Don’t kid yourself. Everyone wants a nice round butt that looks attractive.
Pancake butts just don’t cut the mustard anymore. You need a butt that is strong, round, and pleasing to look at.
The good news is, you have come to the right place. In this article, I am going to give you all the information you need to have a nice round butt, including the best exercises and workouts.
Let’s get started.
Related: Unlock Your Glutes Program For A Round Butt
How to Get A Round Butt
Everyone wants a nice round butt. Here is how to get it:
Reasons to Build a Bigger Butt
There are several reasons to build a bigger, rounder butt. These include:
It looks good – Let’s not kid ourselves. This is by far the most significant reason people want a nice round butt. Now more than ever, people want their partner to have a nice booty.
It boosts your confidence -Having a nice round butt will boost your self-confidence, making you feel more attractive and confident.
Improved posture – When your glutes are strong and well-developed, it can help to improve your posture.
Functional Strength – Gluteal muscles are the most important muscle in your body because they help you do everything from climbing stairs and picking up heavy things, all while walking around during daily activities.
Improved athletic performance – Strong glutes can also help with improving athletic performance, as they are an important muscle used to generate power.
Best Butt Building Exercises
When it comes to toning and sculpting your glutes, there are a variety of butt exercises you can perform. To make the most out of your workouts, here are some of the best exercises for your booty:
Hip Thrusts
When it comes to directly working the glutes the hip thrust is easily one of the best glute exercises out there. Due to its ability to target the glutes and hamstrings more effectively than other exercises, it helps build strength and tone your booty. Many gyms nowadays even have hip thrust machines, which are easier to use than a loaded barbell on your pelvis.
How to Perform
- Rest your upper back on a weight bench and position your feet flat on the floor.
- Place a loaded barbell across your hips and slowly drive them up by pushing through your heels. At the top of the range of motion, squeeze your glutes for a few seconds and then lower your hips back down to the starting position.
- You will also want to put a pad between the bar and your body. Otherwise, it’s pretty painful.
Squats
Squats are the kings of lower body exercises. They give you strong legs and a nice round butt.
Not only that, big lifts like squats also have been shown to increase testosterone which will also help with your gains.
There are many versions of squats out there. The barbell back squat is the most traditional way to do squats but the goblet squat is also an excellent alternative that can be easier on your back.
How to Perform:
- Begin with your feet hip-width apart and hold either a barbell on your back or a kettlebell in front of you.
- Slowly lower down into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- Drive through the heels and stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top of the range of motion.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Related: How To Get Great Glutes Without Doing Squats
Bulgarian Split Squats
This is an excellent single-leg exercise that many people overlook.
It helps to build strength and stability in each leg as well as give your glutes a nice shape. This exercise is also easier on your back than traditional back squats.
Some even say this exercise is better than squats. I think they might be right.
How to Perform:
- Start by holding dumbbells at your sides in a standing position with one foot on a bench behind you.
- Keeping your chest up, lower your body until the front thigh is parallel to the floor.
- Push up through the heel of your front foot and stand back up.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of the range of motion for a few seconds before alternating sides.
Deadlifts
Many people call deadlifts the king of all exercises and it’s easy to see why.
Deadlifts help build strength in your entire body and can also give you a nice shapely butt.
This exercise is great because it helps build your glutes while strengthening your core and upper back muscles as well.
How to Perform:
- Start with a loaded barbell on the floor and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at the hips to grab the barbell with an overhand grip outside of your knees.
- Keeping your back straight and chest up, drive through your heels to lift the bar off the ground.
- At the top of the range of motion squeeze your glutes for a few seconds before lowering the weight back down.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Keep in mind to keep your core tight throughout, as this will help with form and stability.
Romanian Deadlifts
This is a great variation of the traditional deadlift that helps to target your hamstrings and glutes more effectively. It’s very similar to the regular deadlift but with a few slight tweaks. Mainly, this exercise focuses on the eccentric phase of the lift (the lowering down) rather than the concentric (lifting up). You also keep your legs mostly straight and just bend at the waist.
How to Perform:
- Start with a loaded barbell on the floor and stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at the hips to grab the barbell with an overhand grip outside of your knees.
- Keeping your back straight and core tight, slowly lower the barbell down until it reaches around mid-shin level.
- At this point, drive through your heels to stand back up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the range of motion for a few seconds before lowering down again.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Glute Bridges
This exercise is a great way to target those hard-to-reach muscles deep in your glutes. It also helps build strength, stability, and shape in your lower body muscles. Not only is this exercise great for your butt, but it also helps improve your posture.
This exercise is similar to the hip thrust, but it’s not quite the same.
How to Perform:
- Start by lying on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Drive through your heels and press up into a bridge position so that only your upper back is touching the ground.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of the range of motion before lowering your hips back down.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Clamshells
This is a great exercise for targeting those stubborn glutes and helping to improve hip mobility. Not only is it great for shaping your butt, but it also helps to improve posture and strengthen your lower body muscles. Take it up a notch with an exercise band around your legs if needed.
