How to Increase Glute Size With Targeted Workouts

Let's be real—growing your glutes isn't as complicated as the internet makes it seem. It really just boils down to a few key things: hitting your glutes with targeted resistance training, pushing yourself a little harder each week (progressive overload), and eating enough protein to actually rebuild the muscle.

The most effective way I've seen this work is by combining heavy, powerful lifts like hip thrusts with isolation moves that hit all three glute muscles. This ensures you're not just building size, but creating a balanced, rounded shape.

Your Quick Guide to Increasing Glute Size

Building a stronger, fuller butt isn’t just for looks—it’s about creating a powerful foundation for your entire body. So many people get stuck doing endless squats only to feel it burning in their quads, not their glutes. If that’s you, don’t worry. The secret to actually increasing your glute size is all about strategy, muscle activation, and the right fuel.

This is a look at the gluteus maximus, the biggest of the three glute muscles and the one responsible for most of the shape you see.

Knowing where this muscle is and what it does is crucial for getting that mind-muscle connection right. Its main job is hip extension—think pushing your hips forward. That's exactly why exercises that hinge at the hip are absolute gold for glute growth.

The Core Components of Glute Growth

Before you get lost in a dozen different exercises, let’s simplify. True, lasting progress comes from being consistent with the fundamentals. Nail these, and your glutes will have no choice but to grow.

• Targeted Resistance Training: You need exercises that directly challenge the glutes. Squats have their place, but hip thrusts, cable kickbacks, and different lunge variations are often far better at firing up your glutes.
• Progressive Overload: This is the non-negotiable rule of muscle growth. Every week, you have to ask a little more of your muscles. That could mean adding a bit more weight, squeezing out an extra rep, or simply perfecting your form for a better contraction.
• Sufficient Protein Intake: Your muscles can't rebuild and grow without the right building blocks. A good rule of thumb is aiming for about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight to support recovery and growth.

To make this crystal clear, here’s a breakdown of what you need to focus on.

Core Components for Glute Growth

Action	Benefit	Example
Targeted Training	Ensures the glutes—not other muscles—are doing the work.	Swapping some squats for weighted hip thrusts to directly isolate the glutes.
Progressive Overload	Forces muscles to adapt and grow stronger over time.	Adding 5 lbs to your hip thrusts each week or doing one extra rep.
Proper Nutrition	Provides the fuel your muscles need to repair and build.	Eating a high-protein meal or shake within an hour after your workout.

Focus on these three pillars consistently, and you're setting yourself up for success.

The journey to a stronger physique begins with a clear plan. By combining these three elements, you create an environment where your glutes have no choice but to adapt and grow stronger.

Why Your Glute Anatomy and Genetics Matter

Ever feel like you’re doing all the right things but your friend’s glutes are growing twice as fast? Genetics are a real thing, and they set the baseline for your glute shape and how quickly you can build muscle.

It’s not just in your head. Someone with a higher ratio of fast-twitch muscle fibers in their glutes will often see faster results from heavy lifting. It’s just how they’re built. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck.

Understanding Your Three Glute Muscles

Your glutes aren't just one big muscle. They're a team of three, and each one needs attention if you want that full, rounded shape.

• Gluteus Maximus: This is the powerhouse. It’s the largest of the three and is what gives you that lower butt shape. Think hip extension—this is what you’re firing during a heavy hip thrust.
• Gluteus Medius: This one sits on the side of your hip and is key for stability, especially during single-leg movements. It helps build that upper glute shelf.
• Gluteus Minimus: The smallest of the trio, it works with the medius to help with hip abduction and overall symmetry.

Here’s a look at the gluteus maximus, so you can see how its fibers run from your sacrum down to your femur. This is why movements like thrusts are so effective.

While your starting point is genetic, your effort is what creates the change. Research shows that consistent training, smart nutrition, and progressive overload can lead to a 10–30% increase in glute mass in just 12–24 weeks. You can read more about it in the ISSA blog post.

Key Insight: Your training consistency will always have a bigger impact on your results than your genetic starting point.

Setting Goals That Actually Work for You

Knowing your body’s tendencies isn’t an excuse—it’s a roadmap. It keeps you from getting discouraged when your progress looks different from someone else’s.

The goal is to stick with a program that pushes you without burning you out. Everyone can build stronger, fuller glutes, no matter their genetics.

If you want a deeper dive into programming and nutrition, check out our guide on how to build muscle as a woman.

The key is to wake up those sleepy glute muscles with proper activation and then hit them with exercises that force them to grow.

• Focus on heavy hip thrusts to target the gluteus maximus.
• Add in single-leg movements to hit the medius and minimus.
• Make sure you’re pushing yourself every single week—add weight, add reps, do something to progress.
• Fuel that growth with at least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily. No exceptions.

