Exercises For Building A Bigger Butt

Exercises to build a bigger butt involve strengthening and adding mass to your gluteal muscles. The gluteus minimus and gluteus medius muscles provide bulk to the upper portion of your butt, while the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your body, comprises your middle and lower butt, explains Frederic Delavier, author of "Strength Training Anatomy." Include glute-building exercises as part of your overall fitness routine to add shape and strength to your buttocks.

Lunges

Lunges target your gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles. With feet slightly apart, stand tall and contract your abs. Take a large step forward with your right leg and lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor, with your knee directly above your ankle. Hold for a moment and then return to starting position. Keep your torso upright throughout the movement. The larger your step as you lunge, the more the exercise focuses on your buttock muscles, Delavier states. Repeat 10 times with each leg. As your strength improves, intensify the exercise by grasping a progressively heavier dumbbell in each hand as you perform the lunges.

Squats

Squats focus primarily on your gluteus maximus muscle and, to a lesser extent, your gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. This exercise may be performed with your body weight only or with the added resistance of dumbbells in your hands or a barbell across the backs of your shoulders. With feet a bit wider than hip-distance apart and toes turned slightly outward, tighten your abs as you contract your shoulder blades behind you. Lift your chest up as you shift your weight back toward your heels. Slowly lower your body down, bending your knees and dropping your hips toward your heels. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, slowly raise your body to upright, keeping your heels planted on the floor. Repeat the exercise 10 times. Avoid rounding your back throughout the entire movement to minimize risk of injury, the American Council on Exercise advises.

Bridges

Bridges intensely work your gluteus maximus muscle. Lie on your back on an exercise mat, with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly lift your buttocks until your body forms a straight line from your knees to your chest. Hold the position for 10 seconds before lowering down and then repeating. Maximize the lift in your buttocks by pressing your heels into the floor as you push upward with your hips. Increase the difficulty of the exercise by lifting one leg into the air as your bridge, the website Bodybuilding.com recommends. Alternatively, place your feet on a bench or on an exercise ball instead of on the floor to further intensify the muscle-building effect of bridges.