Exercise Library

Banded Clamshell

The clamshell with a band above the knees. The obvious progression once bodyweight clamshells stop registering.

Banded Donkey Kick

A donkey kick driving against a band looped around the foot. Keeps tension on the glute at the top, where bodyweight has none.

Banded Fire Hydrant

A fire hydrant against a band above the knees, loading the upper glute through the whole lift.

Banded Frog Pump

A frog pump with a band above the knees. Soles together already isolates the glutes; the band makes a high-rep set genuinely hard.

Banded Glute Bridge

A glute bridge with a band around the knees, so the glutes have to press out as well as up. The band answers the usual complaint that bodyweight bridges stop being hard.

Banded Hip Thrust

A bench-supported hip thrust with a band around the knees. More range than a floor bridge, plus the abduction demand the band adds.

Banded Kickback

A standing glute kickback against a band anchored in front of you. The cable kickback without a cable machine.

Banded Lateral Walk

Stepping sideways in a half-squat with a band around the legs. A staple warm-up that wakes the glute medius before squatting.

Banded Seated Hip Abduction

Seated with a band above the knees, pressing them apart. The hip abduction machine, done anywhere.

Banded Standing Hip Abduction

Sweeping one leg out to the side against a band, standing. The cable version without the cable.

Cable Standing Hip Abduction

Sweeping one leg out to the side against a low cable. Trains the glute medius standing up, which is how it works in life.

Clamshell

Lying on your side with knees bent, opening the top knee while the feet stay together. Small, unglamorous, and one of the best glute medius exercises there is.

Curtsy Lunge

A lunge stepped diagonally behind the standing leg. The crossed position reaches the upper and outer glute in a way a straight lunge does not.

Deficit Reverse Lunge

A reverse lunge stepping back off a raised platform, so the back knee travels below the front foot. More range, more glute.

Donkey Kick

From all fours, driving one bent knee up toward the ceiling. Straightforward glute max work that needs no equipment at all.

Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge

A curtsy lunge with dumbbells. The crossed step loads the upper and outer glute in a way a straight lunge does not.

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

A floor glute bridge with a dumbbell across the hips. The simplest way to load a bridge without a barbell.

Dumbbell Hip Thrust

A bench-supported hip thrust loaded with a dumbbell. Full hip thrust range without needing a barbell and pad.

Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift

A wide-stance deadlift with a dumbbell held between the legs. More glute and adductor than a conventional pull, and easy to set up anywhere.

Fire Hydrant

From all fours, lifting one bent knee out to the side. Named for the obvious reason, and an effective way to reach the upper glute.

Frog Pump

A glute bridge with the soles of the feet together and knees splayed out. The position takes the hamstrings out and leaves the glutes doing nearly everything.

Glute Bridge March

Holding a glute bridge while lifting one knee at a time. Forces each glute to hold your hips level on its own.

Glute-Focused Back Extension

A back extension performed with a rounded upper back and tucked pelvis so the glutes, not the spinal erectors, do the extending.

Hip Abduction Machine

The seated machine that pushes the knees apart against a stack. Direct work for the glute medius, which stabilises every step and squat you take.

Hip Airplane

Balanced on one leg in a hinge, rotating the free hip open and closed. Trains hip rotation control, which almost nothing else in the gym does.

Kettlebell Swing

A hip hinge driven hard enough to float a kettlebell up in front of you. Trains explosive hip extension and doubles as conditioning.

Machine Glute Kickback

The standing kickback machine. Isolates one glute at a time against a stack, with your torso braced so nothing else can help.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

Lying on your side and lifting the top leg straight up. The simplest direct glute medius exercise, and a common prescription for cranky hips and knees.

Side-Lying Leg Raise

A side-lying raise taken through a slower, longer arc, often with a pause at the top. Popular as high-rep burnout work at the end of a leg session.

Smith Machine Hip Thrust

A hip thrust under a fixed bar. No rolling the bar into place and no balancing it, which is why most people can load it heaviest here.