Glute Workout With Dumbbells Only

When it comes to dumbbell glute exercises, this one always makes its way to the top of our list. This movement can be performed either on the floor or with your back on a bench for an increased range of motion.

1. 1. Lie on the floor or with your back on a bench with your knees bent. Plant your feet on the floor in front of you hip-width apart. 
2. 2. Place your two dumbbells just below your hips, holding them securely with your hands to avoid dropping them. 
3. 3. Squeeze your glutes and engage your core as you push through your heels to lift your hips off the floor, ending up in a position that forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. 4. Give your glutes a squeeze at the top of the movement and slowly lower your hips back into your starting position. 

Sumo squats are a great way to directly target the glutes more than a traditional squat. And by adding the pulse, we’re getting even more glute action with increased time under tension. For this movement, you can choose to place your dumbbells on your shoulders or to hold one of them vertically in between your legs, whichever option feels most comfortable for you.

1. Start by standing with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart with your toes pointed outwards at a 45-degree angle. 
2. Rack your dumbbells on your shoulder or hold one dumbbell in your hands between your legs vertically. 
3. Bend your knees and push your hips back as you slowly lower yourself down into a squat position, going as low as you can safely or until your dumbbell touches the floor. The goal is to get your thighs as close to parallel to the floor as possible.
4. Once you get to the bottom of the movement, perform a small pulse before lifting yourself back up into the starting position, giving your glutes a small squeeze at the top.

Single-leg movements help us to target one side of the body at a time, putting even more focus and attention on the glutes. The single-leg sit-to-stand demands that we engage one side of our glutes at a time to power our bodies up and lower them back down safely.

1. Start by sitting on a bench holding one dumbbell vertically with both hands and your knees bent at 90 degrees.
2. Raise one foot off the ground and move to the standing position by placing all of your weight on the foot that remains on the ground.
3. Once standing, slowly lower yourself back to the seated position, working hard to not allow momentum to slam your body back onto the bench.

While it may feel as though RDLs are only hitting your hamstrings, this exercise is actually a fantastic way to hit your glutes, too.

1. Start with your feet hip-width apart, holding your dumbbells in each hand in front of your body.
2. Slowing hinge at the hip, sending your glutes backward, as you lower the weights just past your knees.
3. Slowly stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.

Lunges are a classic glute-focused movement but add in some dumbbells and a deficit, and you’re taking your glute work to the next level.

1. Begin by standing on a small elevation (examples include a small step riser or a barbell weight plate) holding your dumbbells in each hand at your sides.
2. Slowly step one foot back into the lunge position (knees bent at 90 degrees) until your knee is parallel to the floor.
3. Placing your weight on your planted foot, push yourself back up to the top of the motion, coming back to starting position.