Best 15 Lower Glute Exercises – Target your Underbutt

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Last updated on September 5, 2022

What is the Underbutt?

Many know that the glutes are the single largest muscle in the body, and for good reason. With a purpose of enabling us to walk, run or climb, they have a pretty big goal to accomplish. However, with the introduction of social media in recent years there has been an increased focused on the underbutt.

The Glutes consist of the following muscles

  • Gluteus Minimus
  • Gluteus Medius
  • Gluteus Maximus

Many know that the glutes are also the single largest muscle in the body, and for good reason. With a purpose of enabling us to walk, run or climb, they have a pretty big goal to accomplish. However, with the introduction of social media in recent years, the list of functions increased slightly. Now we have to have an underbutt.

The underbutt is the area where the hamstring flows into the glutes, or in layman terms the area where the glutes hand over the hind of your legs. This would mean that the underbutt would be equated to the lower glutes.

 

Anatomy of the Glutes and the Underbutt

As I mentioned before, the glutes consist of 3 main muscle groups, each with a different purpose in the human body. Let’s review the different muscles :

1) Gluteus Minimus:

This is the smallest of the glute muscles, and is important for hip abduction as well as acting like a hip stabilizer.

 

2) Gluteus Medius:

Slightly more complicated than the Minimus, and has the function of frontal plane motion of the femur and hip (Moving the thigh and hip bones forward) and helping with stabilizing the lumbopelvic-hip complex.

 

3) Gluteus Maximus:

As the name suggests, this is the largest of the Glute muscles, and also one of the strongest muscles in the human body period. It also has quite a few functions such as being the main extensor of the thigh, lateral rotation of the thigh as well as the abduction of the thigh. It is also the main extensor of the thigh. As you’ll see in the graph below, it’s an enormous muscle.

 

Many train these different muscles for a firm butt or bigger butt. The gluteus maximus is really the big player of these three, as its main goal is propelling you forward, whether it be running, walking, or even climbing.

 

The Underbutt Area

The under-butt is really going to come from having more muscle. Any way you look at it, having a larger butt is going to come from having more real estate.

Real estate comes either from muscle, or fat. I’m going out on a limb and say you don’t want added fat, because not only does that appear in the form of cellulite, but it has side effects like cholesterol, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease and so much more.

 

That being said, to locate the underbutt, you’ll see it is the part where the hamstring attaches to the glutes.

 

Can you Spot Train the Underbutt?

Yes, you can train the underbutt specifically, you can isolate and train any muscle you want. You cannot however spot reduce fat. That being said, when looking at the butt in evolutionary terms, having a bit of fatty tissue covering that muscle is normal because humans sit on our butt (that’s why our pain receptors are less dense in that area) but also, it just looks really good.

 

How to Target and Isolate the Lower Glutes

The way to target the Lower Glutes is by doing hip hinge movement, and to specifically look at targeting the Underbutt we’ll also be looking at doing some hamstring movements as well, specifically targeting the upper hamstrings.

 

Another thing to consider is progressive overload. The body responds to input, like a novel stimulus. This stimulus can come from doing more weight or volume over time, more time under significant tension, or better form. This is extremely important, as without progressive overload, the body has absolutely no reason to adapt whatsoever.

 

15 The Best Underbutt & Glute Isolation Exercises To Lift Your Buttocks

Training the underbutt will require quite a lot of hip hinge movement, as training the underbutt will predominantly be based on training the hamstring (back of upper thigh) and glutes. That being said, doing glute exercises in general will help as well. We give you the best exercises.

Banded RDL (Romanian Deadlift)

One of the best bang for buck exercises you can get, end. Trains the entire posterior chain, the glutes and the hamstrings. When done correctly, it can help cure back pain, help with posture, and also help with getting that really rounded butt look.

In a standing position, have your feet shoulder-width apart and a resistance band under both feet. Hinge at the hips holding the resistance band with both hands at mid abdomen height.

 

Single Legged RDL

Like a normal RDL, but with one leg. It’s harder. Try it. You could make use of a Dumbell or a band around the foot on the ground as resistance.

Keep your upper body stable and lift your left leg off the ground and hinge at the hips keeping your body in a straight line. Make sure your complete the same sets between the left and right leg.

 

Banded Deadlift

The RDL is a variation of the normal Deadlift, that does target the glutes and posterior chain more compared to the anterior. Regardless, the Deadlift will still train the glutes and hamstrings.

With your feet shoulder with apart place the resistance band underneath your left foot and right foot and then place the other end behind your neck and across your shoulders. Bring your torso near parallel by hinging at the hips and knees. Make sure you maintain proper form.

 

Banded Glute Kickbacks

We often see really fit women do this in the gym, and they generally have great butts. Coincidence? I think not. Not too strenuous on the central nervous system, and getting a great muscle mind connection is quite easy to achieve with this movement.

