The Best Underbutt & Glute Isolation Exercises (For The Bum Crease)

Are you looking for a list of the best underbutt isolation exercises?

You are in the right place!

After reading this article, you will learn:

  • The most important factor for glute isolation,
  • The best exercises to lift your buttocks, and
  • Workout tips for designing an underbutt workout you can do in just 20 minutes a day!

The best part?

You can do all these glute isolation exercises at home.

Let’s get started.

underbutt-isolation-exercises


What Is The Underbutt?

The underbutt is where the upper hamstring and the glute muscle come together. I.e, it’s the area that creates a crease or a fold between your butt and the back of your thigh.

That’s why this area is often called the “bum crease.”

By targeting this muscle group, you can strengthen and lift your buttock muscles.

So how do you do it?

By performing exercises that isolate the lower gluteal muscles.

Here’s how.

How Do I Target and Isolate The Lower Glutes?

The only way to target the butt crease is by doing functional exercises that train both the upper hamstrings and the lower glutes.

These are exercises that train the movement known as hip extension.

There are two ways you can train hip extension.

  1. The first type is where your hips are stable and your torso is moving (aka the hip hinge)
  2. The second type is when your torso is moving and you bring your legs behind you

In both cases, you need to make sure that you focus on activating your glute muscles as you go through the motion.

I’ll show you how to do both below.



The Best Underbutt & Glute Isolation Exercises To Lift Your Buttocks

Okay, so now let’s go over the best underbutt glute isolation exercises.

Before we start, I want you to focus on the mind-muscle connection. This means that you must concentrate on squeezing and activating your butt muscles throughout the range of motion.

Do not rush through these exercises. Perform each repetition over a span of at least 3- seconds (Yes count, 1-Mississippi, 2-Mississippi, 3-Mississippi).

If you would like to increase the difficulty of any of these exercises, feel free to use one of the Postpartum Trainer’s Glute Resistance Bands.

Many of these exercises are unilateral – so be sure to train the right leg and left leg equally!

Lastly, if you ever feel any pain or discomfort doing any of these exercises- stop and seek help from a professional.

Ok, let’s get started.


Banded Glute Kickback

The first exercise is the standing banded kickback. This movement really turns on the gluteus maximus, which is the main gluteal muscle making up the under butt.

To get the most out of this exercise, you should try to find a short platform that you can stand on.

Find one here at Amazon. You will also need a band which you could find here.

Here’s how to do it.

Banded-Kick-Backs
  • First place the band around your ankles
  • Next, place one foot on the platform, and let your other foot dangle off on the side
  • You can either place your hands on your hips or you can hold on to something to help support your balance
  • Keep the knee of the standing leg locked at all times
  • Next, brace your core and keep it activated the entire time
  • From here, slowly bring your dangling leg back behind your body while keeping your knee straight and your feet pointing forward
  • The range of motion is not big. Once you feel a nice contraction in your glute, reverse the movement back to the starting position
  • Continue pulsing back and forth for the desired amount of repetitions before switching sides

Kneeling Squats

The next lower glute exercise is the kneeling squat. It’s a combination of a glute bridge and a squat, with a major emphasis on the lower glute-hamstring complex.

This is my favorite glute activation exercise because everyone can do it!

Here’s what it looks like:

kneeling-squat
  • Place a cushion or a rolled-up mat on the floor to protect your knees. Here is the one I have from Amazon.
  • Kneel down on the cushion with your feet directly behind you
  • Start the exercise by slowly sitting down on your feet (This is the starting position)
  • From here, squeeze your glute muscles to begin extending your hips
  • Keep going until you return back to the tall kneeling position

Fire Hydrant Kicks

Next is the fire hydrant kick. This hip abduction exercise is performed in a quadruped position and targets the gluteus medius.

It’s called a fire hydrant because this is the position male dogs get into to urinate on a fire hydrant.

Here’s how to do it:

quadruped-leg-abductions
  • Get into a quadruped position, (on your hands and knees with your back as flat as possible)
  • Next, extend your right knee out to the side with your foot flat on the ground.
  • Then, brace your core and try to maintain a neutral spinal position throughout the movement
  • Begin lifting the right leg off the ground directly to your side.
  • Lift that leg as high as you can without bending your knee or arching your low back.
  • Do all of the repetitions on one side before moving on to the next.

Donkey Kick Backs

The next exercise is the donkey kickback. This is a very popular exercise for good reason.

It’s one of the best ways to really isolate the lower glutes and hamstring muscles.

