7 Best Lower Glute Exercises for Building the Perfect Underbutt
7 Best Lower Glute Exercises for Building the Perfect Underbutt
Want to take your butt workout up a notch and target that pesky underbutt area? You're in luck. This guide will walk you through the best lower glute exercises to help sculpt the ultimate perky underbutt.
We'll start by looking at glute anatomy so you understand exactly which muscles you need to target. Then I'll outline 7 killer glute isolation exercises perfect for activating and building your lower glutes.
By implementing these lower body moves into your training, you'll be well on your way to the rounded, lifted booty of your dreams.
Let's get started!
What Are the Lower Glutes?
First things first—let's look at what makes up the glute complex. The glutes consist of three muscles:
- Gluteus Maximus - The largest of the glute muscles. Makes up the shape of the butt.
- Gluteus Medius - Located underneath the maximus, this stabilizes your pelvis and hip joint.
- Gluteus Minimus - The smallest glute muscle, located beneath the medius. Also helps stabilize your pelvis.
The lower portion of the gluteus maximus specifically inserts into the gluteal tuberosity, the lower part of your butt. This is the area that gives your butt that rounded shape and lifted look from the bottom and sides.
Many butt exercises target the overall glutes but don't necessarily isolate that lower glute maximus area. That's why specific isolation exercises are needed to really activate and build the hard-to-target lower glutes.
Why Target the Lower Glutes?
Developing full, rounded glute muscles not only gives you an aesthetically pleasing backside, it also serves important functional purposes like:
- Improved posture and spine/hip alignment
- Injury prevention of knees and lower back
- Better athletic performance in sports
- Increased calorie burn
- Firing your largest powerhouse muscles during training
Unfortunately, our sedentary modern lifestyle means our glute muscles are often inactive and weak. Exercises targeting the lower glutes helps reverse this.
Best Exercises to Target the Lower Glutes and Underbutt
The following lower body exercises specifically target the lower glute maximus for lifting, rounding, and building that desirable perky butt shape.
For best results:
- Use weights that challenge you for 10-15 reps
- Focus on squeezing your glute muscles during each rep
- Go through full range of motion for maximum activation
- Perform 2-4 sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise
Ready to lift for a better booty? Here are the best isolation exercises for lower glutes:
1. Hip Thrusts
Hip thrusts primarily target your gluteus maximus while also working the rest of your glutes, hamstrings and lower back. This exercise focuses on hip extension with glute activation in the top contracted position.
How to:
- Sit on the floor with your upper back resting against a bench, feet planted firmly about hip width apart
- Place a loaded barbell across your lap
- Drive through your heels and squeeze glutes to raise your hips. Upper body remains stationary.
- Focus on flexing glutes in the top position then slowly lower back to start
2. Glute Bridges
The glute bridge hits your glutes without taxing your lower back because your shoulders stay anchored to the floor. This makes glute bridges a great lower glute exercise.
How to:
- Lie faceup on the floor, bend knees and place feet flat on floor hip-width apart
- Arms extended by sides with palms facing down
- Push heels into the floor to lift hips up off floor until thighs are parallel to floor
- Squeeze glutes at the top of the movement then slowly lower back down
3. Step-Ups
Step-ups target your lower glutes and thighs as you drive through your heel to lift your body weight up onto a platform. Make sure you don't swing your back leg.
How to:
- Stand facing a box or step, feet hip width apart a few feet back
- Place your right foot firmly on the platform and drive down through your right heel to step up
- Squeeze glutes as both feet land on platform
- Step back down slowly leading with your left leg
- Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps on each leg
4. Bulgarian Split Squats
Doing split squats on your back leg really forces maximum glute activation because of the increased range of motion. This move fully engages your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
How to:
- Take big step forward, placing foot flat on ground. Left heel lifted.
- Send hips back, bending both knees to lower until back knee hovers above ground
- Stand back up, squeezing glutes to full extension
- Repeat for reps then switch legs
5. Dumbbell Kickbacks
Kickbacks primarily isolate just your gluteus maximus muscle. This is a killer exercise for the lower glutes!
How to:
- Kneel on bench or platform, leaning torso forward at hip
- Keep back straight, core braced
- Holding dumbbell behind your knee, slowly kick leg straight up, squeezing glute
- Slowly lower back down, repeat on each side
6. Fire Hydrants
Hit multiple parts of your glutes and outer thighs with this bodyweight move. You'll feel the fire in your lower glutes!
How to:
- Get on all fours, shoulders under wrists, knees under hips
- Keeping knee bent at 90 degrees, slowly raise one leg straight out to side
- Squeeze glutes at the top, then slowly lower leg back down
- Repeat for 10-15 reps then switch sides
7. Cable Glute Kickbacks
The cable resistance challenges your lower glutes through a wide range of motion for a super targeted pump.
