15 Best Lower Glute Exercises – Get That Underbutt Cut

Are you ready to work your underbutt? Yes, that’s a thing, and we’re ready to rock and roll in your workout, making it tight and fit. Is no machine available? No problem here. Some of the best lower glute exercises are machine free. We’ll help you work your glutes with bands, a kettlebell, or a dumbbell.

Pull up a chair and learn the 15 best lower glute exercises for excellent underbutt shaping.

Glute Introduction

The glutes comprise three muscles: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. They are essential in maintaining good posture, propelling your body forward, and supporting the lower back muscles when lifting. Together, the glutes are the most significant muscle in the body but are often neglected during exercise–until now.

The Underbutt

The underbutt, or the lower part of the glutes that meet the hamstring, is called the underbutt. Focusing on this area of the glutes results in a perkier butt and rounder appearance of the butt. Sounds good, right? That’s not all the underbutt does.

Training and toning the glutes and hamstrings increases athletic performance and reduces the risk of injuries. Since the glutes support the spine, healthy glute muscles decrease spine injuries and benefit posture. Who knew the underbutt was such a pivotal muscle group?

Developing the Glutes

Working your glutes involves several exercises. Strength training, decreasing overall body fat, and building lean muscle mass by training the entire body and eating correctly are all ways to increase glute fitness. Machines are excellent for targeting specific muscle groups, but we know some exercises that provide the same benefits without machines. These glute exercises we’ll go through, combined with high-intensity activities, are your ticket to fitter glutes.

Isolation exercises work one particular muscle within the glutes, like the medius or maximus. We mentioned machines are suitable for those kinds of activities since they offer isolation of that muscle without the help of other butt muscles. However, compound exercises are great for working all of the muscles within the glutes. Movements like deadlifts and squats are excellent compound exercises to get that butt into shape.

Best Lower Glute Exercises

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges work the most significant muscle of the glutes, called the gluteus maximus, with some hamstring work as you extend the hips into the air. A more advanced option for the glute bridge adds bands for more resistance.

Performing a glute bridge:

• Starting position is flat on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. The feet should be about hip-width apart for this exercise.
• Keep your arms to your side with palms down.
• Lift your glutes off the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and glutes until you have created a straight line between your knees and your shoulders.
• Hold the position, actively squeezing your glutes.
• Lower your hips back to the floor and repeat.

Sumo Squats

We’re wasting no time getting into the squat position. This squat exercise focuses on the lower glutes and adductors (inner thighs).

How to Sumo Squat:

• The sumo squat starts with your feet slightly turned out and your feet wider than your shoulders.
• Slowly descend into a squat position with your knees aligning over your toes. 
• Keep your back tall, your abs engaged, and your shoulders back.
• Hold the position and then rise slowly by pushing through your heels.
• Repeat this exercise for stronger glutes and legs.

Lunges

Joey on Friends taught us best regarding lunges, but maybe don’t wear all your roommate’s clothes when performing them. We love lunges for their versatility. There are reverse, forward, and lateral lunges that all work your glutes and legs. If you want more resistance, grab some dumbbells.

Performing lunges:

• Begin with your feet about hip-width apart and your core engaged.
• Step forward or backward with one foot, bending the knee at a 90-degree angle to the floor.
• Ensure you keep your knee over the toes of the front foot to avoid hyperextending the knee.
• Press through the front foot’s heel to ascend to the starting position.
• Repeat this on the opposite side.

Bulgarian Split Squats

This single-leg squat is a compound exercise working the quads, glutes, and hamstrings. If you want more resistance, try adding a kettlebell into the mix.

Performing a Bulgarian Split Squat:

• The starting position is standing with your feet together, facing away from an elevated surface like a chair or box jump.
• Lift one foot behind you onto the elevated surface while keeping the other flat on the ground.
• Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Press through your heel to lift your body back to the starting position.
• Repeat this squat with the opposite leg.

Deadlifts

An easy exercise to add weights to, the deadlift is an excellent compound exercise for the glutes and hamstrings.

How to do a deadlift:

• Feet should start hip-width apart with knees and toes facing forward, holding a kettlebell, dumbbell, or weighted bar with an overhand grip.
• Keeping your back straight, slowly tip forward, hinging from the hip, and bring your weights down toward the floor.
• Tighten your glutes and hamstrings as you lift back up to the starting position, and repeat.

Hip Thrusts

This isolation exercise works the glutes and encourages hip mobility. Hip thrusts are an excellent way to train for deadlifts, especially if you have trouble with your hip muscles.

Doing hip thrusts:

• Start with your upper back against a wall or bench and your feet flat on the floor. You’ll want a barbell or dumbbell resting on your hips for added resistance for this exercise.
• As you lower your hips toward the floor, keep your core tights.
• Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips, and continue this exercise for several reps.

Step-ups

Don’t we all love an exercise that mimics climbing stairs? This exercise torches fat and is excellent for cardio or HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

How to do a step-up:

• Begin a step-up by standing in front of a box jump or bench with one foot on the floor and the other on the elevated surface.
• Pushing through your heel, lift your body until your other foot is on the elevated surface.
• Step back down with the same foot in a controlled position and repeat with the other leg.

Glute Kickbacks

Glute kickbacks are an excellent at-home workout to ignite those glute muscles. Add a band for more resistance as you graduate in your fitness level.

