Build your smile muscles, the cheeky ones!

You know those bums that look like they’re smiling? Let’s get you one of those!

When it comes to building strong, sculpted glutes, most of us focus on big moves like squats and deadlifts. But if you want to truly level up your lower-body strength (and get that lifted, rounded shape), it’s time to give your upper glutes some serious attention.

Barbell Hip Thrusts: Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, place a weighted bar across your hips, and drive your pelvis upward by squeezing your glutes hard at the top for a 1-to-2-second hold. 

Dumbbell Walking Lunges: Take longer strides and lean your torso slightly forward to maximize the stretch in the glute complex at the bottom of the movement. 

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts: Hinge forward at your hips on one leg while extending the non-working leg straight back, keeping a flat back to isolate and strengthen the lower and outer glutes.

Cable Kickbacks (Angled at 30°): Kick your working leg slightly out and back at a 30-degree angle rather than straight behind you to align tension with the lower and side muscle fibers. 

Glute Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat, then lift your hips until they form a straight line, focusing on vertebra-by-vertebra control as you lower back down.