How to:
- Attach ankle strap to low cable pulley
- Stand sideways, take 3 big steps forward to create tension
- Kick leg straight back, squeezing glute
- Slowly return to start position, keeping tension
- Repeat 10-20 reps each side
Implement These Lower Glute Exercises
There you have it—7 of the best lower body exercises that target your glutes from every angle while activating that hard-to-target lower glute maximus.
Focus on good form, full range of motion, and squeezing/flexing your glutes during these movements.
Implement them into your weekly booty burn routines and before you know it, you'll be rocking that perfect rounded, lifted dream booty!
Glute Training Program
Now that you've got a great list of targeted glute exercises, it's time to put together a structured workout routine to incorporate them.
Follow this 4 week beginner glute training program below focusing on the lower glute exercises from this guide. It hits every major muscle group while prioritizing booty gains.
Feel free to modify reps or weights to your current fitness level.
Week 1
Monday: Legs
- Barbell Back Squats 3x10
- Bulgarian Split Squats 3x10 per leg
- Leg Curls 3x12
- Glute Bridges 3x15
Wednesday: Upper Body
- Bench Press 3x10
- Lat Pulldowns 3x12
- Shoulder Press 3x12
- Bicep Curls 3x15
Friday: Glutes/Hamstrings
- Hip Thrusts 3x12
- Step-ups 3x12 per leg
- Stiff Leg Deadlifts 3x12
- Fire Hydrants 3x15 each leg
Week 2
Monday: Legs
- Goblet Squats 3x12
- Forward Lunges 3x12 each leg
- Leg Extensions 3x15
- Cable Glute Kickbacks 3x15 each leg
Wednesday: Upper Body
- Incline Bench Press 3x12
- Seated Row 3x12
- Lateral Raises 3x15
- Tricep Pushdowns 3x15
Friday: Glutes/Hamstrings
- Barbell Hip Thrusts 4x12
- Dumbbell Step-Ups 4x10 per leg
- Romanian Deadlifts 4x10
- Donkey Kickbacks 4x15 per leg
Week 3
Monday: Legs
- Narrow Stance Squats 3x15
- Reverse Lunges 3x12 per leg
- Lying Leg Curls 3x15
- Banded Side Walks 3x20
Wednesday: Upper Body
- Chest Flyes 3x15
- Single Arm Row 3x12 per arm
- Front Raises 3x12
- Overhead Tricep Extensions 3x15
Friday: Glutes/Hamstrings
- Single Leg Hip Thrusts 3x15 each leg
- Barbell Step-Ups 3x10 per leg
- Good Mornings 3x12
- Fire Hydrants with Band 3x20 each leg
Week 4
Monday: Legs
- Sumo Squats 3x15
- Walking Lunges 4x12 each leg
- Seated Leg Curls 4x12
- Donkey Kickbacks 4x15
Wednesday: Upper Body
- Push Ups 3xAMRAP
- Underhand-Grip Lat Pulldowns 3x12
- Upright Row 3x12
- Overhead Extension 3x12
Friday: Glutes/Hamstrings
- Hip Thrusts with Pause 3x10
- Box Step-Ups with Knee Raise 3x10 per leg
- Single Leg RDL 3x12 each leg
- Frog Pumps 3x15
Stick with the program, continually adding weight and challenge over the 4 weeks. Combine with a solid hip hinge based warm up prior to each workout.
After running through this routine, you should really start to see and feel a lift in your lower glutes.
Now rock those booty gains with pride!
Bottom Line
If you want to take your butt to the next level and build that desirable rounded shape, it's time to incorporate targeted lower glute exercises like hip thrusts, glute bridges and bulgarian split squats.
Implement them into your existing butt workouts to see major improvement in sculpting and lifting your rear. Just be sure to master proper form and get the most out of each rep by squeezing those glutes hard!
Let me know in the comments if you try any new effective lower glute exercises that deliver great results! Now get to it and let the gains begin. Here's to building your best booty ever!
FAQs
What is the best lower glute workout?
The best underbutt workout targets the lower glutes and maximus with moves like hip thrusts, glute bridges, bulgarian split squats.
Be sure to squeeze glutes at the top of the movement and use full range of motion.
Sets of 10-15 reps are ideal for activation and growth.
What are the best lower glute exercises?
The 12 best lower glute exercises include hip thrusts, glute bridges, step-ups, bulgarian split squats, cable kickbacks, dumbbell kickbacks, fire hydrants, and frog pumps. These moves isolate the lower glutes while also working the whole booty.
Why are lunges a great lower glute exercise?
Lunges like reverse lunges and bulgarian split squats effectively target your lower glutes and maximus. The increased range of motion maximally activates your glutes, quads and hamstrings. Lunges also require balance and stability from smaller stabilizing muscles.