Place the resistance band above your knees, lean forward against the wall and keep a neutral spine. Lift the your right leg and kickback slightly bending the right knee. Repeat on your left leg with a slight bend on your left knee.

 

Banded Squats

A great body weight exercise using a band. It really stimulates the entire glute muscle as well as the hamstrings. Really easy to progressively overload, and you will be squatting your entire life in your normal lives. Plus, do it with resistance and you get a nice booty. You could use a booty band around your thighs, or use a longer band around your shoulders to mimic free weights.

Begin with the squat position, with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place your band just above your knees. Lower to the floor until your thighs are parallel to the floor whilst making sure your lower back and upper back are in a neutral position.

 

Wide Stance Squats

A great body weight workout. Otherwise known as Sumo Squats, these can be a great addition to your leg day routine, really training those glutes at all angles.

Having your feet wide part with your toes pointing slight away as your starting position, lower down to a squat and back to the staring position while maintaining a neutral back.

 

Stationary Lunges

Lunges are another staple in most people’s leg day, and for good reason. A great way to not only train the glutes, but also the entire leg. Trains the abdominals as well as a bonus.

Start in a lunge position with the left leg in-front and the right leg behind. The right heel of the back leg should be off the floor. With your hands on your hips and lower down until your back knee touches the floor and your legs are at a 90-degree angle and then return to the starting position.

 

Split Squats

Hated by almost everyone, unfortunately this one can just not be replaced. Depending on your feet positioning, they are one of the best squat variations to train the quads or the hamstrings and glutes. Regardless, they’re truly a great exercise.

You need a bench or chair behind you. Put the flat part of your foot on the bench/chair and lower down until your know knee touches the floor and then return to the start position. The video below is for the Bulgarian split squat.

Fire Hydrant

While they look a bit odd, they are actually a great exercise. A hip extension by its core, when performed correctly they can really stimulate the glues as well as the hamstrings. You’ll also be able to see any differences in glute muscle mass with this exercise.

Start on all fours while engaging your core and left one leg out to the side whilst keeping your pelvis neutral.

 

Glute Bridges

The base of anyone’s program to build a rock solid bottom, these really cannot be replaced by anything. Great to train the glutes, and super easy to focus on the glutes with this one.

Lay on your back with your arms to the side and your knees bent and together. Thrust your hips as high as you can and then go back to the starting position. Repeat the hip thrusts for the desired reps.

 

Single Leg Glute Bridge

Again, like the normal Glute Bridge but with one leg. Can be extremely hard, so make sure you go at it hard. Your butt will thank you.

Lay on your back, hands to the side, with your feet hip with apart and your knees bend. Extend one leg straight out and drive your hips up using your glute muscles while you press your other foot on the floor, until you are in a straight line. Return to the starting position.

 

Exercise Ball Hamstring Curl

A great and effective movement to train the hamstrings as well as using the hip muscles and abdominals as stabilizers.

Whilst on your back with your hands to the side, place your feet on the stability ball and lift your hips off the mat until you are in a straight line, curl your knees towards your whilst keeping your legs on the ball and then extend back to the starting point.

 

Banded Good Morning

Very similar to the deadlift and deadlift variations, these will stimulate the entire posterior chain, and really help you develop a great butt.

Stand on the band with both feet shoulder wide apart and place the other end behind the neck across the shoulders, bend at the hips forward with your back straight as far as you can before going back to the starting position.

 

Donkey Kicks

Again, another one that looks very weird but will definitely help you develop a strong and attractive butt. Hard to track progressive overload on however.

Get on all fours with your hands underneath your shoulders and your legs at a 90-degree angle. Maintaining the 90 degree angle lift one leg back until your knee is at hip level making sure your feel the contraction in your glute and your lower back does not arch. Repeat for the desired number of reps and repeat on the other leg.

 

Curtsy Lunge

Finishing off with one that looks the weirdest out of all these exercises, the Curtsy Lunge will still train the entire leg but really focus on those posterior leg muscles.

In an upright position with your feet hip-width apart, cross your right foot behind the left as your lunge back aiming to bend both knees to as close to 90-degrees as possible and then return to the starting position and repeating with the other leg.

 

UnderButt Workouts

Workout 1

Workout 2

Workout 3

Workout 4

Conclusion

Our personal trainer has given you the best under butt exercises and workout plans. Bodyweight exercises are great to target the underbutt area which means you can do these workouts anywhere.

Follow our workout plans over a 4 week period for best results and to understand why these are the most effective exercises for your under butt.

About the author  Steve

Steve Theunissen is from New Zealand and is a qualified Personal Trainer and Nutritionist with over 30 years experience. Read more about Steve in the 'about us' page.

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