Bubble butt workouts are a combination of exercises that target the muscles of your ass and help you achieve that seamless round ass that many of us dream of. Also, it's what to go for if you just simply want to workout the muscles of your glutes. Since these days I am doing some butt exercises, I thought I would like to write this post, share some of the workouts I tried and planning to try.
Squats
Of course, the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of butt workouts is squats. For many, squats are the butt workout. I do squats regularly, but honestly, I never feel the soreness in my glutes. It seems to affect my quads more, and I reckon that's the case for many. This is a phenomenon known as quad dominant, in which we tend to over utilize our quads compared to the muscles on the backside of the legs such as the glutes and the hamstring. You can try to overcome this by pushing your weight on your heels rather than your toes.
Now, here are the steps to do squats properly:
1. Stand tall, position your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Keep your chest up and shoulders back.
2. Brace your core: Tighten your abdominal muscles (as if you are bracing for a punch in the stomach) to maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
3. Start the descent: Push your hips back as if sitting on a chair, keeping your weight on your heels.
4. Lower your body: Bend your knees and continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground (or as low as your mobility allows). Avoid letting your knees go past your toes.
5. Check your form: Ensure your knees stay aligned with your toes, your chest remains upright, and your back stays straight—not rounded.
6. Drive back up: Press through your heels to stand back up, fully extending your hips and knees.
7. Repeat: Perform1 your desired number of repetitions, and maintain proper form throughout.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Letting your knees collapse inward.
- Arching or rounding your back.
- Rising onto your toes instead of keeping weight on your heels.
- Going too fast and losing control.
Lunges
I heard someone say that before squats became the most known exercise for glutes, lunges were the thing.
Here are the simple steps to do proper Lunges:
1. Start position: Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, put your hands on your hips or at your sides for balance.
2. Step forward: Take a big step forward with one foot while keeping your torso upright.
3. Lower your body: Bend both knees to lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the ground, and your back knee hovers just above the floor. Your front knee should stay aligned with your toes, not go past them.
4. Push back up: Press through your front heel to rise back to the starting position.
5. Switch sides: Repeat the movement with the other leg stepping forward. Repeat this again as much as you would like.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Leaning your torso forward.
- Letting your front knee collapse inward.
- Stepping too far or too short, that way you end up compromising stability.
- Pushing off with your back foot instead of driving through the front heel.
Donkey Kicks
Now this is one of my favorites. Why? Because I can easily feel that burn in my glutes while I'm doing it, donkey kicks are one of the exercises that seem to actually work on my glutes.
Steps of Donkey Kicks:
1. Starting position: Get on all fours, with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat and core engaged (tighten the muscles of your stomach).
2. Lift your leg: Keeping your knee bent at 90 degrees, lift one leg upward until your thigh is in line with your torso. Your foot should be flexed and pointed toward the ceiling.
3. Squeeze at the top: Contract your glute at the top of the movement, ensuring your hips stay square to the ground. Maintain this position for about 3 seconds. Avoid over-arching your lower back or else you will start feeling pain there later in the day.
4. Lower your leg: Slowly bring your leg back to the starting position without letting your knee touch the ground.
5. Repeat: Perform your desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Letting your back sag or arch.
- Twisting your hips during the lift.
- Rushing the movement instead of controlled, steady reps, it should be slow.
- Not fully engaging your core for stability.
Fire Hydrant
Fire hydrant works on your gluteus medius muscle, which is the smaller part of your glutes at the top.
Steps of Fire Hydrant:
1. Get on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your core engaged and your back flat.
2. Keep your knee bent at 90 degrees, lift one leg out to the side until your thigh is parallel to the ground or as high as your mobility allows.
3. Hold the position briefly, engaging your glutes, while keeping your hips square to the ground.
4. Slowly return your leg to the starting position without letting your knee rest on the ground.
5. Repeat as much as you want, then switch to the other leg.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Tilting or rotating your hips.
- Overarching your lower back.
- Using momentum instead of controlled movement.
- Letting your arms or core lose tension.
Side Lunges
Another good exercise for the glutes, this one is a little difficult for me (still trying), but it might be the thing for you.
Steps of Side Lunges:
1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, standing tall with your chest up and core engaged.
2. Take a big step to one side, and keep your toes pointed forward.
3. Bend the knee of the stepping leg while keeping the other leg straight. Lower your body toward the floor, and ensure your knee stays aligned with your toes and doesn't go past them.
4. Push through the heel of the bent leg to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat this on the other side, and alternate your legs.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting your knee collapse inward.
- Leaning your torso too far forward.
- Not stepping wide enough, by that limiting the range of motion.
- Losing control by rushing the movement.
Courtesy Lunges
I saw some people saying that courtesy lunges worked well for them, so it is another workout for you to consider.
1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips or clasped in front of your chest for balance.
2. Step one leg diagonally behind your body, crossing it behind your front leg, as if performing a curtsy.
3. Bend both knees to lower your body, ensuring your front knee stays aligned with your toes and your torso remains upright.
4. Push through the heel of your front foot to rise back to the starting position.
5. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting your front knee collapse inward.
- Leaning too far forward or twisting your torso.
- Losing balance by stepping too far or too short.
Bridge
Bridge, and hip bridge both are good exercises. They strengthen the muscles of the pelvic, so they are also used as physio therapy for those with pelvic floor collapse.
Steps of Bridge:
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Keep your arms at your sides with palms facing down.
2. Press your lower back gently into the floor and engage your core.
3. Push through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
4. Hold this position, keeping your glutes engaged and core tight. Maintain steady breathing throughout.
5. Hold for as long as you can maintain proper form, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Overarching your lower back.
- Letting your hips sag or drop during the hold.