How can you build the perfect underbutt?
To build the underbutt, it's important to target the lower portion of your gluteus maximus.
This area gives the butt that rounded, lifted shape. Exercises like hip thrusts, frog pumps, and cable kickbacks directly work this region. Building your lower glutes gives you a perky, full butt.
What is the anatomy of the glute muscles?
The glute muscles consist of the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. The maxiumus is the largest and makes up the shape of your rear.
The medius and minimus muscles lie underneath and help stabilize your pelvis and hips. Targeting the lower fibers of your maximus lifts and rounds out the butt.
Why activate your glute muscles?
Activating your glutes fully recruits the muscle fibers to work more efficiently. Cueing the mind-muscle connection with proper form and squeezing your glutes during reps helps achieve activation.
This leads to more growth and definition long term.
How can hip extension exercises target the lower glutes?
Hip extension moves like hip thrusts, glute bridges, and cable kickbacks all activate your lower glute maximus as you drive your hips upward and straighten your legs.
The top contracted position maximally works your glutes through a full range of tightening.
What are the best ways to target the lower glutes and underbutt?
The best ways to directly target your lower glutes and underbutt include: hip thrusts, frog pumps, glute bridges, step-ups, cable kickbacks, fire hydrants, and donkey kicks.
Be sure to concentrate on flexing your glutes during each rep and get full hip and knee extension.
What is a good starter glute workout routine?
A great beginner glute workout is 3 sets of 15 reps for 3 glute exercises like hip thrusts, squats, and glute bridges.
Build foundational strength and muscle before moving to heavier weights. Allow at least 1 day of rest between glute sessions for recovery and growth during those rest days.
How can you improve overall glute development?
To improve overall glute growth it’s important to train both your upper and lower glute muscles. Squats, lunges and stiff leg deadlifts hit your whole glutes.
Then incorporate lower glute moves like hip thrusts, glute bridges, and other hip extension exercises.
Work all areas of your glutes.
What are the most effective lower glute exercises?
The most effective exercises for your lower glutes and overall glute muscle activation are: hip thrust variations like single leg and banded thrusts; cable kickbacks and resistance band kickbacks; moderate to wide stance squats below parallel; and iso holds like the frog pump hold. Master form!
Crafting the Ultimate Underbutt Workout
As your personal trainer, I'm going to walk you through how to target that lower glute area and build the rounded, lifted booty you've been seeking. It starts with understanding the right anatomy and activation techniques.
Then we'll implement proven underbutt exercises into your regimen. With focus and perseverance your dream butt is 100% achievable!
Tips for Building the Perfect Underbutt
Activating and directly working your lower glute maximus muscle is the key to sculpting that desirable underbutt lift. This region gives your glutes their rounded shape.
Exercises like hip thrusts, frog pumps and reverse hypers specifically target the area. Train with intention and learn to maximally contract your lower glutes during movements. Proper mind-muscle connection is everything!
Understanding Your Gluteus Maximus
Your gluteus maximus is the largest, most powerful muscle in your posterior chain. It generates tremendous force for bodyweight and external resistance training. But you have to know how to fully activate the lower fibers.
Exercises focusing on hip extension like bridges, thrusts and cable kickbacks all engage that area.
Lower Butt Exercises for Women
Ladies, so many typical butt workouts neglect the lower regions. Squats mainly target your thighs and deadlifts hit the whole backside.
To build the perky underside lift, prioritize moves like step-ups, frog pumps, glute bridges and single leg hip thrusts. Perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps, 2-3 days a week.
Top 7 Lower Glute Exercises
Here are my top picks for the best isolation exercises to directly work your lower glutes:
- Hip Thrusts
- Glute Bridges
- Donkey Kickbacks
- Cable Kickbacks
- Frog Pumps
- Step-Ups
- Bodyweight Back Extensions
Master form and focus on flexing your maximus on each rep. You'll feel your lower butt burn!
Steps to Perfect Underbutt Exercises
Not all glute training is created equal when sculpting an incredible underbutt.
To get the most out of every exercise follow these form tips:
- Keep your core engaged throughout
- Drive through your heels
- Squeeze your glutes at the top contracted position
- Control the descent back down
- Use full range of motion
- Perform 10-15 quality reps
With practice your mind-muscle connection improves dramatically. You want to feel the deep lower glute burn!
How Can We Improve Your Glutes?
I'm passionate about helping you reach your health and aesthetic goals through strategic training. Developing incredible glute strength and definition is completely attainable but it requires diligence and commitment.
I provide the knowledge and workouts, but you have to grind it out day after day. Imagine the confidence you'll have when you look and feel your best.
Your perfect butt is waiting - now let's sculpt it!