Walking lunges not only target your glutes and hamstrings, they’re another great exercise for improving your balance, Gilles says. This lunge variation challenges your balance and works the outer area of your glutes, including the gluteus medius, Olson says.

Whether you’re looking to improve your athletic ability, reduce your risk of injury, or maintain mobility as you age, squats are a critical exercise. Using a chair to guide the movement can activate the hips and help beginners progress to air squats, according to Gilles.If you’re still working on proper squat form, wall squats are a safe way for beginners to practice. Incorporating wall squats into your routine may also benefit your posture, according to a small 2015 study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science . I post glutes exercise videos day after day to show people that while genetics do play an important role in determining the size of your glutes, significantly growing the muscles is absolutely possible," she told Cosmo.

Although full butts may be a popular aesthetic, what’s more important than size is functionality: how well your glute muscles serve you while you’re performing daily activities like walking up steps and standing after sitting at your desk for hours, Gilles says. Gluteus maximus: The largest muscle in the butt, the gluteus maximus is largely responsible for the shape of your butt. More importantly, it facilitates hip mobility to help you stand up from a chair or walk up a hill and supports the pelvis to keep you upright. When you’re ready to get out and work those glutes, these activities can activate your butt, legs, and upper body—all without heavy weight lifting at the gym:Jessica DiGiacinto is an associate editor at WW. A health and wellness writer and editor based out of New York, she’s contributed to Popsugar, Bulletproof 360, and Galvanized Media, among other media outlets.

How do you know when you’ve challenged yourself enough? When your muscles feel fatigued or your form starts to take a hit, Peterson says.There are countless ways to activate your glutes and legs without any equipment, says Pat Gilles, CSCS and owner of Pat’s Gym in Madison, WI. (Note: While you can begin practicing the following exercises as soon as, well, now , it’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before starting any new kind of exercise routine.) Fitness model and certified personal trainer Anna Victoria can pose with the best of 'em, but that doesn't mean she's out of touch with reality, either. She's well known for her body-positive attitude online and frequently posts photos revealing what goes on behind the scenes to maker her look as good as possible. If you're dreading hitting the gym later today, you're not alone in that. Who hasn't had a day when catching up on all your favorite TV shows sounds better than getting in a quality sweat sesh at the gym? And while letting your body rest and recover from all the activity you put it through is totally necessary for maintaining a healthy balance, we're never going to stray away from talking all about the benefits of exercise. Finding ways to enjoy the process will make reaching your goal far more rewarding, Peterson continues. A few ways to sprinkle in some fun: Hire a trainer, ask some friends to join you during home workouts or at the gym, and vary your workouts. Not only does Abby have a killer booty, but she's got an inspiring transformation story to go along with it. While she was in engineering school, she was under a lot of pressure from classes, family health issues and relationship drama. She told Cosmopolitan that her diet was the one thing she felt like she could control — so she began obsessing over counting and burning calories, eating only 1,000 calories per day.