Here’s how to do it:

donkey-kick-exercise
  • Get into a quadruped position, (on your hands and knees with your back as flat as possible)
  • Next, brace your core and try to maintain a neutral spinal position throughout the movement
  • Bring one knee off the ground and lift that leg directly behind you
  • At this point, your knee should be bent and the bottom of your foot facing the ceiling (This is the starting position)
  • From here, extend your hip further by trying to bring your foot closer to the ceiling
  • You should automatically feel activation of the underbutt area
  • Take care not to extend too far – we do not want your low back to arch excessively
  • You should really feel this in the gluteal fold.
  • The range of motion will not be that big- slowly pulse back and forth between the starting position and the fully extended position before switching sides

Quadruped Straight Leg Pulses

This next exercise is similar to the donkey kickbacks, except you will do it with a straight leg.

This will increase the difficulty of the exercise. So if you find this variation too difficult, feel free to go back to the donkey kickbacks.

Here’s how to do it:

quadruped-leg-extensions
  • Get into a quadruped position, (on your hands and knees with your back as flat as possible)
  • Next, brace your core and try to maintain a neutral spine position throughout the movement
  • Bring one knee off the ground and lift that leg directly behind you with your knee straight (This is the starting position)
  • Next, brace your core and keep your abs activated throughout the entire exercise
  • Slowly pulse your straight leg up toward the ceiling while keeping your knee straight
  • The range of motion will not be very big
  • Slowly pulse between the starting position and the fully extended position
  • Take care to not extend too far – you do not want your low back to arch excessively

Quadruped Banded Kick Back

The banded bird dog provides a nice amount of resistance to this already great exercise.

You will need a closed-loop resistance band to do it, which you can get on Amazon for a fair price.

Here’s how to do it:

Banded-donkey-kickbacks
  • Get into a quadruped position, (on your hands and knees with your back as flat as possible)
  • Wrap one end of the closed-loop band on your right hand
  • Place the sole of your left foot inside the other loop
  • From the quadruped position, kick back the left leg so that it is straight behind you
  • You will need to play around with band placement to ensure that it provides enough resistance
  • Slowly return to the starting position

Hip Thrusts

The hip thrust is the queen of glute activation exercise. This movement is similar to a glute bridge, but instead, your upper back will be supported by a couch or a bench.

You can develop really strong glutes from this movement!

Here’s what it looks like.

hip-thrusts
  • Sit in front of a couch or a bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart
  • Place your elbows and forearms on the bench for support, or across your chest.
  • From here, squeeze your glute muscles hard to extend or straighten your hips.
  • Your upper back should naturally flatten out on the bench.
  • Hold this position for a 3 count and then slowly lower back down.
  • You could even place a weight on your lap to turn the hip thrust into a solid strength training exercise.

Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is an amazing exercise to target the upper hamstring and lower glute complex.

To get the most out of this exercise, it is best to hold on to weight such as a dumbbell, kettlebell, or even a heavy backpack.

Here’s what it looks like:

romanian-deadlift
  • Stand with your feet at shoulder-width apart with your feet facing forward
  • Keeping your spine tall, begin the exercise by bending at the waist (and NOT your spine)
  • From here, push your butt back behind you
  • Keep your knees relatively straight
  • Keep pushing your hips back until you feel a nice stretch along your hamstring muscles
  • Keep your spine neutral and don’t let your spinal alignment change.
  • Pause for a 1 count, and then reverse the movement

*These next two lower glute exercises should not be done if you are pregnant*


See The Video Of The Exercises Here!



Single Leg Glute Bridge Holds

These next two exercises are done while you’re lying on the floor. As a result, you should not do these if you are pregnant.

The first exercise is a glute bridge variation.

The single-leg glute bridge hold is one of the best isolation exercises for the lower buttocks.

Here’s how to do it:

1-legged-glute-bridge
  • Lie on your back with your knees bent, and feet flat on the floor
  • Straighten one leg out, with your foot off the floor, and your knees at the same level. (This is the starting position)
  • From here, squeeze your glute muscles hard to extend your hips
  • Hold this position for as long as you can.
  • Your goal should be to hold it for up to 30 seconds, each side.

Weighted Hamstring curls

The last exercise is the weighted hamstring curl. This exercise is done while you’re lying on your belly.

You can do it with no equipment, but it’s more effective if done with a small dumbbell between your legs which can be bought on Amazon.

Here’s how to do it:

leg-curls
  • Lie on your belly and place a small dumbbell between your feet
  • At this point, your knees should be bent up to 90 degrees, with a tight grip on the dumbbell (This is the starting position)
  • Slowly lower your feet down to the floor
  • Once you reach the bottom, curl your feet back up toward your buttocks
  • Move slowly and ensure that you have a nice grip on the dumbbell at all times
  • If you do not have a dumbbell,
    • You can use a resistance band anchored to a pole or other structure, or
    • You can just use your bodyweight

The 20 Minute Underbutt Workout

Alright, so now let’s put all of these underbutt exercises into a workout.

This workout consists of two unique training sessions that you can do on a weekly basis.

Each workout should only last about 20 minutes and the best part is you can do it from home.

Let’s start building your gluteus muscles!

