Glute exercises
The 8 staple movements, taken from the 3,215 exercise guides in the SETR app: technique, recommended volume, cues and classic mistakes.
The gluteus maximus is the most powerful muscle in the body. It extends the hip, driving it forward at the top of a hip thrust, and with the glute medius it takes the leg out to the side. Hip thrusts load it in the squeeze; sumo deadlifts and pull-throughs load it in the stretch. Combining both works best.
1. Barbell hip thrust
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Advanced
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings
How to do it
- Sit on the floor, upper back braced against a bench, bar placed across your hips with padding.
- Feet flat on the floor, brace your core and push through your heels to lift your hips.
- Fully extend your hips, squeezing your glutes hard at the top.
- Lower under control without setting the bar on the floor between reps.
Tips
- Tuck your chin slightly to keep a neutral spine at lockout.
- Push through your heels, not your toes.
- Pause for one second at the top, squeezing your glutes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Hyperextending your lower back instead of your hips at the top of the movement.
- Pushing through your toes, which shifts the work to your quads.
- Shortening the range of motion.
2. Hip thrust machine
Lever Hip Thrust
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Machine
- Level
- Intermediate
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings
How to do it
- Set yourself up in the machine, upper back braced against the pad, resistance positioned across your hips.
- Feet flat on the platform, brace your core.
- Push through your heels to fully extend your hips against the resistance.
- Lower under control without abruptly releasing the resistance.
Tips
- The machine guides the path — focus entirely on squeezing your glutes.
- Push through your heels, not your toes.
- Pause for one second at the top, squeezing your glutes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Pushing through your toes, which shifts the work to your quads.
- Using a load that is too heavy and cuts your range of motion.
- Abruptly releasing the resistance at the bottom of the movement.
3. Single-leg hip thrust
Single Leg Hip Thrust
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Bench
- Level
- Intermediate
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings, Abs
How to do it
- Sit on the floor with your back to a bench, shoulder blades resting on the edge, knees bent.
- Lift one foot off the floor and raise that knee toward your chest.
- Push through the heel on the floor to raise your pelvis until your knee, hip and shoulder are aligned.
- Lower slowly without resting your glutes, then switch legs.
Tips
- Tuck your chin and look at your knees to keep your ribs down.
- Squeeze your glute hard for one second in the top position.
- Push through your heel, never your toes.
Mistakes to avoid
- Arching your lower back instead of rising through your glute.
- Pushing through your toes.
- Letting your pelvis drop to the floor between reps.
4. Dumbbell glute bridge
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Level
- Intermediate
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings
How to do it
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, a dumbbell resting in the crease of your hips.
- Hold the dumbbell with both hands, lower back pressed into the floor.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips until your knees, hips and shoulders are aligned.
- Lower slowly without fully resting your pelvis.
Tips
- Place a folded towel under the dumbbell for hip comfort.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top rather than trying to rise higher.
- Bring your heels closer to your glutes to limit hamstring involvement.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rising by arching your lower back.
- Letting the dumbbell slide toward your stomach.
- Pushing through your toes instead of your heels.
5. Sumo deadlift
Barbell Sumo Deadlift
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Intermediate
- Muscles worked
- Back · secondary : Quads, Adductors
How to do it
- Stand with your feet wide apart, toes pointing out, shins close to the bar.
- Grab the bar with your hands inside your knees, back flat, chest up.
- Push your knees out and lift the bar by pushing through your heels.
- Finish standing with your hips locked out, then lower under control.
Tips
- The sumo stance shortens the range and works your legs more than your back.
- Actively push your knees out all the way up.
- Your torso stays more upright than in a classic deadlift.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting your knees cave in.
- Letting your hips rise before your shoulders.
- Rounding your back as you lift off the floor.
6. Cable pull-through
Cable Pull Through
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings
How to do it
- Stand with your back to the low pulley, rope between your legs, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge your torso forward as you push your hips back, legs almost straight.
- Drive your hips forward, squeezing your glutes hard, to stand back up.
- Push your hips back under control to return to the starting position.
Tips
- The movement comes from your hips, not your arms — the rope just follows.
- Keep your back flat and your eyes forward throughout the descent.
- Squeeze your glutes hard at the top, without hyperextending your back.
Mistakes to avoid
- Rounding your back during the backward phase.
- Pulling with your arms instead of driving with your hips.
- Bending your knees excessively, which turns the movement into a squat.
7. Cable glute kickback
Cable Kneeling Glute Kickback
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 6-10
- Tempo
- 3-1-1-0
- Equipment
- Cable
- Level
- Intermediate
- Muscles worked
- Glutes · secondary : Hamstrings
How to do it
- Attach the strap to one ankle and get on all fours facing the low pulley.
- Hands under your shoulders, back flat, chin tucked, abs braced.
- Extend your leg back, squeezing your glute, until it lines up with your torso.
- Return slowly, resisting the pull of the cable.
Tips
- Stop when your leg is aligned: beyond that, your lower back takes over.
- Keep your pelvis level, without rotating toward your working side.
- Deliberately squeeze your glute for one second at the end of the extension.
Mistakes to avoid
- Arching your lower back to raise your leg higher.
- Letting your pelvis rotate with each extension.
- Rushing through reps without holding the squeeze.
8. Weighted back extension
Weighted Hyperextension
- Sets
- 3-4
- Reps
- 10-15
- Tempo
- 3-0-1-0
- Equipment
- Plate
- Level
- Beginner
- Muscles worked
- Glutes, Hamstrings · secondary : Back
How to do it
- Set yourself up on the hyperextension bench, hips braced on the pad, ankles locked in.
- Hold a plate or weight against your chest with both hands.
- Lower your torso forward by hinging at the hips, back flat.
- Come back up by squeezing your lower back and glutes until your body is aligned.
Tips
- Only add load once you've mastered several pain-free sets with body weight.
- Keep your back flat throughout the descent.
- Rise until your body is aligned, without arching excessively at the top.
Mistakes to avoid
- Adding load too soon, before mastering the bodyweight version.
- Rounding your back as you lower.
- Arching excessively beyond neutral alignment at the top.
Tempo is read in seconds: lowering, pause at the bottom, lifting, pause at the top. “3-1-1-0” means three seconds down, a one-second pause, one second up, then straight into the next rep.
How to combine them
There is no need to do them all in one session. Two or three exercises per muscle are enough: a heavy compound lift first, while you are fresh, then one or two more targeted moves.
Aim for roughly 10 to 20 sets per muscle per week, spread over two sessions, with sets taken to within 1 to 3 reps of failure. Beyond that, fatigue grows faster than results.
Keep the same main lifts for at least eight weeks: it is the only way to tell whether you are genuinely progressing.
182 exercises for this muscle in the app