How to Perform:
- Start by lying on one side with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet pressed together.
- Keeping your feet pressed together, raise the top knee as high as you can while keeping the feet together, then lower it back down.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps before switching sides
Step-Ups
Next on the list of the best butt exercises, we have step-ups.
By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can get a firmer and more toned butt in no time! Step-ups are a great way to target your glutes while also strengthening your quads and hamstrings. Just don’t fall off the bench or wherever you are stepping up on, that could be painful.
How To Perform:
- Start by standing next to a bench or step with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place one foot on the bench, then drive through that heel to press up and lift the body onto the bench.
- At the top of the range of motion, squeeze your glutes and then step back down with the same foot.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps before switching sides.
Cable Pull Throughs
Last but not least, cable pull-throughs are an excellent exercise for targeting your glutes and hamstrings. The best part about this exercise is that you can adjust the weight to make it more or less challenging as needed. You do need a cable machine to perform this exercise though. Most home gyms won’t have that.
How To Perform:
- Start by positioning a cable machine at hip height and attaching a rope to the bottom of it.
- Stand facing away from the machine, then grab onto the rope with both hands and step away from the machine until there is tension in the rope.
- Push your hips back into a deep squat position while keeping your back straight and core tight.
- Once you reach the lowest point of your squat, drive through your heels to stand back up and squeeze your glutes at the top of the range of motion.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can get a firmer and more toned butt in no time! Make sure to focus on proper form, as this will help you see better results and reduce the risk of injury.
Best Cardio For Glutes
Don’t get it twisted. Doing cardio for the glutes isn’t always a good idea. Running a marathon to build your butt would be a terrible idea.
That said, there is some cardio you can do that will help build those glutes as well.
Try these glute-building cardio exercises:
Stairclimber – Stairclimbers are great for targeting the glutes and getting your heart rate up.
20 minutes on the stairclimber helps to burn fat and build the glutes at the same time.
Treadmill on an incline – As with the stairclimber, a treadmill on an incline is great for targeting the glutes.
Increase the incline to help build and shape your butt while also getting a good cardio workout. The steeper the incline, the better.
Jump squats – Jump Squats are a high-intensity exercise that will get your heart rate up while also hitting those glutes.
Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower into a squat.
Explode up from the squat, using your glutes to help propel you up, then land back in the starting position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Round Butt Workout Plan
Now that you know all the best exercises to perform to get a bigger booty, let’s talk about how to structure these butt-building exercises for an effective bigger-bum workout routine program.
Let’s give you some gluteus maximus and gluteus medius building protocols.
Monday
- Hip Thrusts – 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift – 3×8-12
- Cable Pull-Throughs – 3×12
Tuesday
- Stairclimber – 25 minutes
Wednesday
- Rest
Thursday
- Squats – 3×8-12
- Bulgarian Split Squats – 3×8-12
- Glute Bridge – 3×12
Related: Unlock Your Glutes Program For A Round And Firm Butt!
Friday
- Incline Treadmill Intervals – 20 minutes
Saturday
- Deadlifts 3×6-12
Sunday
- Rest
Following this glute workout program and adding cardio will help you to achieve the bigger bum of your dreams in no time! Just remember to focus on proper form and technique. Make sure to rest between sets, and don’t forget to stretch after every workout. With a few simple tweaks to your workouts, you can get on the fast track to building the rounder butt muscles you’ve always wanted.
Bonus Butt Training Tips
Rep Ranges
If you want maximum booty muscle growth (you know you do), then you should focus on a rep range of 8-12 reps per set. This is the perfect rep range to stimulate the muscles for growth.
For the isolation moves, such as glute raises and clamshells, you can use a higher rep range of 12-15 reps.
Rest Periods
When performing these bigger butt exercises, make sure to give yourself enough rest between sets. This is important because it will ensure you are able to perform the next set with proper form and intensity. Plus, you can only lift as heavy if your muscles are getting enough rest between sets.
Aim for 3 minutes between sets.
Training Frequency
To really maximize your booty gains, you should focus on working out the glutes 2-3 times a week. This will give the muscles enough time to recover between workouts and grow bigger.
When it comes to glute training frequency, more isn’t always better – so make sure to listen to your body and take rest days when needed.
Use Good Form
Set your pride aside. How much you can lift doesn’t matter if the form stinks. Make sure you use proper form (even if you have to drop the weight down a bit) as this ensures all of your muscles are working correctly.
Incorrect form can lead to improper muscle recruitment and increase your risk for injury. So again, focus on using good form.
If you need to, hire a trainer just to teach you the proper form. This will ensure you continue to make progress with your booty-building workout program.
Extra Ingredients for Building A Bigger Butt
Nutrition – If you want to grow a nice round booty, eating like a bird won’t cut it. You need to feed that booty to get the muscles to grow. Increasing your protein intake and calories will give your muscles what they need to grow.
Progressive Overload – To get that bubble butt, you will need to lift heavier weights and perform more sets. By consistently pushing on your weight limit and stamina, you’ll break through plateaus and grow your muscle faster.
