Your glutes are one of your strongest muscle groups, which means they can handle a lot of weight and volume when it comes to training. So, if you want to grow your booty during this butt challenge (or at least get it a little perkier!), don’t be shy about choosing relatively heavy weights.

Because I know not everyone has access to a gym and a squat rack, I’ve focused on challenging single-leg lifts in the 30 day butt exercise challenge. These enable you to use lighter weights without sacrificing results. For each exercise, select a weight that is challenging, but that allows you to finish your reps without failing.

That being said, rest days are important, too! Muscle grows at rest and you’ll need muscle growth to see any positive change in your glutes. There are scheduled rest days in the challenge and some have an “active rest” option that’s glute-friendly like hiking or walking.

Well, are you ready to take on this butt challenge and build a better behind? You’re one click away from detailed exercise descriptions, training tips, and a complete 30 day butt challenge.

Butt Workouts for Women that Work

Split Squat

Single-leg exercises are a great way to train. Not only can you use less weight (making it more convenient for a home workout), but you also recruit more core muscles and address any muscle imbalances in each leg. Split squats with dumbbells are a great alternative to traditional barbell squats, making it one of the best butt exercises and one of our favourites.

How to:

  • Hold a pair of dumbbells down by your sides, palms facing each other.
  • Begin by standing in a staggered stance, with your left foot in front of your right by about 2-3 feet.
  • With a braced and strong core, slowly lower your body as far as you can.
  • Pause briefly and then push back to the starting position.
  • Complete all of the reps on the left side before switching your stance and repeating it for the right side.

Sumo Kettlebell Deadlift

The sumo kettlebell deadlift is a move you should add to all of your butt workouts, not just our 30 day butt challenge. This move targets not only your glutes, but also your inner thighs, quads, back and core.

How to:

  • Take a wide stance (slightly wider than shoulder width) with your toes turned slightly out.
  • Place a kettlebell on the ground between your heels.
  • Hinge at the hips and reach for the kettlebell.
  • Drive your feet into the floor and pull the weight up with you until you’re standing straight again.
  • Lower the weight back down and repeat without letting go of the handle between reps.Related article:

Related article: 8 Squat Variations That’ll Work Your Butt Off

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

This move is included in most butt workouts for women and is an important part of our butt challenge. The single-leg Romanian deadlift isolates the glute max while eccentrically strengthening the hamstrings.

How to:

  • Hold a pair of dumbbells down at arm’s length with an overhand grip.
  • Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
  • Hinge at the hips and allow your right leg to lift up off the ground until the leg is extended out behind you.
  • Your torso should be nearly parallel to the floor.
  • Return to the starting position and repeat all reps on one side before working the other leg.

Step-Ups

Whether it’s with a stair master or an aerobic step, step-ups are one of the best butt exercises. They will tone your glutes, particularly by strengthening the glute medius. Using good form is really important with these. It’s all too easy to cheat by pushing off with your back leg. But if you take the easy way out, you’re not going to get good results with these butt workouts. To help keep good form, simply lift the toes of your back foot off the ground a little – this will make it much more difficult to cheat.

How to:

  • Grab a pair of dumbbells and find a box, step, riser, or low bench.
  • Hold the dumbbells down by your sides and place your left foot on the step.
  • Your knee should be at a 90-degree angle when resting on the step.
  • Press your left heel firmly into the step and push until your left leg is straight.
  • Really feel the squeeze in your left glute.
  • Your right leg will trail behind and graze against the step.
  • Lower back down until your left leg is bent again and your right foot is on the floor.
  • Repeat all reps on the left side and then switch to the right.

Related article: 4 Moves For A Bigger Better Butt

Glute Bridges

No 30 day butt challenge would be complete without one of our favourite butt workouts for women — glute bridges. Talk about glute isolation!

How to:

  • Lie on the floor on your back with bent knees and both feet flat on the floor.
  • Keep your arms out to the side at about a 45-degree angle with palms up.
  • Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  • Lower back to the floor.

Single-Leg Glute Bridges

This single-leg variant is one of the best butt exercises and much more difficult than the standard one above. You’ll be doing plenty of these during the 30 day butt exercise challenge, so get ready! Always do these slowly and with control to really create a butt challenge.

How to:

  • Set up as you would for a traditional hip raise.
  • Then raise your right leg until it’s lined up with your left thigh.
  • Brace your core, squeeze your glutes, and push through your left heel to initiate a lift off the floor.
  • Again, your hips should raise until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
  • Slowly return to the starting position.
  • Complete your reps for the left side before switching legs and working the right side.

Related article: Sculpt Sexy Slender Thighs With 5 Floor Exercises

Bodyweight Squats

Oh, did you think we were skipping squats? Not for this 30 day butt challenge! The squat is ultimately one of the best butt exercises out there. These are last because they’re going to be used as a finishing move. You won’t be using any weight, but you’ll be doing lots of reps. The high volume will help you burn fat while still shaping your butt and thighs.

How to:

  • Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Hold your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder level.
  • With a strong (braced) core, lower your body as low as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
  • Your torso should remain upright and your arms should not change positions throughout the movement.
  • At the bottom of the motion, the tops of your thighs should be parallel to the floor (or lower).
  • Pause briefly at the bottom and then push back up to the starting position.