Want a booty that rivals the Kardashian sisters’? It’s all about your glutes!

While you might be thinking that you have no choice but to submit yourself to the squat rack every session, you might be surprised to hear that there are plenty of other ways to get that signature peach.

Granted, there’s no quick fix for an overnight butt boost, but with the right exercises, you could see results in a matter of weeks.

We caught up with fitness influencer and AYBL Athlete, Amie Fairweather for her tips on the best glute exercises to build strength and mass.

Let’s get to it, girls. No excuses!

HEY AMIE! WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL WEEKLY WORKOUT SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?

My typical weekly workout split looks like this:

• Mondays: Glutes and hamstrings;
• Tuesdays: Back and biceps;
• Wednesdays: Cardio and abs;
• Thursdays: Quads;
• Fridays: Chest, shoulders and triceps;
• Saturdays: Glute-focused leg day.

On Sunday, I rest to recover before the next week of training sessions. Typically, I change my workout split every six to eight weeks.

TAKE US THROUGH YOUR GLUTES WORKOUT - WHAT EXERCISES DO YOU RECOMMEND?

STEP 1: BARBELL RDLs

This is one of my favourite exercises to target glutes and hamstrings. It’s important to master the correct RDL form before adding any weight. 

To do this movement, brace your core, bring the barbell down close to your body and bend slightly at the knees. When you feel that tightening in your hamstring, you want to drive up from your heels. Make sure you’re pushing the weight up with your legs and not your back. Keeping the weight close to your legs - almost scraping them - will target your glutes more than if the barbell is further away from you. 

During this movement, make sure to keep a neutral spine, aligning your neck with your back.

STEP 2: HIP THRUSTS

These are also a staple on leg day, as they directly target your glutes and are perfect for growth.

Before adding weight, go through the movement first. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and the weight is evenly distributed - you should be positioned at the centre of the bar.

Once you feel comfortable, drive up the bar with your pelvis, keeping your back in line and your chin down. Squeeze your glutes at the top to really make the most of this exercise.

STEP 3: SINGLE-LEG DUMBBELL RDLs

This unilateral movement is one of my favourites because it’s great for increasing your ROM (range of motion) that directly activates the glute and hamstring muscles. 

Put all of your weight onto your static leg while using your other leg for support. Slowly, move downwards with the dumbbell, thinking about which muscles you’re targeting. Then, at the bottom of the movement, drive up through your static leg, ensuring to keep your spine aligned at all times.

STEP 4: SUMO DUMBBELL SQUATS

Sumo dumbbell squats are another amazing movement that targets the glutes. I love sumo squats because they’re amazing for the inner leg (adductors) that are typically less easy to target. 

When performing this, you want to keep your neck and spine aligned. Lean forward with the dumbbell held between your legs, keep your arms straight and slowly come down. Then, pulse three times at the bottom before driving back up.

STEP 5: BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS

Bulgarian split squats are my go-to exercise. I have a love-hate relationship with these because they hurt so bad, but are amazing in terms of growth. I typically choose a heavier weight and use one dumbbell instead of two. This way, I have more control by using my core muscles for stability. 

For this exercise, we want to lean forward, keeping the spine and neck in line. Slowly, come down, then drive back up with your anchored foot.

STEP 6: KICKBACKS

I have recently added these to my routine, although I wish I’d added them soon because this exercise targets the upper glute that builds that ‘shelf’ look we all want. 

For kickbacks, I always make sure to bend my knee, round my back ever so slightly and pull the cable back from the anchored foot, slowly and controlled. When doing this exercise right, it can be a serious gamer changer to shaping out your glutes nicely.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU RECOMMEND TRAINING GLUTES?

I typically train glutes two to three days a week.

DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER TOP TIPS FOR GROWING YOUR GLUTES?

Train your absolute hardest, incorporate progressive overload into your routine, eat your protein and allow time to recover! All are extremely important, but if you aren’t letting your muscles fully recover from your training, then they will not be able to grow.

Recovery is critical. 

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING OUT AND HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?

When I first started weight lifting, I remember going solely to change my appearance. I was a couple of years into university and I was gaining weight faster than what I was used to. As someone who grew up playing competitive sports, it was really hard for me to see my body changing in a way that made me self-conscious and unhappy. With that, I started weight training three days a week and just fell in love with it.

Three days turned into four days and four days turned into six and now, going to the gym is what I look forward to most in my day. I train with passion not only because of the way it makes me look, but because of how it makes me feel. 

The few hours I’m in the gym is when I feel most happy and truly myself. It’s more than just weight lifting to me, it has really helped me, mentally, grow as a person. 

@amiefitnesss Few of my favs @AYBL ♬ i meann - ✞

WHAT IS THE KEY TO STAYING CONSISTENT? WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?

Obviously, staying motivated is hard. Consistency is what you need to strive for. Since starting my fitness journey, I’ve definitely had to be more disciplined.

When I first started, I truly just loved how I felt and kept chasing that high from the endorphins and the feeling of accomplishment. 

Another thing that kept me motivated - as cliché as it sounds - was buying new gym ‘fits every few weeks. I don’t know what it is, but the idea of getting new workout gear that I felt confident in really hooked me to the gym (we couldn’t agree more!)

I kept craving going back and eventually, it became such a huge part of who I am that I’ve stopped thinking about going to the gym, I just go. 

WHAT WORDS OF ADVICE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE TO OUR FEMALE COMMUNITY TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS?

Take each day a day at a time and remember why you started. If you haven’t started yet, figure out what it is you want to change in your life and start implementing one small change at a time to improve it. Whether it’s waking up earlier, moving your body or eating healthier. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to change everything at once. Choose one specific thing to work on and eventually, it will be engraved in your life, at which point you can focus on something else and then something else until you’ve changed your lifestyle completely. This is something I did and it has worked significantly. 

I know a lot of people avoid the gym because they’re worried about being judged by others, but it’s important to know that every single person is there for the same reason, to better themselves. The gym community is truly the best because it’s the one place that will actually have your back and help you achieve your goals. 

I think the hardest part is the initial lifestyle change of going to the gym, but once you pull the trigger and go, I promise you it will pay off. As long as you’re consistent and show up on both your good days and bad days, no matter what, you will achieve success and become the version of yourself that you always dreamed of being. That’s how I looked at it and it’s got me to where I am right now, healthy and happy.  

@amiefitnesss Good lighting >> / @beaybl ♬ hit arms ladies - LRN

Now that’s what you call ‘pushing your limits’!

But don’t forget, girls, it’s important to not become fixated on just prioritising training for one particular muscle group - no matter how much you want that toned booty - as this can result in imbalances and a greater risk of injury.

Want more fitness tips? Discover our guide to the 12-3-30 workout.