The One Move You Should Be Doing To Firm Your Butt

best butt exercise
laflor/Getty Images

There are a lot of moves known to tone your tush: squats, stairs, lunges, kick backs, and hip bridges, just to name a few! But when scientists hooked up EMG sensors to test how intensely butt muscles fire in moves such as these, some scored better than others. When you have limited time and perking up the caboose is a priority, your go-to move matters.

Outstanding butt-firming exercises are those that primarily target the gluteus maximus—the biggest, strongest muscle in your butt and the strongest part of your body—but also engage the smaller side-butt muscles. (Try this 8-week butt makeover challenge that only takes 10 minutes a day.) A good way to gauge if a move is a superstar strength exercise for your gluteus maximus is to ask yourself the following questions:

After 10 reps: “Do I feel some fatigue?”

After 15 reps: “Do I feel quite a bit of fatigue?”

At 20 reps: “Do I need a break?”

If it’s a yes on all three, you have a good move with an appropriate amount of resistance.

Here's how to do the perfect lunge:

The best exercise to maximize your gluteus maximus is Forward Step-Ups. This move recruits far more glutes than quadriceps and can be done anywhere with just a stool, box, bench, or step. Higher is not always better when it comes to selecting your equipment. A bench that's too high could hurt your knees. About 12-14 inches is a great step height for most women.


Try 20 repetitions on each leg, using the “strength test” described above. If that set doesn't meet the fatigue parameters, try adding a set of 15-pound dumbbells or full jugs of laundry detergent for the following set.

How To Do Forward Step-Ups:

  1. Stand behind a 12-14” step. Place your right foot completely on the top (no heel hanging off the back). Hold your core muscles tight and keep your spine erect. Gaze straight ahead.
  2. Lift your left foot up to meet your right, keeping most of your body weight on the right. Be sure, as you lift, to keep your knees facing forward (do not turn your right knee in). Hold momentarily at the top, then lower your left foot back down to the ground.
  3. Repeat, taking your left foot up/down 20 repetitions, then switch legs for 20 on the other side.
  4. Take a brief recovery, grab weights (if needed), then perform a second set of 20 on each side.

    Perform this Forward Step-Ups routine every other day, not only to perk up your booty, but also to keep your hips healthy and strong.

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
    More From Workouts