Are you prepared to advance your lower body exercises? If you’re tired of endless hours spent on isolated glute exercises that yield minimal results, it’s time to explore the world of compound glute exercises.

These powerhouse movements not only target your glutes but engage multiple muscle groups, providing a more efficient and effective way to build strength and sculpt your lower body.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast, an athlete, or someone looking to enhance their overall physical performance, incorporating compound glute exercises into your routine can yield tremendous benefits.

These workouts offer a holistic approach to glute training that can transform your physique and unleash your true strength potential:

Related Blogs:

• Compound Back Exercises
• Compound Chest Exercises
• Compound Shoulder Exercises

Best Compound Glute Exercises For Bigger Buttocks

Let’s have a look at the compound glute workouts that are sure to bring muscle to your glutes:

1.        Weighted Lunges

 

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Weighted lunges are an excellent compound glute exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

By holding dumbbells in each hand and taking alternating steps forward, the lunges engage these key lower-body muscles.

This underbutt workout not only builds strength but also helps improve balance and stability as you work to maintain proper form and control throughout the movement.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
• Take a step forward with your right foot, keeping your upper body straight.
• Lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the ground, with your right knee directly above your ankle.
• Push through your right heel to return to the starting position and repeat with the left leg.

Mistakes To Avoid

Avoid leaning too far forward, as it can put excessive strain on your knees.

Ensure proper form by keeping your chest lifted and your core engaged throughout the movement.

Advantages

• Works glutes, quads, hamstrings for complete lower body workout.
• Challenges balance and stability.

Disadvantages: 

• Can be hard on the knees if not done properly. Use caution if you have knee issues.

2.      Sumo Squat

 

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The sumo squat is a compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, providing an effective workout for the glutes, inner thighs, and quads.

This glute isolation workout not only helps build lower body strength but also contributes to enhanced hip mobility.

By consistently incorporating sumo squats into your fitness routine, you can strengthen and tone your glutes, inner thighs, and quads while reaping the benefits of improved lower body strength and increased hip mobility.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out at a 45-degree angle.
• Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands in front of your body.
• Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, keeping your chest upright.
• Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.

Mistakes To Avoid

Avoid letting your knees collapse inward during the squat.

Keep your knees in line with your toes and maintain proper alignment throughout the movement.

Advantages

• Targets inner thighs, glutes, quads.
• Improves hip mobility.

Disadvantages

• Can be challenging for those with tight hips/poor mobility.

3.      Barbell Hip Thrusts

 

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Barbell hip thrusts have to be on your list of top compound exercises for glutes as they activate and strengthen them. Moreover, it also works several important muscle groups, including hamstrings, and lower back.

By incorporating this exercise into your routine, you can enhance posterior chain strength and power, leading to improved athletic performance and overall functional fitness.

With consistent practice and attention to proper form, barbell hip thrusts can be an effective tool in strengthening your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back while enhancing posterior chain strength and power.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Sit on the ground with your back against a bench or elevated platform. Place a barbell across your hips.
• Bend your knees and position your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Brace your core and drive through your heels, pushing your hips up until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower your hips back down, maintaining control.

Mistakes To Avoid:

• Avoid overarching your lower back at the top of the movement. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
• Ensure that your weight is evenly distributed across your feet.

Advantages:

• Targets glutes, hamstrings, lower back.
• Builds posterior chain strength.
• Can use heavy loads.

Disadvantages:

• Set up can be cumbersome/awkward.
• Requires barbell.

4.       Frog Kicks

 

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This targeted exercise routine focuses on engaging and strengthening the glutes, outer thighs, and core, offering numerous benefits such as enhanced glute activation and improved hip mobility.

By incorporating specific movements and techniques, this compound glute workout effectively targets these areas to promote muscle activation and development.

The glutes, which are comprised of three major muscles, are specifically targeted to enhance their strength and shape.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Start by getting down on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned with your shoulders and knees below your hips.
• Extend your right leg straight back, keeping it parallel to the ground.
• Bend your right knee and bring it out to the side, aiming to touch your right foot to your right glute.
• Extend your right leg back out and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides.

Mistakes To Avoid:

• Avoid overarching your lower back or sagging your hips during the movement. Keep your core engaged and maintain stability throughout.

Advantages:

• Targets glutes, thighs and core stability.
• Works on hip mobility.
• No equipment required.

Disadvantages :

• Balance can be challenging.
• Must maintain core/spine neutrality.

5.       Step-Up

 

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To improve lower body strength, stability, and balance, try this exercise programme that concentrates on the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

People can get a complete lower-body workout by concentrating on these specific muscle groups.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Stand facing a step or bench with your feet hip-width apart.
• Place your right foot on the step and press through your heel to lift your body up.
• Step up with your left foot, bringing it onto the step as well.
• Step back down, starting with your right foot, and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions before switching sides.

Mistakes To Avoid:

• Avoid using excessive momentum or leaning forward during the step-up. Keep your chest lifted and focus on using your glutes to drive the movement.

Advantages:

• Works glutes, quads, hamstrings.
• Unilateral movement challenges stability.
• Easy to modify by adjusting step height.

Disadvantages:

• Step platform required.
• Not a good option for those with knee pain.

6.      Single-Leg Deadlifts

This exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings and core by having you balance on one leg while hinging at the hips and lowering down towards the floor. Really squeeze your glute at the top to maximize activation.

Step-Wise Guide:

• Stand on right leg, hinge at hips, and lower torso towards floor.
• Extend left leg straight back to counterbalance.
• Drive through heel to return to upright position.