Performing glute kickbacks:

• The starting position for a glute kickback is on your hands and knees with your shoulders in line with your wrists and knees in line with your hips.
• Lift one leg and extend it straight behind you, squeezing your glutes.
• Lower the leg back to the starting position and repeat on the other leg.

Fire Hydrants

It’s time to find your inner dog. Fire hydrants are great for working the abductors (outside thighs) and glutes.

Doing fire hydrants:

• We’re back on our hands and knees with hips aligned over the knees and shoulders aligned over the wrists.
• Lift one leg to the side at a 90-degree angle, keeping your knee bent.
• Slowly lower your leg and repeat on the other side.

Donkey Kicks

We are channeling all kinds of animals with these excellent glute exercises. The donkey kick is a variation of the glute kickback and targets the top of the hamstring and gluteus maximus.

How to do donkey kicks:

• We love being on our hands and knees, so let’s start there again with knees aligned with the hips and shoulders aligned with the wrists.
• Lift your leg with your knee bent, bringing your flexed foot toward the ceiling.
• Squeeze the glutes at the movement’s top and ensure your hips stay square to the floor.
• Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Cable Kickbacks

For the cable kickbacks, you do need access to a cable machine. This machine is excellent for getting tension in the glutes for maximum results.

How to perform cable kickbacks:

• To begin, attach the strap to the cable machine and around one ankle securely.
• Stand with feet hip-width apart, facing the cable machine, and hold on for support.
• Kick your leg up and back, squeezing the glutes at the movement’s top while keeping your abs secure and your leg slightly bent.
• Lower your leg to the starting position while keeping tension in the cable.
• Repeat and then switch legs

Reverse Hyperextensions

Reverse hyperextensions work the lower back muscles and glutes.

Performing reverse hyperextensions:

• Begin by lying facedown on an elevated surface with your hips toward the edge so your legs can hang off the end.
• Hold the bench for support while keeping your legs straight.
• Lift your legs towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes as you reach the top of the movement.
• Slowly lower your legs and repeat.

Glute Bridges with a Band

We told you about upping the ante on your glute bridges, and a band for more resistance is the best way to do that.

Performing glute bridges with a band:

• To use a band with glute bridges, wrap the band around your thighs right above your knees.
• Next, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Press through your heels, keeping your abs tight until your hips are off the floor and you have created a bridge between your shoulders and your knees.
• Hold that position for a few seconds before lowering back to the floor. 
• Repeat

Glute Press

The glute press is another excellent glute buster to enhance that underbutt. This exercise requires access to a leg machine.

How to do a glute press:

• Begin by sitting on the leg machine with your feet hip-width apart and knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
• Press through your heels to extend your legs straight using the weighted resistance of the machine.
• Bring your legs back to the starting position slowly to utilize the legs on the negative movement.
• Repeat!

Glute Bridges on an Exercise Ball

Can you tell we can’t get enough of these glute bridges? Grab an exercise ball to perform this exercise, engaging the hamstrings and glutes even more.

How to perform glute bridges with an exercise ball:

• Begin by lying on your back with your heels pressed into the exercise ball.
• Lift your hips to create a glute bridge and keep your core tight.
• Slowly lower your hips to the floor and repeat.

Getting the Best Glute Activation

Now that you know the secret to an epic underbutt, let’s talk more about glute activation. It’s not enough to perform these exercises. You need to have proper technique, mind-muscle connection, and consistency to see results. Take a look at what we mean by each below.

Proper Technique

Without proper technique, you risk injuring yourself. Always warm your body up for one to two minutes before attempting any kind of exercise. Cold, tight muscles pull and tear easily. Check your form in the mirror and focus on it. Make changes as you notice improper placement, and record sessions to watch later. This process ensures the form is correct before attempting to exercise. Also, never use weights that are too heavy, especially if you are a beginner. It’s best to start without weights and work your way up to them so you can focus on form first.

Mind-Muscle Connection

The mind-muscle connection is vital. Performing movements without thinking about them can lead to injuries. Your mind is powerful and can influence the quality of your movements. Make sure you focus on the movements and muscle contractions. The mind-muscle process will have you maximizing your results.

Gradual Progression and Consistency

Start with no weights, graduate to light weights, and move on to intermediate weights. The slow progression will build more lean muscle mass. Also, stay consistent with your exercises. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and muscles are the same. It takes time, constant effort, and slow progression to see changes.

FAQs

Why focus on lower glute muscles?

Aside from the awesome butt, you will have, focusing on lower glute muscles reduces injuries, especially to your back.

How often should I perform glute exercises?

We recommend doing glute exercises 2-3 times a week with at least 48 hours of recovery in between workouts.

Can I perform lower glute exercises at home?

Yes! That’s the beauty of lower glute exercises. While some exercises require machines, most of the ones we listed do not. All you need are some dumbbells, kettlebells, or an exercise ball to whip that butt into shape.

How many reps should I perform for each exercise?

This answer will vary from person to person, depending on fitness level. We recommend starting with two to three sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise. As you gain strength and lean muscle mass, increase the weight or number of sets for a more challenging workout.

Can lower glute exercises help reduce lower back pain?

Yes. Strengthening the glute muscles is vital in reducing lower back pain as it improves strength and stability in the lower body, which supports the back.

Underbutt, Here We Come!

Your underbutt is excited. Don’t take our word for it. Try out these epic exercises and see the results in your lower glutes for yourself. You’ll gain a plump butt and support and strength through the lower body to support your back. It’s like winning the lottery for your butt!