Get Your Rest – Glute muscles don’t grow when you are lifting weights. They grow when you are resting. If you don’t give your muscles enough time to recover from your workout then they won’t grow.
Diet for a Better Booty
Eat More Calories
You need to eat in a calorie surplus if you want your booty to grow. This means eating slightly more than you are burning each day. Aim to consume around 16-18 calories per pound of current weight.
Eat More Protein – Protein is essential for the muscle-building process and should make up about 10-15% of your daily caloric intake. Eating enough protein will help your muscles repair and recover from those grueling booty-busting workouts. Aim for 1-1.5 g per pound of body weight daily from lean sources such as chicken, fish, turkey,
Eat Healthy Fats – Healthy fats are great for the growth and development of your glutes, as well as for building lean muscle mass. Aim to include about 20-30% of your daily calories from healthy fat sources such as avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fatty fish.
Supplements for Building a Better Booty
Are supplements really necessary for butt-building? No, but they can help if you really want to accelerate your progress.
Here are a few supplements that can help with butt-building.
Protein Powder – Protein powder is an easy and convenient way to make sure you are meeting your daily protein needs. We already talked about how important protein is for muscle building. Protein powder makes it easy to get enough.
Creatine – If you want to build muscle and strength, then creatine is by far the best supplement for that. I’ve used it many times and it always works very well. Creatine monohydrate has been shown to be the best, but if it causes an upset stomach for you, try creatine HCL instead.
Pre-workout – A pre-workout can give you a nice boost of energy and focus so that you can push yourself harder in the gym. Look for one without artificial ingredients or added sugar. There are also pre-workouts out there that are made for muscle building; choose one of those if you can.
Extra Tips for Round Glutes
I know we have given you a ton of information so far, but we still aren’t done. Here are a few more tips to help you get rounder glutes.
Get Your Rest – We have already mentioned this, but it bears repeating. Your muscles need rest in order to grow. Make sure to give yourself enough time between workouts.
Stay Hydrated – Ensure you drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help keep your body functioning at it’s best so that you can see results faster.
Wear High-Waisted Pants – Wearing higher-waisted pants or shorts help to accentuate the shape of your glutes and make them look rounder.
Take Progress Pictures – Taking progress pictures is a great way to keep track of your progress as you work towards your goal butt. Take pictures every few weeks so that you can see the changes happening in real-time.
Major Muscles of the Buttocks
The buttocks are mainly composed of the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus muscles. The gluteal muscles are the largest and most powerful in the human body. They are crucial for providing stability and balance when standing, walking, or running.
The gluteus maximus is the largest of the three muscles and is responsible for powerful hip extension. It also assists with abduction, external rotation, and helps stabilize the pelvis during movement.
The gluteus medius is located on the outer surface of each buttock. It is smaller in size than the gluteus maximus but plays an important role in providing stability during movement. It also assists in abduction and external rotation of the hip.
The gluteus minimus is the smallest muscle in the buttock area, but it still plays an important role in providing stability and balance when standing or walking. Additionally, this muscle helps to maintain proper alignment of the hips during activities such as running or jumping.
FAQ
How long does it take to get round glutes?
It depends on how often you are working out, what exercises you are doing and your diet. Generally speaking, it can take anywhere from 4 – 12 weeks to see results.
Are barbell squats good for glutes?
Yes! Barbell squats are a great exercise for building the glutes. In fact, they are one of the most effective exercises for building strong, round glutes. Make sure to use proper form and focus on pushing your hips back and down as you squat.
How do you make your butt look rounder?
You can make your buttocks look rounder by doing glute-specific exercises such as squats, hip thrusts and deadlifts. Additionally, you should focus on eating a balanced diet with plenty of healthy fats and protein in order to provide the nutrients your body needs for muscle growth. Finally, wearing higher-waisted clothing can help to accentuate the shape of your glutes and make them look rounder.
Can you change the shape of your bum?
In order to change your butt shape, you need to focus on building muscle. While you can certainly lift your butt and make it perkier without adding weighted resistance, the real butts will be built with lean muscle, and hard work at the gym.
Related: The 5 Glute Commandments to a Superior Posterior
Final Word
So there you have it, friends. These are just a few of the many ways you can go about getting that round butt you’ve always wanted. Remember to mix up your routine so you don’t get bored, and most importantly, stay motivated! Getting into shape takes time and consistency, but it is definitely worth it when you finally start seeing results. Keep at it, and pretty soon, you’ll be strutting your stuff with confidence.
Ryan is a former college wrestler and lifelong fitness fanatic. He has run half marathons, done mud runs, placed in body transformation contests, coached wrestling, and now coaches girls’ soccer. Not to mention he has also tried literally hundreds of supplements over the years and has a vast and thorough supplement knowledge. He has written for Muscle & Strength, Testosterone Junkie, The Sport Review and other publications. He is also the editor-in-chief of this website and has over 25 years of experience in the fitness industry. Feel free to connect with him on his LinkedIn page below.