- Allowing your knees to splay outward or inward.
Hip Bridge or Butt Bridge
Hip Bridge is close to bridge. You just lower your hips and raise them again, as the steps to demonstrate.
Steps of Hip Bridge:
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart. Position your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Engage your core and press your lower back gently into the floor.
3. Push through your heels and lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for a few seconds.
5. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position without letting them rest fully on the ground.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Overarching your lower back at the top.
- Letting your knees splay outward or collapse inward.
- Rushing through the movement instead of maintaining control.
Single Leg Butt Bridge
Now this is one that I love. Single leg butt bridge actually makes my glutes feel quite sore.
Steps for Single Leg Butt Bridge
1. Lie on your back with one knee bent and foot flat on the floor. Extend the other leg straight out, keeping it in line with your hips.
2. Place your arms at your sides with the palms facing down for stability.
3. Engage your core and press through the heel of your grounded foot to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your lifted knee.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top and hold for a moment.
5. Slowly lower your hips back to the ground without letting them rest completely, and to make it harder, you can raise again before your hips touch the ground.
6. Repeat for the desired number of reps, then switch legs.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting your hips twist or drop on one side.
- Using momentum instead of controlled movement.
- Overarching your lower back.
Mountain Climber
Mountain climber is good exercise not just for your glutes, it also works on your core, arms, shoulders, and legs. It was on my list long before I started the butt exercises regimen.
Steps of a Proper Mountain Climber
1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Engage your core and bring one knee toward your chest without letting your hips sag or rise.
3. Quickly switch legs, extending the first leg back to the plank position while driving the opposite knee forward.
4. Continue alternating legs in a smooth, running like motion for the duration or number of repetitions that you desire.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting your hips rise too high or sag too low.
- Allowing your hands to move out of alignment with your shoulders.
- Using momentum rather than controlled movement.
Read More: Brown Fats Activation for Weight Loss
Good Morning
This one is usually done with a barbell, but it can be modified to suit home workouts.
Steps of Good Morning Workout:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees.
2. Engage your core and keep your chest up.
3. Hinge at the hips, pushing your hips back while keeping a flat back and slight bend in the knees. Lower your torso toward the floor, keeping your back straight, until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (about 90 degrees, or as far as you can comfortably go).
4. Squeeze your glutes and drive through your hips to return to the starting position.
5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Rounding your back as you bend forward.
- Bending at the waist instead of hinging at the hips.
- Letting your knees straighten too much or locking them out.
Leg Swings
Legs swings is a fun glutes workout, there are two versions of it, the one that activates the glutes is the backward and forward swing.
1. Stand tall and hold on to a sturdy object, such as a wall or chair, for balance.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg, keeping it slightly bent for stability.
3. Swing the opposite leg forward and backward in a controlled motion, keeping your upper body upright and your core engaged.
4. Repeat and then switch legs.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Allowing your upper body to lean excessively.
- Swinging the leg too forcefully, which can lead to loss of control.
Jumping Squats
Jumping squats is the hardest so far in this list (by my standards) and it is very effective for working out the quads and the glutes
Steps for a Proper Jumping Squats
1. Start in a standard squat position, feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and core engaged.
2. Lower your body into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as low as you can comfortably go.
3. Explode upward, pushing through your heels, and jump as high as possible while extending your arms for momentum.
4. Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately lower back into the squat position to repeat.
5. Repeat, and keep your movements controlled and your landings quiet.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Landing with stiff knees instead of softening the impact.
- Letting your knees collapse inward during the squat or jump.
- Not engaging your core.
Step Into Chair
This exercise strengthens the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves while improving balance and coordination.
1. Place a sturdy chair or bench in front of you on a flat surface.
2. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your core engaged.
3. Step one foot onto the center of the chair, ensuring your entire foot is stable.
4. Press through your heel to lift your body onto the chair, bringing your other foot to meet the first.
5. Step back down with the same foot you used to step up, followed by the other foot.
6. Repeat the movement, and alternate between the legs or or focus on one leg for a set before switching.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Allowing your knee to cave inward as you step.
- Pushing off too much with the foot on the ground instead of using the elevated leg.
- Using a chair that isn't sturdy or stable.
Clamshell
Clamshells primarily target the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, which helps you improve hip stability and strength. They are especially beneficial for runners and those with weak glutes.
1. Lie on your side with your legs stacked and knees bent at about a 45-degree angle. Rest your head on your bottom arm and place your top hand on your hip or on the floor for stability.
2. Keep your feet together and lift your top knee as high as you can without rotating your hips or pelvis. Your feet should stay in contact with each other.
3. Pause at the top, squeezing your glutes.
4. Slowly lower your knee back to the starting position.
5. Repeat, then switch sides.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting your hips tilt backward or forward.
- Using momentum instead of controlled movement.
- Not fully engaging your glutes during the lift.
Backwards Lunges
Backwards lunges are not much different from regular lunges, but they might be easier to perform for some of you, because it is easier to maintain the right posture when you step backwards. Also, according to some fitness experts, backwards lunges focus more on the glutes.
Steps of Backwards Lunges:
1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, hands on your hips or clasped in front of your chest for balance.
2. Step one foot backward, lowering your body until both knees are bent at approximately 90-degree angles. The back knee should hover just above the floor, and your front knee should stay in line with your toes without extending past them.
3. Push through the heel of the front foot to return to the starting position.
4. Repeat on the other leg, and alternate legs sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Letting the front knee extend past the toes.
- Leaning forward excessively as you lower down.
- Using momentum to push back to the starting position instead of using controlled movement.
The Bottomline
Those glutes exercises are Diverse and you can choose from them the ones that seem to work out better for you. And don't give up, actual results need a lot of work.
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