Bodyweight Glute Workout for Beginners at Home: 6 No-Equipment Moves

Quick answer: A good bodyweight glute workout for beginners at home needs no equipment, just a mat and a chair for balance. This 20-minute plan uses 6 simple moves: glute bridge, donkey kick, fire hydrant, reverse lunge, side-lying leg raise and frog pump. Do 2-3 sets of each, rest 30-60 seconds between sets, and repeat the workout 2-3 times a week on non-consecutive days.

Below you’ll find the plan, form cues, easier and harder options, a sample week, common mistakes and FAQs.

Why Train Your Glutes (Even as a Beginner)?

Your glutes are the muscles of your buttocks. They help you stand up from a chair, climb stairs, walk uphill, pick things up from the floor and keep your hips and knees steady on one leg.

The good news is that you don’t need a gym or weights to start. Your own body weight is enough resistance when you’re new, as long as you move slowly and with good form. The NHS lists exercises that use your own body weight as one way to strengthen your muscles, and recommends strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups, including the legs and hips, on at least 2 days a week.

The 6 moves below train your glutes from the back and the side, with one standing move for balance.

What You’ll Need

• A mat, rug or carpet for the floor moves.
• A sturdy chair, counter or wall to hold during the reverse lunge.
• About 20 minutes, or about 10 minutes for one round on busy days.

Bodyweight Glute Workout for Beginners at Home: The 6-Move Plan

Warm up for about 5 minutes first: march in place, do a few slow bodyweight squats to a comfortable depth, and make small hip circles with your hands on your hips. Then do the moves in order, finishing all sets of one move (resting 30-60 seconds between sets) before moving on. If you’re brand new to exercise, do 1-2 sets of each move for the first couple of weeks.

#	Exercise	Sets x Reps	Main Focus
1	Glute Bridge	3 x 15	Glutes, hamstrings
2	Donkey Kick	3 x 12 per side	Glutes (back of the hip)
3	Fire Hydrant	3 x 12 per side	Side glutes, outer hips
4	Reverse Lunge	3 x 10 per side	Glutes, thighs, balance
5	Side-Lying Leg Raise	2 x 15 per side	Side glutes, outer hips
6	Frog Pump	2 x 20	Glutes (finisher)

1. Glute Bridge

The best place to start. It teaches you to lift with your glutes instead of your lower back.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart, arms by your sides.
2. Gently brace your stomach so your ribs stay down.
3. Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
4. Pause for 1-2 seconds at the top, then lower slowly.

Form cues: stop when your body is in a straight line. Don’t push your hips so high that your lower back arches. If you feel it mostly in your hamstrings, walk your feet a little closer to your hips.

Easier: do fewer reps with a smaller lift and focus on the squeeze. Harder: hold for 3-5 seconds at the top of each rep, or try a single-leg bridge with one foot lifted.

2. Donkey Kick

Works the main glute muscle from a supported position on all fours, so it’s easy on the knees for most people.

1. Start on your hands and knees, hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Keep your right knee bent at about 90 degrees and lift your right foot up toward the ceiling, as if pressing your sole into it.
3. Lift until your thigh is roughly in line with your body, squeeze your glute, then lower with control.
4. Do all reps on one side, then switch.

Form cues: keep your back flat and your hips level. If your lower back arches or your hip twists open, you’ve lifted too high. Look at the floor just ahead of your hands.

Easier: drop onto your forearms for more support, or use a smaller lift. Harder: pause for 2 seconds at the top, or add small pulses at the top of the last few reps.

3. Fire Hydrant

Targets the side of your glutes, which help keep your hips and knees steady when you walk or stand on one leg.

1. Start on your hands and knees in the same tabletop position.
2. Keeping your right knee bent, lift your right leg out to the side, like opening a gate.
3. Lift only as high as you can without tipping your body to the left, then lower slowly.
4. Do all reps on one side, then switch.

Form cues: keep your weight even on both hands, and keep your hips facing the floor. A smaller lift with a steady body works the right muscles better than a big swing.

Easier: do it on your forearms, or hold the top for a second and do fewer reps. Harder: add a slow 2-second lower, or hold the top position for 3 seconds on each rep.

4. Reverse Lunge

The one standing move in the plan. Stepping back is usually easier to control than stepping forward, and it gets your glutes working with your thighs.

1. Stand tall next to a chair, counter or wall and rest one hand on it for balance.
2. Step your right foot back and lower your back knee toward the floor, bending both knees.
3. Go only as low as feels comfortable. Keep most of your weight on your front foot.
4. Push through your front heel to stand back up, bringing your feet together. Do all reps on one side, then switch.

Form cues: keep your front knee pointing in the same direction as your toes, and your chest tall with a slight forward lean. Your front heel should stay flat on the floor.