How Bold Buns Supplements Fit In

This is where you can get an edge. Adding Bold Buns creatine to your routine helps your muscles work harder and recover faster, which is exactly what you need to grow.

For women training glutes twice a week or more, a daily dose of 3-5 grams is the sweet spot. You can mix it into a shake or just take it with a meal—it’s that simple.

When you pair this with the progressive overload we talked about, you’re giving your body everything it needs for measurable glute gains.

Remember, it all comes down to consistency. Smart training, solid nutrition, and the right supplements like Bold Buns are the trifecta for building the glutes you want.

Up next, we'll get into the exact exercises you need to be doing to maximize every single rep. Stay tuned.

Choosing the Best Exercises for Glute Growth

If you want your glutes to grow, you can't just go through the motions. You have to be smart about it, picking exercises that put the most direct tension on your glute muscles. While any lower-body day can leave you feeling sore, only a few key lifts create the mechanical tension needed for real growth (hypertrophy).

This means you need to prioritize movements that isolate and heavily load the glutes, forcing them to be the main drivers. It’s the difference between just feeling a burn in your quads versus truly fatiguing your glute maximus, medius, and minimus.

Hip Thrusts vs. Squats: The Great Debate

For years, everyone hailed squats as the king of lower body exercises. But for direct glute growth? Modern training science has crowned a new champion: the hip thrust. Both are fantastic compound movements, but they hit the glutes in completely different ways.

Squats are primarily a quad-dominant exercise that works the glutes most in their stretched, lengthened position at the bottom of the movement. Hip thrusts, on the other hand, hit their peak contraction at the top, loading the glutes when they're fully shortened. That top-end tension is a powerful stimulus for growth that squats just can't replicate.

In fact, a recent trial showed that while both squats and hip thrusts build the gluteus maximus, hip thrusts are especially effective for hitting the lower glute regions. These areas are packed with fast-twitch fibers ready to grow, leading to potential size increases of up to 15–20% with the right training. You can check out a full breakdown of the hip thrust vs. squat findings to see the science for yourself.

Expert Takeaway: Make hip thrusts your number one priority for direct glute hypertrophy. Squats are still great for overall leg strength and hitting the glutes from a different angle, but thrusts should be the foundation of your glute-building program.

Mastering the Foundational Lifts

Beyond just squats and thrusts, a truly effective routine needs variety to target all three glute muscles. This is how you build not just size, but that coveted rounded, "shelf" look.

The barbell hip thrust is a perfect example of an exercise that lets you safely load your glutes with heavy weight, which is exactly what you need for growth.

This image shows that perfect peak contraction—hips fully extended, glutes squeezed tight against the weight. That’s where the magic happens.

To give you a better idea of which exercises to focus on, here’s a quick comparison of the top lifts for glute growth.

Comparing Top Exercises for Glute Hypertrophy

This table breaks down how the key lifts stimulate your glutes and build strength, helping you choose the right movements for your goals.

Exercise	Primary Target	Growth Outcome
Barbell Hip Thrust	Gluteus Maximus	Builds overall mass, density, and that "shelf" look by loading the glutes at peak contraction.
Romanian Deadlift (RDL)	Glutes & Hamstrings	Develops the lower glute-ham tie-in by emphasizing the stretch under tension.
Bulgarian Split Squat	Gluteus Medius & Maximus	Adds shape and fullness to the upper glutes while correcting muscle imbalances.
Cable Hip Abduction	Gluteus Medius & Minimus	Isolates the side glutes to create a rounder, wider appearance from the front and back.

Ultimately, a balanced routine that includes these different movement patterns is what will get you the best results.

Your routine should always include these key movement patterns:

• Hip Hinge Movements: These are your power players. Think barbell hip thrusts and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) that directly load the gluteus maximus through hip extension.
• Single-Leg Movements: Exercises like Bulgarian split squats and walking lunges are non-negotiable for hitting the gluteus medius and minimus. These smaller muscles stabilize your hips and add shape to your upper glutes.
• Abduction Movements: Don't forget to push your legs away from your body's midline. Cable hip abductions and banded lateral walks isolate the gluteus medius, helping build a fuller, wider look from the side.

By combining these different types of exercises, you create a complete program that stimulates growth from every angle, leading to much better, more noticeable results.

Using Activation Drills to Unlock Glute Potential

If your glutes have stopped growing, just adding more weight to your hip thrusts probably isn’t the answer. When you hit a plateau, you need to give your muscles a reason to grow—a new kind of challenge that standard lifting can’t provide. That’s where activation and acceleration drills come in. They’re designed to wake up sleepy muscle fibers and force your glutes to work in a completely new way.

