Although these are the best exercises for your bubble booty, they'll target areas outside of just your glutes - you may feel some soreness around your calves, quads and abs as well. =]
Typically there isn't a 'Butt Day', a day dedicated to working out your butt. So I've compiled a list of the best exercises to lift and tone your booty, pick 3-4 of the following exercises to incorporate into your Leg Day.
Romanian Deadlift
Stand upright and hold a barbell (if you don't have a barbell, use 2 full water jugs) in front of your body at thigh height. Place a slight bend in your knees, maintain a flat back, bend at the waist, and slowly slide the weight along the front of your legs until it reaches your shins.
Hold the stretch for 1 second, powerfully contract your butt, and accelerate back up to starting position. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Unlike a traditional deadlift, your hips/butt don’t move vertically — keep them stationary and emphasize the stretch behind your knees during the downward part of the motion.
Stability Ball Leg Curls
Lie on your back with your heels on top of a stability ball. Press your heels into the ball and lift your body off the floor to form a straight bridge with your body. Powerfully contract your butt and hamstrings, and curl the ball inwards until your knees form a right angle - you should feel a massive contraction in the lower part of your butt, where it intersects with the hamstrings.
Hold the contraction for 5 seconds, roll the ball back out to full bridge and repeat. If this is too easy you can up the intensity by completing each curl with one leg (while keeping the second leg elevated in the air). Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Side Lunges
Stand tall with two light dumbbells (or water jugs). Take a large step to the left and squat down laterally until your left thigh is parallel with the floor and the dumbbells touch the ground.
Sit back over the back half of your butt, with most of the pressure on your heels — resist any pull to hunch forward. Press through your butt and return back up to start.Repeat for the right side and continue to alternate. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Sumo Squats
Stand up tall with a wide stance — one step out from shoulder-width — and hold a dumbbell, kettlebell or water jug in between your legs. Draw your shoulders back, maintain a flat back, and slowly squat down until your quads are parallel with the floor.
Use your core and a strong lower back to resist hunching forward. Powerfully contract your butt, press through your hamstrings and heels, and return back up to start. Your heels drive the pressure — NOT your toes. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Reverse Lunges
Stand tall, tighten your core, draw your shoulders back, and stagger your feet so that your left leg is in front of your right. Take a step backwards with your right foot and lunge down until your knee is slightly above the floor/left quad is parallel to the ground.
Press through your heel and glutes, and explosively ascend back up to starting position. Repeat a full set with your right side and then switch to the left. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps, each leg.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand up tall with a dumbbell, kettlebell or water jug in your right hand. With a slight bend in your left knee, maintain your balance, kick out your right leg, and slowly lean forward until your torso is parallel with the floor — all of the pressure should sit behind your left hamstring and butt cheek.
Hold the stretch for 1s and powerfully drive up through your left heel into a full stand. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps, each leg.
Wide Stance Squats
Load a barbell or waterjug and spread your feet so that they’re about 1 step further apart than shoulder-width. This wide stance helps emphasize the butt and hamstrings. Puff out your chest, tighten your abs, and slowly squat until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
DO NOT arch your back — keep it strong and straight throughout the entire squat. Hold for 5 seconds at the bottom and powerfully go back up. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Front Squats
Stand upright and hold a dumbbell, kettlebell or water jug with two hands so that it’s in line with your collarbone. Keep it at this height throughout the movement to simultaneously hit your shoulders, biceps and triceps, while maintaining strong posture.
With your chest puffed out and your abs tight, slowly drop down until your quads are BELOW parallel, hold 5 seconds, and explode upwards through your glutes. Push through your heels, not your toes. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
Dumbell Step ups
Grab two dumbbells or water jugs and stand in front of a step, platform, bench or chair. Place your right foot on top. contract your butt, drive through your heel, and step up into a full, one-legged stand. Keep your back flat and resist any pull to lean forward.
Slowly lower down to the ground and repeat. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps, each leg.
Kettlebell Swings
The kettlebell swing squat is a high intensity, fast-paced movement that epitomizes full-body fat burn.
Start in a low, wide squat position with kettlebell in between your feet. With your chest puffed out, abs tight, and lower back pinched, powerfully contract your glutes and swing the kettlebell upwards with two hands until it’s in-line with your face.
Under control, lower the weight back to the ground, stick out your butt, and immediately complete the next rep. Complete 3 sets, 12 reps.
WOWIE! That is a workout. Don't stress if you can't complete all reps and sets, Rome wasn't built in one day. =]