7 Glute Isolation Exercises You Need to Try Today

Your glutes are the powerhouse muscles of your body. They are responsible for hip extension, internal and external rotation, and abduction, which together make it possible to walk, run, jump, and change direction. In other words, your glutes help you move, and they help keep your pelvis aligned to support proper posture and prevent back pain.

While some of the most common glute exercises, like squats, lunges, and deadlifts are excellent for targeting these large muscle groups in a compound manner (hitting multiple muscle groups at the same time), if you're really looking to shore up potential muscle imbalances or weaknesses, you should also consider glute isolation exercises. These exercises specifically target one or two of the glute muscles (often the smaller, less-worked glute medius and glute minimus) to develop strength and even out imbalances.

Because internal rotation and abduction movements are performed less frequently in day-to-day life than hip extension—and because they're often not targeted in common compound glute exercises (like squats and deadlifts, which focus on hip extension)—the glute medius and minimus can become comparatively weak when compared to the glute maximus. These weaknesses and imbalances can lead to back and knee pain, particularly in those who do a lot of walking or running (which largely engages the glute maximus), or those who sit all day for work.

To help prevent these muscle imbalances and to develop a well-rounded (pun intended) glute musculature, it's important to add glute isolation exercises to your routine that help target each of the glute muscles. The following seven exercises are a great place to start.

Hip Thrusters

Hip thrusters primarily target the glute maximus through hip extension. This is considered an isolation exercise because there is significantly less engagement of the quads and hamstrings than is typical for other compound exercises like squats and lunges.

This is an excellent exercise for targeting and strengthening the largest glute muscle—especially if your goal is to develop size and power in your glutes. This exercise is typically performed with a loaded or unloaded barbell, but you also can try it with dumbbells or plate weights if you don't have a barbell.

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a sturdy bench.
2. Bend your knees so your feet are planted on the floor and your torso and thighs are forming a "v."
3. Place the barbell (or other weight) across your hips at the crease of your thighs.
4. Press through your heels and forcefully drive your hips straight up, fully extending them as you lift your glutes away from the floor, squeezing your glutes as you perform the extension.
5. Stop when your hips are fully extended.
6. Hold for a count, then slowly and steadily allow your hips to hinge, lowering them back toward the floor, without actually touching down.
7. Continue the exercise, making sure to isolate the glutes to perform the hip extension—this isn't a "lift" that engages your torso or back to press the weight up.
   

Lateral Step Ups

Step ups themselves are one of the best ways to target the glute maximus. Plus, they're considered a compound exercise, so you are actually targeting your quads, hamstrings, and calves, as well. That said, when you perform a lateral step up, rather than a standard step up, you're also engaging your glute medius and minimus to perform the abduction portion of the exercise.

This fact makes it an excellent way to warm up and prepare for a full glute isolation workout. You can perform this exercise with or without weights. But, if desired, hold a dumbbell in each hand or place a weighted barbell across your shoulders (only if you have the strength, balance, and experience to do so).

1. Stand with a sturdy bench or plyometric box placed just to the outside of your right foot. It should be wide enough for you to stand on top of it with both feet at the same time. The height is up to you, but a 12- to 24-inch step is a good place to start.
2. Step up onto the bench with your right foot and rise to standing, placing your left foot on the bench as well.
3. Step back down, leading with your left foot and following with your right.
4. Continue the exercise for a full set before switching sides.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

The single-leg glute bridge is another hip extension exercise that unilaterally targets the glute maximus on each side of your body but will also target your glute medius to a small extent to help with stabilization. This exercise can help even out imbalances—particularly if one glute is stronger than the other,

1. Lie on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
2. Engage your core and lift your right foot from the ground. You can hover your foot off the ground, or you can choose to extend your right knee.
3. Press through your left foot and squeeze your glutes, pressing them up into the air as you extend your hips.
4. Stop when your hips are fully extended and in line with your knees and shoulders.
5. Lower your hips back toward the floor, stopping just before your glutes touch down.
6. Continue the exercise for a full set before switching legs.
   

Donkey Kicks

Donkey kicks are an excellent beginner-friendly glute isolation exercise that help unilaterally target the glute maximus, and to a lesser extent, the glute medius. For individuals who aren't quite ready for the single-leg glute bridge—which requires greater stability and core strength—donkey kicks are a good way to target the glutes with a single-side hip extension you can perform on your hands and knees.

1. Start in all fours on a mat with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, like a tabletop.
2. Engage your core and shift your weight slightly to the left so your right knee can lift off the ground.
3. Flex your right ankle so it forms a 90-degree angle and squeeze your glute, pressing the sole of your foot toward the ceiling.
4. Keep your knee and ankle bent at 90-degree angles as you extend your hip.
5. Stop when your right hip is fully extended.
6. Keep your torso steady throughout this motion; your back shouldn't cave and your hips shouldn't twist.
7. Lower your right knee back toward the floor, stopping just before it touches down.
8. Continue the exercise for a full set before switching sides.

Banded Lateral Side Steps

To really start targeting the glute medius and glute minimus, you need to choose exercises that use abduction. The banded lateral side steps are an excellent way to work against resistance as you take these lateral steps to the side. You'll need a small, looped resistance band to perform this exercise.

1. Place the small resistance band around your legs and position it securely just above your ankles so it's taut, but not tight when your feet are roughly hip distance apart.
2. Stand tall, with your hips and knees slightly bent, your core engaged.
3. Step to the right as far as you comfortably can with your right leg, pressing against the resistance of the band to do so.
4. Plant your right foot and step your left foot toward your right until your feet are hip distance apart again.
5. Continue stepping to the right for the full set before reversing the movement and stepping to the left.

Side Lying Leg Lifts

If you don't have access to a small, looped resistance band, the side lying leg lifts are another way to use abduction to target your glute medius and minimus. With this exercise, you work against gravity to move your leg away from your center line to perform the abduction.

1. Lie on your right side on a mat with your feet stacked on top of each other, your legs extended.
2. Place your left palm on the ground in front of your body to help with balance.
3. Use your right arm to comfortably support your head.
4. Lift your left leg straight into the air, extending it as high as you can as you squeeze the outside of your left leg to perform the movement.
5. Keep your hips and torso as steady as possible. Don't allow them to twist or lift as you lift your leg.
6. Lower your left leg back toward your right leg, carefully controlling the movement.
7. Stop just before your legs meet.
8. Continue the exercise for a full set before switching sides.

Hip Hitch

The hip hitch is a simple exercise often used in therapeutic settings, but it is an excellent way to target the glute medius and minimus. In fact, while incredibly simple, it has one of the highest EMG activation levels for the glute medius and minimus of all exercises.

1. Stand on a step or a bench, balanced on your right leg with your left leg positioned just to the outside edge of the step.
2. Keep your left foot even and aligned with your right foot.
3. Engage your core and "drop" your left hip so your left foot lowers a few inches below the edge of the step.
4. Squeeze your right hip to "pull" your left foot back up to the starting position. Essentially "hitching" your hip back up again.
5. Continue for the duration of the set before switching sides.
   

A Word From Verywell

Glute isolation exercises are a great way to round out your lower body workout and to prevent or correct muscle weaknesses and imbalances between your glute muscles. That said, if you're unsure how to perform an exercise correctly, or if you're trying to correct knee or back pain on your own, it's best to consult with a physical therapist or certified personal trainer to make sure you're performing each exercise correctly and that you're performing exercises that will efficiently target your specific needs.