Mistakes to Avoid:

• Allowing low back to round. Maintain a flat back.
• Overextending leg back – keep it in line with torso.

Advantages:

• Targets glutes, hamstrings, core stability.
• Great unilateral exercise.
• Works on balance.

Disadvantages:

• Can be tricky to balance. Use caution.
• Avoid if you have low back issues.

7.      Kettlebell Swings

 

 

This explosive compound move is a fantastic full body workout, engaging your glutes, hamstrings, back and core. Hinge at your hips, swinging the kettlebell between your legs to shoulder height, squeezing your glutes hard as you thrust your hips forward. Make sure to hinge from the hips – not the lower back. Start light until you perfect form. This exercise builds serious posterior chain power.

Step-Wise Guide

• Hold kettlebell with both hands between legs. Hinge at hips.
• Swing kettlebell between legs and thrust hips forward to swing weight out in front of chest.
• Control return and repeat.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Using arms/shoulders to swing – initiate with hips.
• Not hinging deep enough into hips.

Advantages

• Full body exercise engages glutes, hamstrings, core.
• Dynamic movement builds explosive power.
• Can use heavy weight to build strength.

Disadvantages

• Technique takes time to master.
• Risk of injury if not done properly.

 8.      Hip Thrusts

 

 

While bridges target your glutes, hip thrusts take it up a notch by incorporating upper body weight for resistance. Rest your upper back on a bench, arms at your sides. With your feet on the floor, drive through your heels to thrust your hips upward, squeezing your glutes hard at the top. Lower with control. For added difficulty, place a weighted barbell or plates across your hips.

Step-Wise Guide

• Lie on floor with knees bent. Shoulders down, core braced.
• Drive through heels to lift hips up until body forms straight line.
• Squeeze glutes at top, then lower back down with control.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Allowing low back to arch off the floor.
• Not engaging glutes at the top – really emphasize that contraction.

Advantages

• Targets glutes without equipment.
• Builds lower body strength.
• Safe for low back.

Disadvantages

• Floor setup can be uncomfortable. Use mat for cushion.
• Limited load – add resistance band for increased challenge.

9.       Squat Jumps

Ready to get your glutes firing on all cylinders? Squat jumps are just the ticket. From the bottom of a squat position, engage your glutes and quads to explosively jump up, fully extending your hips and knees at the top. Land softly back in the squat position with knees bent to absorb impact. Work on building height and developing explosive power from your glutes.

Step-Wise Guide

• Start in squat position with knees bent, weight in heels.
• Explosively jump straight up, fully extending hips and knees.
• Land softly back into deep squat position.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Not engaging glutes on the jump – power from the glutes.
• Landing too heavily – aim to land light and quiet.

Advantages

• Works glutes, quads, calves in explosive movement.
• Builds power and athletic performance.
• Elevates heart rate for cardio conditioning.

Disadvantages

• High impact – not ideal for those will knee/ankle issues.
• Technique takes time to perfect.

10.      Curtsy Lunges

This variation on the classic lunge adds a balancing element that really fires the glutes. Step diagonally across your body, crossing one leg behind the other. Bend both knees, lowering down until your back knee almost touches the floor. Push back to start and repeat, making sure to squeeze the glute of your front leg. Not only will you feel the burn in your legs, but your core will get a run for its money trying to keep you stable.

Step-Wise Guide

• Stand with feet hip-width apart. Take a large step diagonally behind you.
• Lower down until back knee hovers above floor.
• Push back to standing, bringing feet together. Repeat on other side.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Allowing front knee to collapse inward – keep it stacked above ankle.
• Not lowering deep enough into the stretch.

Advantages

• Hits glutes, quads, inner thighs.
• Challenges balance and stability.
• No equipment required.

Disadvantages

• Balance can be difficult, especially for beginners. Use a wall for support if needed.

Final Recap

By engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously, these compound glute exercises maximize your strength gains, improve athletic performance, and sculpt your glutes like never before.

Remember, consistency and proper form are key to achieving the best results.

As with any exercise program, it’s crucial to listen to your body, start with appropriate weights or resistance, and gradually progress over time.

Be patient, stay committed, and watch as your glutes become stronger, firmer, and more defined.

Your journey to a sculpted, powerful physique begins today.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 

What is compound exercise for glute?

A compound exercise for the glutes involves multiple joints and muscle groups working together. Some examples of compound glute exercises are squats, lunges, step-ups, and deadlifts. These moves require your glutes, quads, hamstrings and core to stabilize and move your body.

Do compound exercises build glutes?

Yes, compound exercises are highly effective for building and strengthening the glutes. Exercises like squats, lunges and deadlifts use your bodyweight and gravity to progressively overload the glutes, forcing them to grow bigger and stronger over time. The multi-joint movements hit the glutes from different angles for full development.

How do you hit all 3 glute muscles?

To fully work all three glute muscles – the gluteus maximus, medius and minimus – use a variety of compound lower body exercises. Squats and lunges will hit the maximus. Adding side lunges, lateral band walks and clamshells will target the medius and minimus.

What is the best at home exercise for glutes?

Some of the best glute exercises to do at home are:

• Glute bridges and hip thrusts – Isolation moves for the gluteus maximus
• Squats – Bodyweight or with dumbbells are great compound moves
• Lunges and reverse lunges – Hit multiple leg muscles
• Donkey kicks and fire hydrants – Excellent for strengthening the glute medius and minimus

Is glute bridge a compound exercise?

No, the glute bridge is an isolation exercise. It isolates and targets the gluteus maximus muscle specifically. Compound glute exercises involve multiple joints like the hips, knees and ankles working together in synergy such as squats, lunges and step ups.