Easier: take a shorter step and lower only a few inches, or swap in a sit-to-stand from a chair. Harder: let go of the support, or pause for 2 seconds at the bottom of each rep.

5. Side-Lying Leg Raise

Another side-glute move, done lying down so balance isn’t an issue.

1. Lie on your left side with your legs straight and stacked. Bend your bottom knee slightly if you need more stability.
2. Rest your head on your left arm and place your right hand on the floor in front of you.
3. Keep your top leg straight and toes pointing forward, then lift it a little above hip height.
4. Lower it slowly, without letting it rest. Do all reps on one side, then switch.

Form cues: keep your top hip stacked over your bottom hip and don’t roll backward. Lead with your heel, not your toes, and keep your top leg slightly behind your body rather than in front.

Easier: bend your top knee and use a smaller lift. Harder: hold the top for 2-3 seconds, or add 5 small pulses at the end of each set.

6. Frog Pump

A bridge variation with the soles of your feet together, used here as a higher-rep finisher.

1. Lie on your back and bring the soles of your feet together, letting your knees fall open to the sides.
2. Pull your heels in toward your hips as far as is comfortable.
3. Squeeze your glutes and press your hips up toward the ceiling, then lower with control.
4. Keep a steady, smooth rhythm for all 20 reps.

Form cues: think “squeeze, then lift.” Keep your ribs down so the movement comes from your hips, not your lower back.

Easier: do 10-12 reps, or bring your feet slightly farther from your hips. Harder: hold the top for 2 seconds on every rep, or finish with a 20-second hold.

Sample Weekly Plan

Aim for 2-3 glute sessions a week, with at least one rest day or easy day between them. Add some walking and core work for a balanced week:

• Monday: Glute workout, 2 sets of each move
• Tuesday: Brisk walk, 20-30 minutes
• Wednesday: Core session, such as our no-crunch ab workout at home
• Thursday: Glute workout, full sets
• Friday: Walk, plus 10 minutes of gentle stretching
• Saturday: Glute workout, full sets, or our low-impact fat burning workout at home with no jumping
• Sunday: Rest

How to progress: when every set feels controlled and the last few reps no longer feel challenging, change one thing at a time. Add 2-3 reps, add a set, slow down the lowering part of each rep, or try the harder option for one move. Once bodyweight feels easy, you can add a mini band or light dumbbells. Our resistance band workout and dumbbell workout at home are good next steps.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using your lower back instead of your glutes. If you feel bridges or donkey kicks mostly in your lower back, you’re probably lifting too high. Shorten the move and squeeze your glutes before you lift.
• Swinging your legs. Fast, swinging reps use momentum. Slow reps with a short pause at the top make each one count.
• Letting your hips twist. In fire hydrants and side-lying leg raises, keep your body still and move only the working leg.
• Letting the front knee cave in. In the reverse lunge, keep your knee in line with your toes. Hold a chair if your balance wobbles.
• Holding your breath. Breathe out as you lift or push up, and breathe in as you lower.

Safety Tips

• Check with your doctor first if you haven’t exercised in a while, or if you have a heart condition, high blood pressure, back, hip or knee problems, or recent surgery, injury or pregnancy.
• Use support when you need it. Holding a chair for the lunge is not cheating. The NHS also has gentle, chair-supported strength exercises such as mini-squats and sideways leg lifts if you want an even easier start.
• Stop if something hurts. Muscle effort and mild soreness a day or two later are normal. Sharp pain, pain in a joint, dizziness or chest discomfort are signs to stop and get medical advice.

FAQ

Can you build glutes with bodyweight exercises only?

Yes, especially as a beginner. Bodyweight moves give your muscles a new challenge when you’re starting out. Over time, you’ll need to make them harder to keep progressing, by adding reps, sets, slower reps, pauses, single-leg versions or, later, bands and weights.

How often should beginners do a glute workout?

Two to three times a week on non-consecutive days is a good start. The rest days give your muscles time to recover, and you can walk or do gentle stretching on those days.

Why do I feel glute exercises in my lower back or thighs?

This is common when you’re new. Usually the lift is too high or too fast. Make the movement smaller and slower, squeeze your glutes before you lift, and keep your ribs down.

Is this workout safe if I have bad knees?

Most of the moves are done on your back, side or all fours, so they put little load on your knees. If the reverse lunge bothers your knees, swap it for an extra set of glute bridges. If you have a knee condition, ask your doctor or a physical therapist first.

How long does it take to see results?

It varies from person to person and depends on how often you train, how you progress, your eating habits, sleep and starting point. Many beginners notice the moves feeling easier before they see changes in the mirror.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice or a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified doctor. Please talk to a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a health condition, and read our full disclaimer.