Best Glutes Exercises for Endurance — Top 10 Ranked
Building glutes endurance requires the right exercise selection. Not all glutes exercises are created equal — some are dramatically better for endurance than others. We ranked these based on muscle activation, progressive overload potential, and how well they match the 15-25 reps rep range that endurance training demands.
Exercises are ranked by: (1) Glutes muscle activation percentage, (2) compatibility with 15-25 reps rep ranges, (3) progressive overload potential, and (4) injury safety at the required intensity.
The hip thrust produces the highest glute activation of any exercise. It allows heavy loading in a position where the glutes are maximally shortened, producing exceptional hypertrophy stimulus.
Key Form Cue
Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, barbell across your hips.
The cable pull-through is a hip-hinge movement that targets the glutes with constant cable tension. It is an excellent exercise for learning the hip-hinge pattern and for glute activation.
Key Form Cue
Stand facing away from a low cable, straddling the rope attachment.
The glute bridge is the foundational glute exercise. Lying on the floor, you drive your hips up by squeezing your glutes. It is simpler than the hip thrust and is an excellent warm-up or standalone exercise.
Key Form Cue
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
Cable or bodyweight kickbacks isolate the glutes through hip extension. They are an excellent glute activation exercise and work well as a finisher after heavy compound movements.
Key Form Cue
Attach an ankle strap to a low cable or get on all fours for bodyweight version.
The dumbbell hip thrust is a more accessible version of the barbell hip thrust, perfect for home gyms or beginners who are not ready for barbell loading. Hold a dumbbell on your hips and drive upward for glute-focused hip extension.
Key Form Cue
Sit with your upper back against a bench and hold a dumbbell vertically on your lap.
The cable kickback isolates the glutes through hip extension using constant cable tension. Attach an ankle strap to a low pulley, face the machine, and kick your leg straight back while keeping your core tight and hips square.
Key Form Cue
Attach an ankle strap to the low pulley and face the machine, holding the frame for balance.
The dumbbell frog pump places the soles of your feet together with knees flared out, isolating the glutes by taking the hamstrings almost completely out of the movement. Hold a dumbbell on your hips and pump your hips up for high-rep glute activation.
Key Form Cue
Lie on your back and press the soles of your feet together with knees flared wide.
The bodyweight glute kickback isolates the glutes using nothing but your own body. From an all-fours position, extend one leg straight back and squeeze the glute at the top before returning to start.
Key Form Cue
Start on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
The barbell hip thrust is the single best exercise for glute hypertrophy, loading the glutes at peak contraction where a deadlift goes slack. Sit with your upper back on a bench, roll a barbell over your hips, and thrust upward until your torso is parallel to the floor.
Key Form Cue
Position your upper back against a bench at roughly the bottom of your shoulder blades.
The banded glute bridge adds a resistance band around the knees to a standard glute bridge, forcing hip abduction that dramatically increases glute medius activation. It is a perfect warm-up or high-rep finisher for glute training.
Key Form Cue
Place a mini band just above your knees and lie on your back with feet flat on the floor.
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