The glute is the strongest and biggest muscle in the body. It is involved in various activities we do throughout the day, including sitting at the desk and lifting weights from the floor.
Having solid glutes helps you sit longer, minimize lower back pain, improve posture, and enhance overall performance.
In this article, I’ve shared the five best calisthenics exercises for glutes that can help you build the upsidedown heart Butt at home without using a single piece of equipment.
All you need is a little space to lie and your will to transform your backside.
If you’re ready, let’s explore the exercises.
Contents show
Top 5 Calisthenics Glute Exercises to Build Muscle
1. Single-Leg Gluteal Bridge
The gluteal bridge, also known as a modified single-leg bridge, is a unilateral exercise that helps enhance gluteal strength and improve posterior chain muscle flexibility.
It is easy to perform, and people of all fitness levels can integrate it into their workout routines, regardless of their age.
A study published by the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy has shown the single-leg gluteal bridge using 135 ° of knee flexion on the dominant side may allow more optimal training of the gluteal muscles than the traditional bridge.1 Lehecka, B J et al. “BUILDING A BETTER GLUTEAL BRIDGE: ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF HIP MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING MODIFIED SINGLE-LEG BRIDGES.” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy vol. 12,4 (2017): 543-549 (PMC PUBMED Central).
About Exercise
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Target Muscle: Glutes and Lower Back
- Mechanics: Isolation
- Equipment Needed: None
Benefits
- Primarily bolster gluteus maximus and gluteus medius.
- Make the lower body flexible and minimize the risk of low back injuries.
- Also, it engages abdominal muscles and increases core stability.
How-Instructions
- Lie on your back with your face up, knees bent (135 degrees), and feet flat on the floor.
- Keep your arms folded across your chest and tighten your abdominal muscles.
- Lift your left leg off the floor and extend your knee diagonally.
- Squeeze your glutes and thrust your hips until your knee, hip, and shoulder align.
- Pause for two seconds, lower your hip back, and repeat.
Tips and Mistakes
- Lift your hips off the floor using your glutes.
- Keep your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Perform more reps on the weaker side to improve muscle imbalance and build symmetrical glutes.
2. Prone Frog Lift
Not as popular as the bridge, the prone frog lift is an excellent exercise to reinforce the backside. It requires lying prone on the floor and lifting your thighs to engage the booty.
From males to females, whoever wants to isolate the buttock effectively should definitely try this move.
About Exercise
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscle: Glutes, Inner Thighs, and Hamstrings
- Mechanics: Isolation
- Equipment Needed: None
Benefits
- It helps develop rounded and firm gluteal muscles.
- Improve hip mobility and flexibility.
- Enhance overall lower body strength so you can do well during the calisthenics glutes workout.
How-Instructions
- Lie on the floor with your face down, forearms on the ground, and palms under your head.
- Bend your knees behind and keep them wide, forming a frog-like position.
- Squeezing your posterior chain, lift the thighs off the ground until your glutes are fully engaged.
- Lower your legs with control and repeat.
Tips and Mistakes
- Focus on activating the inner thighs and glutes while lifting your thighs off the floor.
- Raise your legs only at a certain point; going beyond that can put unnecessary stress on your lower back.
- Keep your knees and feet turned slightly out so that you can feel the maximum contraction in your glutes when you lift your thigh.
3. Glute Kickback
The glute kickback is an isolation exercise that helps develop a strong and round tush. It allows you to work more on the inferior part so you can build well-shaped glutes.
About Exercise
- Difficulty Level: Beginner
- Target Muscle: Glutes, Lower Back, and Hamstrings
- Mechanics: Compound
- Equipment Needed: None (Bodyeigth Only)
Benefits
- Buttress multiple muscles simultaneously, including the glutes, core, hip, lower back, and hamstrings.
- Improve overall mobility as it requires sitting on one knee and kicking the other leg behind for glute engagement.
