10–12 reps on each leg for 3 sets.
Why it works for heart shaped butt: Exercises done on one leg at a time show muscular imbalances and stretch your gluteus maximus deeper while creating high tension while in the stretched position. These are two of the key principles for achieving roundness, lift, and symmetry of a heart-shaped butt.
4. Donkey Kicks
Target Muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius
Instructions:
- Assume a tabletop position with your hands stacked under your shoulders and knees under hips.
- While maintaining a bent knee, raise one leg toward the sky contracting your glutes at the top.
- Lower leg back down without touching your knee to the ground.
- Complete 12–15 reps each leg for 3 sets.
How it works for heart shaped butt: This exercise is pure glute isolation at hip extension, which creates a peak contraction at the top of the movement. Building this upper shelf/lift as well as roundness can help create a heart shaped butt without massive quad involvement.
5. Fire Hydrants
Target muscles: gluteus medius, minimus.
Instructions:
- Begin in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Keeping your knee bent, lift your leg straight out to the side until your leg is at a 90-degree angle.
- Engage your glutes at the top of the movement and slowly lower your leg back down.
- Perform 12–15 reps on each leg for 3 sets.
Why it works for heart shaped butt: This exercise hits your gluteus medius and minimus, which create the outer curve and width of your hips that creates a heart shape. When developed, they will build that round, sexy three dimensional side profile you desire and improve hip stability.
6. Deadlifts (Romanian or Conventional)
Target Muscles: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, lower back.
How to do it:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart with a barbell or dumbbells resting on your thighs.
- Engage your core as you hinge at the hips and bend your knees slightly as you lower the weight toward the floor.
- Brace your abs as you squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to stand back up.
- Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps.
Why it works for heart shaped butt: Deadlifts work your entire posterior chain. They help strengthen and engage your glutes during hip extension, build thickners in your lower glutes and contribute to creating that rounded shape from behind.
7. Step-Ups
Target muscles: Gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Place yourself in front of a bench or step (roughly knee-height).
- Step onto the bench with one foot, exploding through your heel and bringing your body up.
- Drive your opposite knee up to hip height and then step back down.
- Perform 10–12 reps per leg for 3 sets.
Why it works for a heart shaped butt: Step-ups are basically like climbing stairs. They recruit your glutes when you step up, help you build power on one leg, and creates lift + roundness — especially when you push through your heel.
8. Cable Kickbacks
Primary muscles: Gluteus maximus, medius.
Execution:
- Attach ankle strap to low cable machine. Place strap around one ankle.
- Position self facing machine and hold onto frame for balance.
- Extend leg back keeping it straight and squeezing glutes at the top.
- Slowly return to starting position.
- Perform 12–15 reps on each leg for 3 sets
Suitability for heart shaped butt: Because there is constant tension on the muscles throughout the entire range of motion you create maximum contraction of the gluteus maximus. Build lift and roundness while completely isolating your glutes without any quad dominance.
9. Squats (Sumo or Wide-Stance Variation)
Muscles worked: gluteus maximus, quads, hamstrings.
Instructions:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with toes slightly pointed out.
- Begin to lower your body into a squat by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor keeping chest up and back straight.
- Push through your heels to return to standing position.
- Complete for 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
Why it works for heart shaped butt: Sumo squats allow you to widen your stance and shift the focus to your glutes and inner thighs. Not only do they add width to your glutes, but they build roundness in your lower glutes perfect for making a heart shape from behind. Plus they allow you to load up heavy which is great for hypertrophy.
Achieving a heart shaped butt takes time, consistent glute training, good nutrition, and patience. Don’t fall for overnight schemes or ridiculous diets. Train your glutes with these exercises and you’ll be on your way to shaping those curves you desire.
