Glute exercises: which work your glute most?

The glutes are the largest muscle group in the body and drive hip extension. Hinges, squats and lunges all train them, while hip thrusts and bridges isolate them most.

Last reviewed 13 November 2026. Every study cited is listed at the end.

The muscles that make up your glutes

• Gluteus maximusThe largest of the three. It straightens the hip, as when you stand up from a squat or climb a step, and turns the thigh outwards.^[1]
• Gluteus medius and minimusSmaller muscles on the side of the hip. They move the leg out to the side and keep your pelvis level when you stand on one leg, so they work in every step, lunge and split squat.^[1]

Exercises where the glute is a primary mover

Ranked by how much of the work the glute does in each exercise.

• Deadliftalso hamstrings, lower back (erector spinae)
• Glute Bridgealso hamstrings
• Hip Thrustalso hamstrings, adductors
• Kettlebell Swingalso hamstrings, lower back (erector spinae)
• Sumo Deadliftalso quads, adductors, hamstrings
• Back Squatalso quads, adductors
• Bulgarian Split Squatalso quads, adductors
• Lungealso quads, hamstrings
• Romanian Deadliftalso hamstrings, lower back (erector spinae)
• Step-Upalso quads
• Goblet Squatalso quads, adductors
• Good Morningalso hamstrings, lower back (erector spinae)
• Thrusteralso quads, front delts
• Front Squatalso quads, abs
• Leg Pressalso quads, adductors

Exercises that also work the glute

The glute assists in these, but is not the main target.

• Burpeealso quads, chest, abs
• Farmer's Walkalso forearms, traps, abs
• Wall Sitalso quads
• Plankalso abs, obliques, lower back (erector spinae)
• Leg Curlalso hamstrings, calves

How to train your glutes: what the research shows

Which exercises work them hardest? A review of 16 studies classified exercises by glute activity. Step-ups and their variations came out highest, followed by deadlifts, hip thrusts, lunges and squats.^[2] Activity is not the same as growth, but it shows how hard the muscle is asked to work.

Hip thrusts or squats? In 13 trained women, hip thrusts produced about twice the glute activity of back squats with 10-rep-max loads.^[3] Yet in a randomised 9-week study of 34 untrained young adults, hip thrusts and back squats grew the glutes by a similar amount, and the squat also grew the quadriceps and inner thighs more.^[4] Both are good glute builders.

Squat deep. In a randomised study, 17 men trained full or half squats twice a week for 10 weeks. Full squats grew the glutes by 6.7% versus 2.2% for half squats.^[5]

Reps. Light and heavy loads built muscle about equally across studies when sets were taken close to failure; heavier loads built more maximal strength.^[6] A weight you can lift 6 to 15 times with good form, with the last two reps hard, is a practical range.

Sets. In a pooled analysis of 15 studies, more weekly sets per muscle led to more growth.^[7] Squats, deadlifts, lunges and step-ups all count as glute work.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best glute exercise?

There is no single winner. Step-ups, deadlifts, hip thrusts, lunges and squats all showed high glute activity in a review of 16 studies, and hip thrusts and squats grew the glutes similarly in a 9-week trial.

Are hip thrusts better than squats for glutes?

Hip thrusts produce more glute activity, but in a randomised 9-week study both grew the glutes by a similar amount. Squats also built more thigh muscle.

Do half squats work the glutes?

Less. Full squats grew the glutes about three times as much as half squats in a 10-week study.

Which exercises train the side of the hip?

One-leg exercises such as step-ups, lunges and split squats, where the gluteus medius keeps your pelvis level.

Other muscle groups

Sources

1. OpenStax. Anatomy and Physiology 2e, section 11.6: Appendicular muscles of the pelvic girdle and lower limbs. Rice University, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-6-appendicular-muscles-of-the-pelvic-girdle-and-lower-limbs
2. Neto WK et al. Gluteus maximus activation during common strength and hypertrophy exercises: a systematic review. Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2020; 19(1):195-203. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32132843/
3. Contreras B, Vigotsky AD, Schoenfeld BJ, Beardsley C, Cronin J. A comparison of gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis electromyographic activity in the back squat and barbell hip thrust exercises. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 2015; 31(6):452-458. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26214739/
4. Plotkin DL et al. Hip thrust and back squat training elicit similar gluteus muscle hypertrophy and transfer similarly to the deadlift. Frontiers in Physiology, 2023; 14:1279170. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37877099/
5. Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2019; 119(9):1933-1942. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31230110/
6. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2017; 31(12):3508-3523. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/
7. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2017; 35(11):1073-1082. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27433992/

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Muscle involvement varies with form, grip and individual anatomy.