Do I Have to Lift Heavy Weights to Build/Grow Glutes at Home?

Glute exercises get all the attention because of aesthetic reasons. 

Do you want to grow stronger glutes?

If yes, then I’m sure you must have already searched for weights to add to your workout routine and have enrolled in gym memberships.

However, it must be noted that building glutes require more than just powering your lower back.

So, do you have to lift heavy to build glutes?

Well, that’s what most people think!

But what if you don’t want to add weight to your regime? Is it still possible to grow buttocks?

This blog will help you find the answers.

Do You Have To Lift Heavy To Build Glutes?

Can you grow glutes without weights?

The answer is both yes and no.

To elaborate, the best way to build muscles is via resistance training combined with the proper post and pre-workout meals.

The strength training exercises create muscle tears that repair themselves and get thicker during recovery.

As a result, your glutes grow bigger.

However, if you are a beginner, you can build glutes without having to lift heavyweights.

But the question is how to build glutes without weights?

Don’t worry, growing your butt muscles is very much possible without weights if you use the right approach.

You can use your body weight to overload your glutes and work to grow them bigger and stronger.

How Can You Build Glutes With Bodyweight Exercises?

If you don’t have any access to weight or simply don’t want to engage in lifting heavy weights, but are willing to grow glutes, you can still do it.

With the right implementation of bodyweight exercises, you can easily get better results.

Doing bodyweight exercises will strengthen and increase the size of the butt muscles. Moreover, progressively overloading the muscles will increase muscle hypertrophy over time.

Furthermore, even by using your body weight, you can create resistance and begin to work out and get results to an extent.

After a few weeks of working out, you need to increase the number of reps to get your glutes growing. 

So, when the question arises like do you “have to” lift heavy to build glutes,

The answer is not necessarily.

Undoubtedly, adding weights will make it more challenging and add extra load which means extra tension and better build up.

But You can do it with bodyweight exercises as well.”

Accordingly, what bodyweight exercises build the glutes the most?

Let’s see in detail.

10 Body Weight Exercises To Build Glutes

Now that you know you can build glutes without weights, here’s a list of glute exercises that build muscles fast.

1. Frog Pumps
2. Sumo Squats
3. Fire Hydrants
4. Reverse Lunge
5. Glute Bridge
6. Side Plank Leg Raise
7. Donkey Kick
8. Step-Ups
9. Hip Thrusters
10. Skater Hops

Let’s discuss how to do these bodyweight glute exercises in detail.

#1. Frog Pumps

If you are among those who isolate their glute, this bodyweight exercise is a must-do.

It’s a great move if you struggle to burn those butt cheeks.

How To Do It:

• Lie back on the ground facing the ceiling.
• Bend your knees and keep the soles of your feet together so that they touch each other. (Like a butterfly position)
• Keep your arms to the side or rest them on your stomach.
• Find a comfortable placement and drive through your feet.
• Now thrust your hips in the air or bridge up while keeping your knees open.
• Engage your cores and glute muscles and concentrate on squeezing them especially when your hips are up in the air.
• Return back to starting position but don’t touch the ground. Keep 1-2 inches distance before returning to next rep.

#2. Sumo Squats

The fact that sumo squats work great for the whole muscles of your lower body, makes it a great glute exercise without equipment.

How To Do It:

• Stand straight with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your feet indicated at a 45-degree angle.
• Sitting back as you go down, bend your knees and hips.
• Try to squat until your thighs are parallel or almost parallel to the ground.
• Squeeze your glutes and try to hold this position.
• Stand back to the starting position and repeat.

#3. Fire Hydrants

Including fire hydrants in your workout is a great way to strengthen your glutes.

Stronger glutes can help you lift more and more powerfully during exercises and other activities.

How to Do It:

• Start on your hands and knees.
• Keep your hands under your shoulder and knees under your hips.
• Keep your legs flexed and your hands straight.
• Now bring your right knee out and up to the side.
• Raise your right leg as high as possible with the knee bent at 90 degrees.
• Squeeze your butt and make sure to keep your arms straight.
• Hold the position for 2-3 seconds.
• Bring it down but don’t touch the ground.

#4. Reverse Lunge

If you are looking for simple yet effective bodyweight exercises to build muscles, the reverse lunge is one of them.

It challenges your glutes a little extra than the classic lunge.

How To Do It:

• To begin with, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Take one step back and lunge with one leg behind you.
• Try to touch the ground with your back knee.
• Meanwhile, ensure that your front knee maintains a 90-degree angle.
• Keep your torso straight, engage your core and maintain balance.
• Return back to starting position.