Think about it: traditional lifting trains your glutes to move heavy weight slowly. Acceleration drills do the opposite. They teach your glutes to fire with as much force as possible, as fast as possible. This explosive demand recruits a different type of muscle fiber—the powerful fast-twitch fibers that have massive potential for growth.

Sparking New Growth with Explosive Power

Adding explosive movements into your routine is a total game-changer for building your glutes. These drills teach your body to fire your glutes more powerfully and efficiently. That power carries right over into your heavy lifts, helping you move more weight with better form.

We’re talking about plyometric exercises, which are all about generating maximum force in short, quick bursts.

This image of a box jump shows the rapid stretch-and-contract cycle in action. That powerful contraction is exactly what you need to tap into new muscle fibers and spark stubborn growth.

The key is to stop thinking of these drills as cardio. They’re a form of strength training. Your goal is maximum power on every single rep, not just getting tired.

Adding Drills to Your Routine

You don’t need to throw out your current program. Just strategically add one or two of these drills at the start of your workout. Think of it as waking your glutes up before the main event.

• Box Jumps: Focus on landing softly, then exploding up by extending your hips. Do 3 sets of 5 reps before you start lifting.
• Glute Bridges with Abduction: Loop a resistance band around your knees. At the top of your bridge, pulse your knees out against the band for 2-3 seconds. Aim for 2 sets of 15 reps.
• Sprint Starts: You just need a small patch of open space for this. Get into a crouched position and explode forward for 10-15 yards. This single move creates insane glute activation. In fact, EMG studies have shown that sprints generate massive engagement in the gluteus maximus, giving you a powerful stimulus for growth. You can dive into the full research on glute activation to see the data for yourself.

Start small. Pick one or two of these and add them to your lower body days. Pay close attention to how you feel and recover, then adjust as needed. This is how you introduce a new reason for your glutes to grow without overdoing it—and set yourself up for your next breakthrough.

Fueling Your Body for Maximum Glute Gains

You can do endless hip thrusts and lunges, but if your nutrition isn't dialed in, your glutes simply won't have the fuel they need to repair and grow. Think of it like this: your workouts are the construction crew, but protein, carbs, and fats are the raw materials. Without the materials, nothing gets built.

So many women I see are actually under-eating for their goals. To build a rounder, fuller shape, you can’t be in a calorie deficit. Your body needs a little extra energy—a surplus—to dedicate to building new muscle tissue. This isn’t an excuse to eat junk; it's about strategically giving your body high-quality fuel.

Calculating Your Growth Macronutrients

First things first, let's figure out what your body actually needs. While everyone is different, a solid starting point for muscle growth is a slight calorie surplus of 250-500 calories above what you normally eat to maintain your weight. This gives you just enough extra fuel to build muscle without adding significant body fat.

Once you know your calorie goal, the single most important macro to nail down is protein. It’s literally what your muscles are made of. When you train, you create tiny micro-tears in the muscle fibers. Protein is what your body uses to patch them up, making them bigger and stronger than before. No protein, no growth. It’s that simple.

The Golden Rule of Muscle Growth: Eat at least 1 gram of protein per pound of your target body weight, every single day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds and want to build your glutes, you’re aiming for 150 grams of protein daily. Non-negotiable.

When You Eat Matters, Too

It's not just about what you eat, but when. Fueling up properly before you train and refueling right after can make a huge difference in your performance, soreness, and results.

• Pre-Workout (1-2 hours before): You want something with easily digestible carbs and some protein. Think a banana with a scoop of protein powder or a bowl of oatmeal. This tops off your energy stores so you can push harder and lift heavier.
• Post-Workout (within 1-2 hours after): This is your prime recovery window. Your body is screaming for nutrients to start the repair process. A meal with high-quality protein and carbs is perfect here. The protein gets to work on muscle repair, and the carbs replenish the energy you just burned. A grilled chicken breast with a sweet potato is a classic for a reason.

The Best Foods for Building Your Glutes

Let’s get practical. Here’s what you should be stocking in your kitchen. Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods that your body can actually use.

Food Group	Examples for Glute Growth
Lean Proteins	Chicken breast, turkey, Greek yogurt, salmon, lean beef
Complex Carbs	Quinoa, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, whole-wheat pasta
Healthy Fats	Avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil
Fruits & Veggies	Berries, bananas, spinach, broccoli, leafy greens

And don't forget water! Your muscles are about 75% water. Even being a little dehydrated can tank your strength and slow down recovery. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water per day.

If you feel like your nutrition is on point but you still need an extra edge, supplementing is the next logical step. Learning about the best creatine for glute growth can be a game-changer. It’s a science-backed way to help your muscles work harder and recover faster, which is exactly what you need to see real change.

