Great legs and a tight, round butt is something that we are all after. For years, I have been coaching women that workout at home but still want to get in an amazing butt workout. That can be a tall order when many of the great butt exercises like squats and leg press require some serious gym equipment. The good news is that the exercises which best activate the glutes can be done with little to no weight!

So, I went on a mission… find the best butt workouts for women that can be done with minimal equipment out of their homes. Butt exercises that activate the gluteus maximus while still incorporating the hamstrings and quads for a full leg workout. Below you will find my favorite butt exercises. Put them together for a butt workout that will seriously activate your glutes and help your butt grow tight, round and firm!

I have the following butt workout for women set up as a circuit.  Complete a full circuit all the way through then rest 2-3 minutes as you stretch your glutes and hamstrings.  Repeat the circuit 3-4 times.  Add this butt workout into your overall fitness routine 2-3 times per week for best results.

Photos: Rick Lohre Photography
Fit Body Model:  Dana Taggart

X Band walks are a butt exercise that is great for acting the gluteus medium along with the external rotators of your hips.  Using a large looped band in a medium strength, begin in a standing position.  Place the band under your feet about shoulders width apart.  Cross the band in front of your hips and hold the top of the band with your elbows at a 90 degree angle.  Take lateral steps focusing on your outer thigh and glute as you pull the band apart.  With each step, the band will stretch and provide resistance.

Complete 10 X Band Walks in one direction before going back the way you came.  If space is tight, you can do the X Band Walks in an alternating fashion.

A weighted floor glute bridge or glute raise is one of the best all around movements for strengthening your butt.  As a bonus, they work both the core, hamstrings and your adductors.  A basic floor glute bridge is performed lying on the ground with your knees bent and your heels pulled in close to your glutes.  Pressing through your heels, you will drive your hips upward as you contract your glutes.   Be sure to keep your core tight throughout this movement!

Glute bridges provide an excellent overall glute activation.  Complete 10 full range floor glute raises at a pace where you lift for a count of 2 and return to the floor for a count of 2.

**To make this movement more challenging, add a medicine ball or other weight to your hips as you raise making it a weighted floor glute bridge.

The straight leg upward glute bridge is a variation of the above weighted glute bridge that vaulted this butt workout for women to a new level.  By taking the basic movement and bringing one leg straight up as you press overhead, hamstring recruitment is enhanced to help with the hip extension and body stabilization.

Perform the single leg upward glute bridge in the same position as the weighted glute bridge above, but extend on leg straight into the air.  Keep your foot flexed throughout the movement and work to press your heel toward the ceiling.

Complete 10 full range floor glute raises at a pace where you lift for a count of 2 and return to the floor for a count of 2. Alternate legs.

Bent knee donkey kickbacks are one of my favorite butt exercises because they can tone, tighten and strengthen all three muscles in your glutes. When you are looking for butt workouts for women that can be done at home, the bent knee donkey kickback should be at the top of your list. One of my favorite things about donkey kickbacks is that they can be a very effective butt exercise for women that have knee injuries since direct weight and pressure is not placed on the knee joint.

While you do not have to add resistance for donkey kickbacks to be effective, I like to use a long looped band in a medium to hard strength to make this movement more challenging.

Begin the donkey kickback on your hands and knees keeping your core tight throughout the movement.  Loop the band around the arch of one foot and keep your foot flexed to hold it in place. Hold the front of the band with your hands shoulder width apart. With focus on your glutes, maintain your bent knee position while drawing your foot upward toward the ceiling.

Complete 10 bent knee donkey kickbacks at a pace where you lift for a count of 2 and return to the floor for a count of 2. Alternate legs.

As with the bent knee donkey kickbacks, straight leg donkey kickbacks are awesome for glute activation. I consider them part two of the bent knee kickback since you almost ‘pass through’ the first movement.

For straight leg donkey kickbacks, you wrap the band as you would with the bent knee variety.  With this butt exercise you want to really drive with your heel and press back as you extend your leg.  Focus on the mind muscle connection with that glute muscle.

Again, you want to complete 10 bent knee donkey kickbacks at a pace where you lift for a count of 2 and return to the floor for a count of 2. Alternate legs.