10 Min Strong glutes with no equipment 6 exercises
Building strong glutes without equipment is definitely possible with the right exercises. Here are some effective bodyweight exercises to target and strengthen your glute muscles:
- Squats: Squats are a great compound exercise that engages your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your chest up and back straight. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Lunges: Lunges are another excellent exercise for the glutes. Take a step forward or backward, and lower your back knee toward the ground while keeping your front knee at a 90-degree angle. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
- Glute Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips off the ground by driving through your heels. Squeeze your glutes at the top and then lower your hips back down. You can make this exercise more challenging by doing single-leg glute bridges.
- Donkey Kicks: Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Keeping your knee bent, lift one leg up behind you while keeping your foot flexed. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement before lowering your leg back down.
- Fire Hydrants: Also starting in a tabletop position, lift one leg out to the side while keeping your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. Imagine mimicking a dog lifting its leg to hydrant. Lower your leg back down and repeat.
- Pistol Squats: This is a more advanced exercise that involves doing a one-legged squat. Extend one leg out in front of you and slowly lower your body down on one leg while keeping the other leg extended. It’s okay if you can’t go very low at first; work on your flexibility and strength gradually.
- Step-Ups: Find a stable platform, like a sturdy chair or a step. Step onto the platform with one foot and push through that foot to lift your body up. Step back down and switch legs.
- Wall Sits: Stand against a wall and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, like sitting in an invisible chair. Hold this position, engaging your glutes and quads.
- Bulgarian Split Squats: Stand a few feet away from a chair or bench. Place one foot behind you on the chair/bench. Lower your back knee down toward the ground, keeping your front knee at a 90-degree angle.
- Plank Leg Lifts: Start in a plank position on your elbows. Lift one leg up behind you while keeping your hips level. Alternate between legs.Remember to maintain proper form and start with a number of repetitions that challenge you but allow you to perform the exercises correctly. As you get stronger, you can gradually increase the number of repetitions or sets.