#5. Glute Bridge

Although it’s basic, it’s a must-do one.

Glute bridge is great for those who sit all day. While extending your hips activates your glutes.

You can also add glute bridges in your workout if want to avoid back pain or run faster.

How To Do It:

• Lie back on the floor facing the ceiling.
• Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground.
• You can put your arms on the side or rest them on your stomach.
• Slowly lift your hips up.
• Drive through the heels of your feet and squeeze your butt.
• Return back to the starting position but don’t touch the ground.

#6. Side Plank Leg Raises

Like fire hydrant, side plank leg raises work on glute muscles.

It’s a great exercise to build butt muscles and bring hip stability.

How To Do It:

• Lie on your side.
• Put your forearm right below your shoulder.
• Driving through your forearm and sides of your feet, lift your bottom up as high as possible.
• Squeeze your belly in and keep your glutes tight.
• Keep your top hand on the hip or try to reach the sky.
• Hold the plank, lift the leg and lower your leg up and down.

#7. Donkey Kick

If done properly, donkey kicks are great for targeting the largest glute muscle.

How To Do It:

• Start on all your fours. Keep your hands below your shoulder and knees under your hips.
• Engage your core and stabilize your pelvis.
• Lift your right leg up and behind your back towards the ceiling.
• Bend your right leg at 90 degrees.
• Slightly lower it before repeating it.

#8. Step-Ups

Step up is a great exercise and really targets your glutes.

It improves mobility, increases stability, and strengthens the muscles.

How To Do It:

• Take a chair or box and stand behind it.
• With a controlled motion, step on the chair or box.
• Avoid pushing with the back leg but instead, try to use the front leg to step on the chair or box.
• Step down with back leg first.
• Repeat again before switching the side.

#9. Hip Thrusters

The hip thruster is an advanced version of Glute Bridge.

It’s a great way to strengthen your glute and work on your entire leg.

How To Do It:

• Place a bench and box in a way that you could place your shoulder on the bench and your feet on the box with knees at 90 degrees.
• With your feet up on the box and your shoulder on the bench, bridge up.
• Drive with your heels and upper back and squeeze your hips and glutes.
• Drop back down and repeat it.

#10. Skater Hops

It’s a great bodyweight glute workout to get rid of those ugly butt cheeks.

Skater hops is a great sprinting exercise that not only tightens and builds your glutes but also improves your balance.

How To Do It:

• Stand on your right leg.
• Shift your body weight on your right foot and sink back into a little squat.
• Swing your arms to the right and engage your core and glutes.
• Push yourself forward and jump towards the left on your left leg.
• As you jump, swing your arms slightly up and across.
• As you land on your left leg, sink back and now jump on your right leg.

So, these were some of the glute exercises without equipment but with bodyweight.

But building muscles is more than just training and exercises.

And when it comes to building glutes with bodyweight, you need to keep a few things in mind to getter better results.

Tips For Growing Glutes

Getting bigger butts without surgery and lifting weights is now possible.

With proper implementation of bodyweight exercises to build glutes and some tips you can grow your glutes.

Now that you know do you have to lift heavy to build glutes, here are some of the tips for growing glutes.

1. Increase the volume of your bodyweight exercises. For instance, the donkey kicks 3 sets of 15 in week 1 and 4 sets of 15 in week 2.
2. Gradually increase the time you hold one position.
3. In order to grow glutes without weights, you must eat right. Keep a check on protein, carbohydrates, and fat intake.
4. You can add power cardio to your workout to elevate your glute exercise.
5. Sleep enough. Studies have already proved the link between sleep and muscle building. Better sleep helps burn calories and assists muscles to recover and grow.

So, do you need weights to build glutes?

Well, not really. In order to build glutes, you don’t need to lift heavy all the time.

Final Verdict

Resistance increases muscle growth but the way you choose to put the resistance depends on your body goals.

It doesn’t matter where you are working the same efforts and techniques are required everywhere.

Even with bodyweight exercises, one can get those toned butt cheeks.

And if you are wondering can you build your glutes at home, well, yes you can if you use bodyweight to build glutes.

Not to mention, combine nutrition and better sleep with your glute exercises to get optimum results.

It’s finally time to get rid of your dripping butt cheeks!

Hope you got what you were looking for. If you connected with the blog, don’t forget to leave your views in the comment section below.