This post contains 10 incredible lower glute exercises you MUST try out in your next booty workouts!
No booty workout is complete without sufficiently working your underbutt area, especially if you’re looking to grow bigger and more defined-looking glutes!
However, many individuals neglect this region of the glutes simply because they don’t know how to target it effectively.
This is where this post comes in to save the day.
If you feel overwhelmed by the countless glute exercises in today’s fitness world and don’t quite understand which would be the best exercises to work your underbutt, then this post will clarify everything for you.
You’ll discover 10 great lower glute exercises that will help you effectively train the underbutt region.
In addition, you’ll also learn why these exercises will give you better results than others for this specific goal (meaning you can impress your gym buddies with your new knowledge!).
Benefits of Performing Lower Glute Exercises
Not only does performing lower glute exercises help you achieve a more lifted appearance in your glutes, but you’ll also reap many functional benefits by increasing your glute strength!
A few awesome health benefits you can experience from consistently performing lower butt exercises in your fitness routine include:
- Improved posture: strong glutes help keep the pelvis in a neutral position. This is important because many suffer from lower back pain, tight hip flexors, and poor posture associated with an anterior pelvic tilt (where the pelvis tilts forward) which weak glutes can cause.
- Better squat performance: training your lower glutes can help you perform deeper squats with better control. You’ll also be able to push through your heels more effectively which helps reduce strain on the knees and improves your overall athletic performance.
- Improved deadlift performance: including lower glute exercises in your workout routine helps stabilize the hips and pelvis, allowing you to perform deadlifts with proper technique, thus reducing the likelihood of injury! The hip extension movement pattern is key for locking out your hips at the top of the deadlift, therefore having strong lower glutes allows you to drive the hips forward more efficiently and with greater power.
Where are the lower glutes aka ‘the underbutt’?
Before we begin, let’s take a quick dive into a short lesson about the anatomy of the glute muscles so we understand how we can effectively target the underbutt.
The glutes are made up of three muscles: the gluteus maximus, the gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus.
The term ‘underbutt’ is therefore commonly used to refer to the lower region of the glute max and the upper hamstring muscles (as circled in the image above). This area is also commonly referred to as the glute-ham tie-in.
Delving even deeper into glute anatomy, the lower glutes actually refer to the lower portion of the gluteus maximus muscle (the most famous of the 3 gluteal muscles).
Knowing which muscles we are looking to target, helps us with the next step of movement pattern selection.
The gluteus maximus and hamstrings are significantly activated when performing movement patterns with hip extension.
However, as indicated in a 2013 study published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, not all hip extension exercises are equal.
This is due to their different ‘resistance profiles’ which refers to how much resistance is applied to the muscles during the different stages of a movement.
For example, with some exercises that involve hip extension such as hip thrusts, the gluteus maximus is working the hardest when the muscle is contracting in the top position.
Despite this being one of my favourite glute exercises, this is not ideal if you’re looking to target the underbutt. This is because when the gluteus maximus is working the hardest in its contracted phase, there is little involvement from the lower portion of the gluteus maximus!
Therefore to effectively target the lower gluteus maximus/ ‘underbutt’ area, we need to incorporate exercises where the peak resistance occurs during the eccentric/lengthening phase (eg, Romanian Deadlifts).
The 10 Best Lower Glute Exercises To Add To Your Workout Routine
1. Romanian Deadlift
One the most popular glute exercises, this compound exercise should be a staple in anyone’s workout routine looking to build bigger glutes.
Unlike the straight-leg deadlift, the Romanian deadlift requires your knees to be slightly bent. This makes it much more comfortable on the lower back and easier (as well as much safer) to lift heavier weights.
For best results, keep your core engaged and spine neutral throughout the entire movement. Remember not to rush this exercise as moving too quickly can hinder the mind-muscle connection which is key for muscle growth.
2. Single Leg Deadlift
Don’t be fooled by this less daunting version of a deadlift- this exercise is an absolute killer on the underbutt!
I prefer to keep my legs straighter than the Romanian Deadlift previously discussed, and I use a bench or wall to help stabilize myself so I can focus all my attention on my lower glutes!
What I also love about single-leg deadlifts is the fact that you can work one side at a time.
This helps solve any glute imbalances you may have, allowing you to improve your overall strength and physical performance over time.
I advise adding this exercise toward the end of your workout to really burn out the lower glutes and upper hamstrings.
3. Good Mornings
Good mornings are a very similar movement pattern to Romanian Deadlifts with the key difference being that the weight is carried across the back of your shoulders and not in front of your body with your hands.
This makes this exercise much more convenient for beginners who don’t have the grip strength required for heavier Romanian Deadlifts.
4. Squats
Love them or hate them, regularly squatting is one of the best ways to grow your glutes, including your lower glutes!
When performing this exercise, aim to squat as low as safely possible.
This allows for a deeper stretch and activates the muscle fibres in the underbutt region, making them work harder and providing you with better results!
5. Deficit Reverse Lunge
Deficit reverse lunges are another awesome unilateral exercise that is crucial for building bigger and stronger glutes.
You can perform these using free weights (such as holding a pair of dumbbells in each hand or positioning a barbell across the back of your shoulders) or use specialised gym machinery such as my absolute favourite, the Smith Machine.
