The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the body. If you look at your butt, it forms most of the meat in each cheek and is responsible for hip extension and rotation—aiding you in getting up, standing upright and propelling you forward when you walk, run, jump, and climb.
Weak glutes can cause a plethora of issues including poor posture, lower back problems, and a knock-on impact on the leg joints, if they have to compensate.
Sarah DiGiovanni, a certified personal trainer working at Alo Wellness Club in New York, explains in more detail why glute strength is so important.
“The glutes are responsible for hip extension, rotation and stabilization—all essential for walking, running, jumping and lifting,” she says.
“Strong glutes support proper posture, protect the lower back, and enhance athletic performance by improving power, balance and efficiency of movement.”
While you don’t have to use weights to train your glutes, DiGiovanni says it is a good idea to incorporate some form of resistance.
“The glutes respond to progressive overload, meaning they need consistent challenges to grow,” she says. “This can come from bodyweight exercises [such as hip thrusts, single-leg bridges, or banded work] if they’re performed with enough tension, volume, and control.”
“However, external weights, such as dumbbells, barbells or resistance machines, make it easier to progressively increase that challenge over time.”
With this in mind, DiGiovanni has designed a five-move kettlebell workout for Fit&Well readers. Give it a try and let us know how you get on in the comments below.
1. Romanian deadlift
Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and a slight bend in your knees, holding the kettlebell with both hands while your arms are relaxed in front of your torso.
- Hinge at your hips and push your butt back, lowering the weight toward the floor with control, while keeping your back flat.
- Drive through your heels to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top, but don’t over-extend the back.
DiGiovanni says this exercise strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, improves hip mobility, and builds a strong posterior chain for better posture and injury prevention.
2. Bulgarian split squat
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
How to do it:
- Stand facing away from a weight bench, step or other sturdy platform, holding the kettlebell in your left hand.
- Place the top of your left foot behind you onto the platform.
- Bend your right knee to 90° to lower, keeping your right knee directly above your right ankle.
- Push through your right heel to extend your right leg.
- Continue, completing all your reps on the right side, then switching sides.
This exercise builds unilateral leg strength and balance, targets the glutes and quads, and helps correct muscle imbalances.
3. Sumo squat with pulse
Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes turned slightly out, holding a kettlebell with both hands in front of you with relaxed arms.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your are hips are as low as your knees, keeping your chest facing forward.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips just above your knees, then lower again, then push through your heels to return to standing.
DiGiovanni recommends this exercise because it targets the inner thighs, glutes, and quads, improves hip mobility, and builds lower-body strength without putting stress on the lower back.
4. Curtsy lunge
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding the kettlebell in your left hand by your left side.
- Take a big step back and to the right with your left foot, so it lands to the right of your right foot.
- Bend both knees to 90°, keeping your right knee aligned above your right foot, and your chest facing forward.
- Push through your right heel to return to standing.
- Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.
This move strengthens glutes and quads while being gentler on the knees than forward lunges. It also improves stability and challenges core control.
5. Kettlebell swing
Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a kettlebell on the floor in front of you.
- Hinge at your hips and reach forward to take hold of the kettlebell in both hands.
- Engage your core and set your shoulder back and down, then swing the kettlebell between your legs.
- Drive your hips forward to generate the momentum to swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height.
- Let the kettlebell swing back down under control and go straight into the next rep.
This exercise builds explosive hip power and targets the glutes, hamstrings, and core in one dynamic movement.
Sarah DiGiovanni is a certified health coach and a trainer at Alo Wellness Club. She has a background in mat Pilates, functional strength training and boxing.
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