How-Instructions
- Sit on all fours in a tabletop position—arms below your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Brace your abdominal muscles and maintain a flat back.
- Lift one leg off the floor and kick your foot toward the ceiling.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top, feel the contraction for two seconds, then lower the leg with control.
- Repeat on the other leg and aim for two to three sets.
Tips and Mistakes
- Keep your midsection engaged throughout the movement.
- Ensure your hips are flexible so you can move your working leg freely.
- You can also put a soft pad under your knee to provide support.
4. Frog Pump
The frog pump is a modified variation of the traditional glute bridge. It involves keeping your feet together and your knee outward and lifting your hips off the floor to activate the glutes maximus and minimus from a different angle.
About Exercise
- Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
- Target Muscle: Glutes, Core, Hamstrings, and Lower Back
- Mechanics: Compound
- Equipment Needed: None (Bodyweight)
Benefits
- Bolster the glute muscles from a different angle and improve the shape of the bum.
- Increase hip mobility and flexibility.
- Engage abdominal muscles and sculpt the core.
How-Instructions
- Lie on your back with your face up.
- Bend knees and bring soles together like forming a diamond shape with legs.
- Press your feet together on the floor and lift your hips upward until your glutes are engaged.
- Pause for two seconds, then return to the start.
Tips and Mistakes
- Press your feet down and lift your hips off the floor simultaneously to highly stimulate the gluteal muscles.
- Lower your hips back on the ground with full control.
5. Long Lever Bridge Marching
The long lever bridge march is another hip bridge variation that keeps the glutes and core under constant tension and promotes lower-body muscle development.
About Exercise
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Target Muscle: Glutes, Rear Thighs, and Abdominals
- Mechanics: Compound
- Equipment Needed: None
Benefits
- It simultaneously engages the multiple muscles throughout the body, including the buttocks, hips, abs, and hamstrings.
- Makes the lower body firm and flexible.
- Enhance the hip’s range of motion and lower body balance.
How-Instructions
- Lie on your back with your legs extended and arms at the sides.
- Slightly bend your knees and lift your hips into a partial bridge position.
- Keep your toes off the floor and brace your midsection. That’s the start.
- Alternate raising one knee toward the chest while keeping the hips elevated.
- Hold briefly at the top, then lower the foot with control.
- Repeat on the opposite side and complete the desired reps.
Tips and Mistakes
- Keep your hips off the floor throughout the movement by holding your core tight.
- Perform each rep, feeling the full contraction in your bum.
How Often Should You Train Your Glutes?
If your primary goal is to develop a well-shaped and solid derriere, you should train your glutes at least twice a week; otherwise, a dedicated 20-30 minute calisthenics glutes workout along with typical leg workouts is enough to enhance your lower body health, minimize lower back injuries, and shape your posture.
My Final Words
During the leg workout sessions, we often miss training our glutes. Weak glutes lead to poor posture, a higher risk of injuries, and subpar performance. That’s why performing glute strengthening exercises is crucial for building a strong, defined, and burly backside.
Whether you’re a male or female, you can incorporate the above exercises into your calisthenics workout regime to bolster and shape your gluteal muscles.
Please note that the exercises I’ve outlined above are for only strengthening purposes, and you should not use them for treating any pain or injuries. If you feel discomfort, you should consult a doctor before executing them.
Related Calisthenics Exercises
10 Best Calisthenics Shoulder Exercises
The Ultimate Full Body Calisthenics Workout
12 Best Calisthenics Exercises to Sculpt Your Back
8 Best Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises to Build Muscle
9 Calisthenics Push Exercises to Build an Athletic Torso
10 Best Calisthenics Exercises for Lower Back Strength
References
- 1
Lehecka, B J et al. “BUILDING A BETTER GLUTEAL BRIDGE: ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF HIP MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING MODIFIED SINGLE-LEG BRIDGES.” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy vol. 12,4 (2017): 543-549 (PMC PUBMED Central).
