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Can You Grow Glutes Without Weights

Can You Grow Glutes Without Weights

If you are reading this article, I would assume it’s because you want to show off your glutes this year. Everyone wants to have a beautiful booty, but not everyone is willing to do the workouts that are necessary.

Yes, you can get that double-take booty look without lifting weights. What’s needed is your willingness to put in the work. The secret to a good-looking booty is not always dumbbells or weights but resistance. While weights like dumbbells DO provide resistance, there are other ways to work out your body and booty without weights.

If you hate the idea of going to the gym and waiting in line to lift weights just to have some good-looking glutes, then this article is exactly what you’re looking for. Diet alone is NOT going to get you that to-die-for behind; only regular exercise will grow those glutes.

If you want to rock those hips like Shakira, keep reading to find out the secrets to a great-looking butt.

Can You Build Your Glutes Without Weights?

Yes, you certainly can.

Remember what I said earlier? The key to great glutes is applying resistance.

You can do this simply by doing the right butt exercises and applying a little extra resistance using resistance bands. If you don’t have a set of resistance bands, they are easy to find and come in a variety of sizes, so you can pick the one that works best for your fitness level.

Which Butt Exercises Are the Best?

lady bending forward lifting weights to build glutes

You can’t get gorgeous glutes without some work. Some of the best glute exercises you can do nearly anywhere and anytime include:

  1. The Standing Squat– Place your feet shoulder-width apart, arms stretched out forward. Now bend your knees down as if you were going to sit on a chair. Your hands will naturally move upwards. Press your palms together and you can also work your pectoral muscles at the same time. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground, then repeat.
  2. The Reverse Leg Lift– Lie on the floor on your stomach and support your head with your arms. Try using only your glutes to lift one leg off the ground. Hold for a count of two, then return to start. Repeat with the opposite leg.
  3. The Curtsy Squat– If you ever learned to curtsy, this is the same move, minus the bending at the waist. Place one leg behind you and bend the knee. Be sure that you are working your glutes and not the hips. Return to start and repeat with the opposite leg.
  4. The Step-Up– This is a really easy one that will help you grow those glutes in no time. You can use a stair, a block of wood, or any object that would be safe for you to step on and that will support your weight. Stand on the step with your right leg, then move the left leg up in front of you, as if you were going to skip two steps. Return to start and switch legs.
  5. Fire Hydrants– Get down on all fours. Lift one leg up, as if you were a dog doing his business on a fire hydrant. Try to lift your thigh so it is parallel with your hips. Hold for a count of one, then return to start.

Do these several times each day, whenever you have a few minutes. It’s the little things that add up to big differences.

man at guy doing a lung to build up glutes

Can You Grow Glutes with Bodyweight?

You absolutely can. Using your own body weight as a means of resistance is the perfect way to grow those glutes! Get great glutes without the traditional weights!

You can think of your own body weight as a set of dumbbells, except these “dumbbells” are attached to you!

Some of the best glute exercises that use your own bodyweight include:

  1. Ski Jumps– These are exactly what the name implies, except there are no skis. Ski jumps are terrific for a beginner. Bend down at your hips and knees. Picture the pose that a skier makes when they are about to jump off of a slope. Imagine yourself with ski poles in your hands. Keep your legs close together, squeeze your glutes, push down with your hands and jump to one side. Jump again to the middle, then jump to the opposite side. This sounds a lot easier than they are but I guarantee that ski jumps will make your glute muscles burn in a matter of seconds.
  2. The Glute Bridge– I can feel the burn already! Lie on your back, knees bent. Now using your booty, push your butt off the floor. Leave your arms flat at your sides for balance. Squeeze your glutes and abs hard. Keep your lower back slightly rounded to avoid low back pain.
  3. Bulgarian Split Squats– These will work your glute muscles like nothing else. Use a low chair or a workout bench. Stand with your back to the chair and put one foot on the seat of the chair. Bend the knee of the leg that is standing. Go as low as you can, then return to start. Don’t underestimate this glute workout, Bulgarian Split Squats will really get results.

Best Bodyweight Exercises for a Beginner

If you are just starting out and you aren’t sure where to begin, check out these simple at-home workouts that use nothing but your bodyweight to give you beautiful glutes.

lady lifting back leg up to build her glutes

  1. The Hip Drive– Sit on the floor and put your butt on your heels. Keep your hands at your side and using only your thighs and glute muscles, push yourself to a kneeling position. Slowly return to the starting position. Don’t forget to tighten those glutes. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
  2. The Bottoms Up– Start in the same position as you did for the hip drive. Leave your hands loose at your side. Put one foot flat on the floor in front of you and lift yourself to a standing position while you use the opposite leg to kick in front of you. This should be one fluid movement, but do it slowly to increase the resistance burn! Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
  3. The Kickback– Get on all fours on the floor. Take one leg and kick it out behind you. Don’t forget to squeeze that gluteus maximus! Return to the starting position and kick back with the opposite leg. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
  4. Donkey Kicks– These are very easy for nearly everyone to do. Get down on all fours and bend the knee on one leg. Now kick upwards towards the ceiling. Squeeze that booty and return to start. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

Can You Build Your Glutes at Home?

You sure can! Whether you decide that you are simply going to do some floor exercises every day or if you want to use resistance bands or a piece of home gym equipment that works your glutes, there is really zero reasons to go to the gym.

Other ways you can build your glutes at home, in addition to exercise workouts, include:

  • Using resistance bands. When an exercise gets too easy, adding a resistance band around your thighs can turn the easiest exercise into real glute workouts. Resistance bands are so popular for building glute muscle that they are sometimes called booty bands!
  • Ankle weights. This is another way to add resistance to your bodyweight exercises. For Donkey Kicks or the Bottoms Up, adding ankle weights is a sure-fire way when it comes to building muscle.
  • Gym Equipment. There are all kinds of gym equipment that will give your body muscle a workout while focusing on your butt. Stair steppers, glute benches, ellipticals, and rowing machines are all good choices for working your upper body and glutes, as well as your other muscles.

resistant band class working on targeting their glutes

You might see some of those devices that are made specifically for your booty, such as the 8-in-1 Deep Squat or the Balance Trainer Ball. You can always add one or more of these to your home gym, but why do that when you can get in the cardio you need to lose weight, reach your next fitness level, and work most of the muscles in your body all in one machine?

Keep reading. I’m going to tell you my biggest secret in the next section.

What Is the Best Cardio Machine for Glutes?

One problem nearly everyone has when it comes to workouts is finding the time to do everything we want or need to do. Celebrities can hire their own trainers and work out for hours every day, but few of us have that luxury.

So how do I get in all my cardio, resistance training, and work nearly all the muscles in my body, including my core and glutes all at the same time?

My secret is not really a secret. I have an indoor rowing machine! Rowing is one of the best full-body workout that you can do, but if you aren’t a fan of rowing, there are many other cardio machines that won’t leave your glutes flat.

Learn More – Watch our Youtube video below by Rowing Instructor & Coach Max Secunda:

 

I especially love these cardio machines because they are easy on the knees (well, most of them are). Rowing is a low-impact workout that won’t hurt your knees but can do wonderful things for your butt. Click Here to see more low impact cardio machines for bad knees!

Want to know which are the best cardio machines for glutes? You can read all about the best machines for building your glutes, as well as all the other muscles on your body, in this article here – Click Here

The Bottom Line

If you want a good-looking bottom, what you need is resistance. You can use dumbbells, or simply use bodyweight exercises and resistance bands. Your best bet are indoor rowers and the cardio machines mentioned in another article to build the behind that gets you second looks.