No matter your fitness level, strengthening the upper glutes is key to achieving a strong and balanced physique. The purpose of this article is to provide an effective upper glutes workout that can be done from the comfort of your own home. Whether you are looking to build strength, increase muscle size or improve your overall health, these upper glutes include exercises targeting all areas of your glutes to help you reach these goals.

What is an Upper Glute?

An upper glute is a muscle group located in the buttocks region. It is made up of two muscles, the gluteus maximus and the gluteus medius. The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three gluteal muscles and it is responsible for hip extension, abduction, and external rotation. The gluteus medius lies underneath the gluteus maximus and it helps to stabilize the hip joint during movement.

The upper glutes are important for dead row maintaining proper posture and balance while performing activities such as walking, running, or jumping. They also help to protect your lower back from injury by providing stability to your pelvis during movement. Strong upper glutes can also improve your performance in sports such as basketball, soccer, or volleyball by providing you with more power and speed when sprinting or jumping.

The Best Upper Glute Workout Exercises

When it comes to building muscle, there is no single exercise that will do the trick. Instead, you need a varied and effective routine that engages your entire body. One great way to achieve this is by incorporating upper glute exercises into your workout regimen. Here are some of the best exercises for strengthening these muscles:

Standing Weighted Hip Abductions

Standing weighted hip abductions are a great exercise for strengthening the gluteus medius and other muscles in your hips and core. Here is how to do them: 

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a weight in each hand. You can use dumbbells, kettlebells, or any other type of weight you have available. 
2. Lift one leg straight out to the side as far as you can while keeping your pelvis level and your foot flexed. Hold for a second at the top of the movement before slowly lowering it back down to the starting position.
3. Repeat this movement on the same side for 10-15 repetitions before switching sides and repeating on the opposite leg. Make sure to keep your spine neutral throughout the exercise and focus on engaging your glutes as much as possible with each rep.

Dumbbell Lateral Lunges

The dumbbell lateral lunge is a great exercise for strengthening and toning your lower body. Here are the steps to do this exercise correctly:

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
2. Take a big step out to the side, bending your knee and lowering yourself down into a lunge position. Keep your other leg straight, and make sure that you are keeping your weight over the heel of your bent leg.
3. Push back up to the starting position using the heel of your bent leg, and repeat on the other side. Make sure to keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement for maximum benefit.

 

Elevated Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

The elevated dumbbell Romanian deadlift is a great exercise for targeting the posterior chain, which includes the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Here are the steps to performing this exercise properly: 

1. Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and holding two dumbbells in front of your thighs.
2. Slowly hinge at the hips while keeping your back straight and core engaged. Allow the weights to hang down in front of you as you go down until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
3. Once you reach the bottom position, slowly reverse the motion by driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes to return to the starting position. Make sure to keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement and avoid arching or rounding your back during any part of the exercise.

Weighted Hip Thrust

The weighted hip thrust is a great exercise to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and core. Here are the steps for performing the exercise correctly:

1. Begin by sitting on the floor with your back against a bench and your feet flat on the ground. Place a barbell across your hips and hold it in place with both hands.
2. Engage your core and press through your heels to lift your hips up off of the floor until they are in line with your knees and shoulders. Make sure to keep your back straight throughout this movement.
3. Lower yourself back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps. Make sure to focus on pushing through your heels as you come up instead of relying solely on momentum from swinging your hips.

 

Side-lying Hip Raise

The side-lying hip raise is a great exercise for strengthening your hips and glutes. Here are the steps to do this exercise:

1. Begin by lying on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, and feet together. Place one arm out in front of you for balance.
2. Slowly lift your top leg up as high as you can, then lower it back down to the starting position.
3. Repeat this motion 10-15 times before switching sides and repeating the steps.
4. As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can add weights or resistance bands to increase the difficulty and intensity of the exercise.

This exercise is great for toning and strengthening your glutes and hips, so make sure to incorporate it into your regular workout routine!

Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats

The Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (RFESS) is a great upper glutes workout to work your lower body and improve hip mobility. Here are the steps to do the exercise:

1. Start by standing with one foot on a bench or box behind you, and the other foot in front of you. Make sure your feet are shoulder-width apart and that your back is straight.
2. Bend both knees until your back knee almost touches the ground. Keep your torso upright throughout the entire movement and focus on using your glutes and hamstrings to drive yourself back up to the starting position.
3. When you reach the top of the movement, squeeze your glutes for a second before repeating for 10-12 reps per side. Aim for 3-4 sets of this exercise for a complete workout.

By following these steps, you can add RFESS into your routine to strengthen and tone your lower body muscles while improving hip mobility!

Prone Pulse Ups

Prone pulse ups are an effective exercise to target your core and abdominal muscles.

1. To do a prone pulse up, begin by lying on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight behind you.
2. Then, lift both arms and legs off the ground at the same time, creating a “V” shape with your body.
3. Hold this position for a few seconds before lowering back down to the starting position. Repeat this movement 10-15 times per set for 3 sets total.

To make this exercise more challenging, you can add a medicine ball between your hands or increase the number of repetitions. You can also try doing alternating pulse-ups where you lift one arm and leg at a time instead of both together. This variation will help further engage your core muscles while also increasing coordination and balance.

Fire Hydrant Kicks

The Fire Hydrant Kick is a great exercise for strengthening and toning the glutes, as well as the hip abductors. To do this exercise, you'll need an exercise mat and a sturdy object to hold onto for balance.

1. Begin by positioning yourself on all fours on your mat with your knees hip-width apart, your hands directly below your shoulders, and your back straight. This is the starting position.
2. Lift one leg up off the floor and extend it out to the side, keeping it in line with your body so that it forms a straight line from your shoulder to your heel. Hold this position for a few seconds before slowly returning to the starting position.
3. Repeat this motion with the other leg and continue alternating legs for 10-15 reps or until you feel fatigued in your glutes and hips. Make sure to keep breathing throughout the entire movement!

One-legged Glute Bridges 

A one-legged glute bridge is a great upper glutes workout to work your glutes, hamstrings, and core. Here are the steps for performing this exercise: 

1. Start by lying on your back with one knee bent and the other leg extended straight out in front of you. Place your hands at your sides for support.
2. Push through the heel of your bent leg and lift your hips off the ground until they form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Make sure to keep your core tight throughout the exercise to maintain balance and stability. 
3. Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower back down to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times before switching legs and doing another set with the opposite leg.

Single-leg Box Squat

The single-leg box squat is a great upper glutes workout for developing strength and balance in the lower body.

1. To do a single-leg box squat, start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and a low box or step behind you.
2. Place one foot on top of the box while keeping the other foot on the ground. Keeping your chest up and back flat, slowly bend your knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground, and then press through your heel to return to standing.
3. Make sure to keep your weight evenly distributed between both legs throughout the exercise.

The single-leg box squat can be made more challenging by increasing the height of the box or step, using weights, or adding a pause at the bottom of each rep. Aim for 3 sets of 10 repetitions per leg for best results. Start with light weights and progress gradually as you become stronger and more confident in performing this exercise correctly.

Conclusion: Is Upper Glutes Workout Effective?

Overall, an upper glutes exercise can be a very effective way to build strength and tone the gluteal muscles. This type of exercise targets the upper glutes specifically, which can help create a more balanced appearance in the lower body. Additionally, it can help improve balance and stability, as well as reduce back pain.

It is important to note that this type of workout should be done with proper form and technique in order to ensure maximum benefit and minimize the risk of injury. When combined with other exercises such as squats or lunges, an upper glutes exercise can be an effective addition to any fitness routine.