Workout 1

ExerciseSetsReps
Kneeling Squat1-312-20
Single-Leg Glute Bridge Holds1-310-30 seconds / each side
Quadruped Straight Leg Pulses1-312-20 / each side
Fire Hydrant Kicks1-312-20 / each side
WalkAt least once a dayAt least 10 minutes per day

Take at least 2 days off before doing workout number 2.

Workout 2

ExerciseSetsReps
Standing Kickbacks1-320 reps / each side
Hamstring Curls1-312 – 20
Donkey Kickbacks1-312-20 / each side
Banded Bird Dogs1-312-20 / each side
WalkAt least once a dayAt least 10 minutes per day

If you are a beginner, you can choose to do 1 set at first, and just 12 repetitions per exercise.

As you build glute strength, you can start to do more sets and more reps.

The best workout tip I can give you is to use progressive overload!

I.e, your workouts should get progressively more challenging over time by increasing the number of sets or reps.

Pick 3 exercises from above, and do them 2-3x per week. You will be well on your way to getting back your curves!

But…

If you feel like your weak glutes need a serious lift you can do…


The PPT’s 6 Week Leg & Butt Workout Program

If you’re ready to start a comprehensive at-home workout to lift your buttocks and improve your fitness- you can get The Postpartum Trainer’s Leg & Booty Guide.
It includes 35 different exercises to build and develop your glutes, plus a 6-week workout plan to get you started!

Booty-Guide-ebook-Cover

Other Related Questions

Does walking lift your buttocks?

Yes! Walking can help lift your buttocks.

If you think about it, walking is a combination of hip flexion and hip extension. Every time your legs swing back behind your body, you are activating your underbutt.

This is one of the many reasons why walking is so important for you in all stages of life.

You should walk regularly pre, post, and during pregnancy.

Should I include lunges in my glute workout?

Lunges can be a great exercise to include in your workout program, but I didn’t include them as they can be a very quadricep dominant movement pattern.

However, if you want to include a lunge, just make sure to stagger your stance a bit wider to help isolate the glute and hamstring muscles.

My favorites are the reverse lunge and the curtsy lunge.

Is exercise sufficient to lift my buttocks?

Exercise is necessary for developing and strengthening the gluteal muscles, but you may also have to focus on weight loss to see the best results.

This is especially true if your BMI is >30 and you carry a lot of excess fat.



Final Words On Targeting The Underbutt

Glute training is not just for the looks.

Having strong glutes is important for spinal health, hip stability, and lower body strength.

Be sure to use these isolation exercises if your buttocks need a lift!

Now I want to hear from you.

Which glute exercise here are you most excited to try?

Comment below and let me know!

Related Articles On How to Grow Your Booty


Get Four Free Workouts To Help Strengthen Your Pelvic Floor & Heal Your Mommy Tummy!


brittany-robles

Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT

Brittany Robles is a full-time OBGYN physician, a NASM certified trainer, and a prenatal and postnatal fitness specialist. She holds a Master of Public Health degree in maternal health with a special interest in exercise and nutrition. She is also the co-author of The White Coat Trainer. Learn more about her here.



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4 thoughts on “The Best Underbutt & Glute Isolation Exercises (For The Bum Crease)”

  1. You have lots of great content on your site. Wish I had found it earlier (now 4 yrs after my 2nd delivery). Sometimes weight gain/fat deposition during pregnancy can be disproportionate. What do you recommend for women with obvious disproportions (i.e. one saddlebag larger than the other, one arm thicker than the other)? Extra set or more weight or reps on the larger side?

    1. Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT

      Hi Zainab
      Thanks for your comment. I think that disproportions between both sides are present in just about everyone. Unfortunately, it’s just the way our bodies store fat. As far as I know, there is no direct way to target fat loss from one limb over the other. Studies have actually shown that more sets/work on one side doesn’t lead to more fat loss. I think focusing your efforts on improving your nutrition and lowering body fat levels overall is the most important thing!

  2. I have also just found these exercises. I am a UK size 8, had two boys in 2013&2014 and figure snapped back – genetics a big part but also gentle core exercises during pregnancy and I had been very active before (mountain biking, climbing etc). Since the pandemic, I am working exclusively from home, remain toned and slim but this under-buttock area is really difficult to eliminate and sort of bulges under my jeans. To be fair, I have not been “targeting” it but have noticed it much more since sitting down in my office etc and not walking as much. I am now incorporating at least one hour a day of brisk walking and will build these exercises into my evening and also during breaks from the desk. During lockdown I seem to be spending more time focusing on these smaller issues…

    1. Brittany Robles, MD, MPH, CPT

      Hi Mary!

      Thanks so much for your comment. I am so glad to hear you are continuing to stay active despite the pandemic!
      It seems like you are doing all of the right things at this point- trying to decrease the amount of sitting time, walking, and engaging in regular exercise. Give them a try and let me know how it goes!

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