Your 8-Week Glute-Building Training Program

Alright, let's turn all that knowledge into action. A solid, structured program is your roadmap to results—it takes all the guesswork out of building your glutes. This 8-week plan is designed for one thing: consistent, measurable growth.

We’re going to strategically combine heavy compound lifts with targeted isolation work to make sure you’re developing your glutes from every single angle. The program is split into two phases. Weeks 1-4 are all about building a strong foundation and mastering your form. Then, in Weeks 5-8, we ramp up the intensity to really drive growth.

The most important rule? Progressive overload. You always need to be pushing to lift a little heavier or get one more rep than you did last time. That’s how muscle is built.

Weeks 1-4: Building Your Foundation

The first month is all about technique and consistency. Your goal here is to get that mind-muscle connection firing on all cylinders, especially on your main lifts. You need to feel the glutes doing the work on every single rep.

Training Days (2 per week, e.g., Monday & Thursday)

• Barbell Hip Thrusts: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs): 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Bulgarian Split Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
• Cable Hip Abductions: 3 sets of 15-20 reps per leg

Pick a weight that feels genuinely challenging by the last few reps of each set. Once you can comfortably hit the top end of the rep range (like getting all 12 reps on hip thrusts), it’s time to add a little more weight in your next session.

Pro Tip: Don't just blast through your reps. Control the lowering (eccentric) part of each lift for a slow, two-second count. This increases time under tension, a secret weapon for muscle growth.

This visual guide breaks down the simple but powerful process of fueling your glutes for growth—covering your numbers, your nutrition, and your recovery.

Remember, the hard work you put in at the gym won't show unless it's backed up by smart nutrition and solid rest.

Weeks 5-8: Maximizing Growth

Now that you have a solid foundation, it’s time to crank up the intensity and volume. We’re adding a third training day to introduce more variety and really push your glutes to grow. This is where you’ll break through plateaus.

Training Days (3 per week, e.g., Monday, Wednesday, Friday)

• Day 1 (Heavy Focus)
  • Barbell Hip Thrusts: 4 sets of 6-8 reps (Go heavier here!)
  • Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
  • Cable Kickbacks: 3 sets of 12-15 reps per leg
• Day 2 (Volume & Isolation)
  • Barbell Glute Bridges: 3 sets of 15-20 reps
  • Single-Leg RDLs: 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg
  • Banded Lateral Walks: 3 sets of 20 steps per side
• Day 3 (Full Glute Burnout)
  • Bulgarian Split Squats: 4 sets of 8-10 reps per leg
  • Sumo Squats: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
  • Side Plank with Hip Abduction: 3 sets to failure per side

Tracking Your Progress and Making Adjustments

You have to track your workouts. Seriously. Use a notebook or an app on your phone to log your exercises, weights, sets, and reps every single time. It's the only way to be certain you're actually applying progressive overload.

If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, this plan might feel pretty intense. For a more gradual start, check out this beginner gym workout plan to build up some initial strength before diving into this one.

Finally, listen to your body. After you finish Week 8, take a "deload" week. That means you cut your weights and volume by about 50%. This gives your body a chance to fully recover and come back even stronger, ready to start the cycle again with heavier weights.

Common Questions About Growing Your Glutes

Let's cut through the noise and talk about what's really holding your glutes back. Getting these things right can be the difference between spinning your wheels for months and finally seeing the shape you want.

A huge one I always hear is, "How often should I train glutes?" The sweet spot for real growth is two to three times per week. Your glutes don’t grow in the gym—they grow when you recover. This frequency gives them enough time to repair and rebuild stronger without burning you out.

Can You Build Glutes At Home?

Definitely. You don’t need a gym full of heavy equipment to build impressive glutes. It’s all about being smart with what you have.

The secret is progressive overload, just without the massive weights. You can do this by:

• Adding more reps: Always push for just one or two more reps than last week. That’s growth.
• Slowing it down: Better form and slower movements increase time under tension, forcing the muscle to work harder.
• Using resistance bands: A solid set of bands can make bodyweight exercises like glute bridges and squats feel surprisingly challenging.

Another common frustration is not actually feeling your glutes during exercises. If your quads and hamstrings are screaming but your glutes are quiet, you’re likely dealing with "glute amnesia." It’s a real thing—your body just defaults to using stronger, more dominant muscles.

To fix this, you have to wake your glutes up before you start. Begin every single workout with activation drills like banded lateral walks or simple glute bridges. This builds that mind-muscle connection and makes sure your glutes are actually firing when you get to your main lifts.

It’s all about training smarter, not just harder. These small adjustments are what break plateaus and get you on track to building the strong, full glutes you're working for.

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