I personally cannot recommend Smith Machine reverse lunges enough for anyone serious about their glute growth journey.
Try them out and let me know what you think!
6. Walking Lunges
This is one of my favourite variations of lunges that always leaves me with a pumped behind after including it during one of my sessions!
I like to hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand and complete anywhere between 6-12 reps per leg, depending on the weight.
To help with balance, try keeping your core tight and focus your gaze on an unmoving object in the near distance.
Using these tips, combined with controlled and fluid reps, will guarantee that you’ll be feeling the burn in all the right places!
7. Bulgarian Split Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats may not be everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ (to say it politely) but the stretch you can achieve in the underbutt region thanks to the elevated back foot is hard to beat!
When performing this exercise, I like to slightly tilt my upper body forward and lower myself simultaneously backwards and downwards, almost as if I’m on a diagonal conveyor belt.
I personally find this the best way to help me engage my lower glute muscles when performing this challenging exercise!
8. Leg Press (High Foot Placement)
Did you know that the positioning of your feet on the leg press machine greatly impacts the muscles worked in your lower body?
If you’re looking for greater glute and hamstring engagement, try positioning your feet higher up on the platform!
This allows for greater hip extension and range of motion in the glute max which activates the underbutt much more effectively compared to the normal foot position.
9. Step Ups
Step ups are another excellent exercise that target the underbutt and set that booty on fire!
My favourite way to perform step ups is to place one foot on a bench and lean my body forward so that I can stabilise myself onto a wall or another unmovable object.
This allows me to concentrate on pushing through the heel on my working leg without having to worry about balance!
I recommend lowering yourself for at least 3 seconds. This will really activate your lower glutes and make this exercise much more challenging and rewarding!
10. Cable Pull Through
Last, but certainly not least, we have the almighty cable pull-through.
As another hip hinge exercise, this move delivers a serious burn in your lower glutes thanks to the constant tension of the cable machine.
For best results, ensure you stay in control and move slowly through the ‘lowering phase’, allowing you to feel the stretch in the glute-ham tie-in region. You should also add a slight pause at the top of the movement and focus on squeezing into your glutes for a few seconds.
Trust me, you’ll be feeling this exercise for days after your booty workout!
Tips For Maximising Results From Lower Glute Exercises
🍑 The most important tip is to ensure that you complete each exercise with good technique and proper form. This enables you to effectively target the lower portion of the glutes while also reducing the chances of injury (which would otherwise hinder your glute development journey!).
🍑 Perform each rep with control rather than rushing. This helps you to feel the stretch in your lower glutes and upper hamstring muscles and therefore improves mind-muscle connection in these areas. This is crucial when looking to maximise glute gains since a strong mind-muscle connection is linked with greater hypertrophy when resistance training.
🍑 Incorporate progressive overload into your training. Progressive overload is a strength and hypertrophy training method which involves gradually increasing the stress upon the targetted muscle by increasing the weight, number of reps, sets, or time that the muscle is under tension. Through the application of purposeful progressive overload, your glutes will consistently be challenged and forced to adapt. This adaptation will be bigger and juicer glutes!
🍑 Download my FREE Glute Builder E-Book below for straightforward advice on how you can optimally grow your glutes within a few months! (PS, it also includes a free glute workout!)
Final Thoughts
As we can see, it takes a little extra consideration about the type of exercises we need to perform to effectively target the ‘underbutt’.
This means that we should carefully plan our glute workouts to ensure that the lower glutes are targeted sufficiently for optimal glute gains.
Try adding a couple of the lower glute exercises mentioned above into your next booty routine. After a couple of months of consistency, you’ll definitely notice your glutes becoming much more lifted, rounder and defined!
I’d love to know what your favourite exercise is to target the glutes, let me know in the comments below!
If you liked this post, I also have an entire category on my website dedicated to glute training. You can check it out here.
Until next time, happy glute training! 🍑
Lower Glute Exercises FAQs
Exercises such as Romanian deadlifts, step-ups, lunges, and leg press (with the feet positioned high and narrow) all help target the upper hamstrings and lower glutes.
By consistently incorporating these exercises into your workout routine, you can promote muscle growth in this area which creates a more defined look in your glutes.
You should train your lower glutes 2-3 times per week for optimal results.
On these training days, lower glute exercises can be combined with other exercises targeting different glute areas/ muscles for a complete booty workout.
It can take anywhere between 4-12 weeks to see results from lower glute exercises in your underbust region.
For tips on how to train effectively for quicker glute growth, check out my post: How To Grow Your Butt For Insane Results! (Science-Backed Tips)
You can perform most of the exercises in this list (with the exception of leg press and cable pull-through) at home.
Popular lower glute exercises to add to your home workouts include dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, and squats. You can perform these as bodyweight exercises or use a pair of light dumbbells to add some extra resistance.
Although exercise does not completely get rid of cellulite, increasing muscle mass through regular exercise, eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated, can help improve the appearance of affected areas.
This post provides 10 exercises to target the ‘underbutt’. Don’t forget to share and save this post for later!
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This article provides great insights into targeting lower glutes effectively. I appreciate the detailed breakdown of exercises and the tips on form and progression. Really helpful for refining my glute workouts!SportsNews