How to Get a Rounder Butt FAST (ft. Bret Contreras)

Want to grow rounder, stronger glutes? You need to use the right glute exercises and the right glute workout. Today Bret Contreras and I will help you build a 12 week glute workout plan and glutes workout routine — packed with only the best glute exercises out there — designed to get you rounder glutes (translation: big butt) as fast as possible. There's 5 steps to this.

Download the free 12-week glute workout routine below:

Click below for a step by step training plan that reveals all the best exercises you should do for each and every muscle group:

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The first step is to figure out how often to train your glutes and with how much volume. Here’s what Bret suggests: three times per week, achieved with a lower upper, lower, upper lower workout split. Bret recommends 36 sets per week. He explained, “According to the published research, we should only be doing 20 or you know, you shouldn't be doing 36 sets, but I'm telling you, the glutes can handle it.” That said, you can’t just do 36 sets of really exhausting exercises like squats or deadlifts. The key is to split up the 36 sets a week: 12 sets from vertical hip extension exercises, 12 sets from horizontal hip extension exercises, and 12 sets from abduction exercises.

As for the best glute exercises to use for each category, let’s start with vertical hip extension. The first exercise is the back squat. Use whatever stance width and foot angle is most comfortable for you, and try to descend as low as possible without too much butt wink. Next up: dumbbell Bulgarian split squats. You’ll want to lean your torso forward and descend diagonally at a slight angle backwards on the way down. Another great exercise is the smith machine reverse lunge. Finally, the Romanian deadlift. Keep your shins vertical, sit back as far as possible, and let your knees bend. Come down to just below your knee caps then use your glutes to thrust your hips forward. For this category, a lower rep range of about 6-12 reps per set usually works best.

To get the upper glutes more involved so you get a rounder butt, you’ll want to do some of the exercises from the horizontal hip extension category. One of my favorite exercises for this category is hip thrusts. Keep your mid back on a bench or pad, push up through your heels to drive your hips as high as possible. If your shins are not vertical, move your feet further in or out. Hold that position for 3 seconds before coming back down. I also like exercises that work the glutes one at a time, so the single leg hip thrust is a great option especially if you don’t have access to weights. Lastly, dumbbell glute dominant 45 degree hyper. Here you’ll need a back extension machine. Set it up so the pad is just under your hips. To better target the glutes, flare your feet out to 45 degrees and round your upper back. Keep your upper back rounded and raise your body up by pushing your hips into the pad using your glutes. If you don’t have access to this one, you can do the reverse hip extension exercise. For this category, a moderate rep range of about 8-20 reps per set usually works best.

Last but not least in our glutes workout routine, hip abduction exercises. First, seated hip abduction machine. I like to recommend leaning forward and holding onto the support. Drive your knees out as far as you can then control the weight back until your knees almost touch together. If you don’t have a machine, you can replace these with bands or the next exercise, the side lying hip raise. Get into a side plank position with your hips and knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Drive up through the grounded knee while driving your hips forward and separating your knees as much as you can. Let the hips move back on the way down. Last but not least, if you have cables make sure you include the cable standing hip abduction. Stand sideways to a cable machine and use a strap to attach the foot of your far leg to the cable. Hold onto the column with your opposite arm, take a few steps sideways until there’s tension in the cable, and then move your working leg in front of your planted leg with your foot slightly turned in. From here, swing the leg outward as far as you can to your side without rotating your foot outward. Now for this category, a higher rep range of about 12-30 reps per set is what I’ve found works best.

[maxfern]

Imagine dedicating your life to improving butts all around the world. Respect.

[AnastasiaVisotsky]

3:07 Bulgarian split squad
3:11 smith machine reverse lunge
3:30 Romanian deadlift
🎉Horizontal:
4:09 hip thrust
4:29 single led hip thrust
5:15 45 degree extension with rounded back
🎉Abduction
6:13 seated
6:52 laying
7:09 standing

[panosantoniadis]

Whoever edits these videos, needs definitely a raise!

[steviewang]

Glad glute training is becoming more popular and accepted amongst guys. It actually helped increase my other compound lifts as well as decrease my lower back pain. The opposite sex also certainly doesn’t seem to mind either lol

[tawnygates]

Been doing this since October 2023, and I’ve gained 4.5” around my hips and glutes!

[lmodfz]

I'm glad there are some exercises included for those of us who don't go to the gym but workout at home. A lot of channels seem to forget that not everyone wants to go to the gym! I've already got my next 14 weeks scheduled so I'll consider doing this after!

[aquamarine]

Nice choice of alternatives depending on your available equipment. It's amazing how useful bands are. And the raised leg hip thrust is a revelation!

[brenen]

I absolutely love it when I find exercise channels that give me the scientific side of exercise. Gives me more ways to understand the why i`m doing what i`m doing so it makes me want to do it more.

[ThaKKatt]

Let's get caked up, boys. It's her birthday everyday now, write her name with frosting, let her blow out the candles, bro idk where this went

[brucebalsillie]

This is how an influencer or trainer should be, informative and also using actual studies that were done to show your clients that your knowledgeable and know what and how to place your body and how to execute each exercise with comprehensive techniques and reviews for users to comprehend and understand these helpful videos🎉❤

[rarrivera]

VERTICAL HIP EXTENSION
2:37 - Back squat
2:53 dumbell bulgarian split squat
3:10 smith machine reverse lunge
3:29 romanian deadlift


HORIZONTAL HIP EXTENSION
4:04 paused hip thrust
4:27 single leg hip thrust
5:13 45 degree hyperextension 5:32 alternative


HIP ABDUCTION
6:14 seated hip abduction machine 6:27 alternative
6:35 side lying hip raise
7:08 cable standing hip abduction

3X12

[sirchurchchill]

I was overweight my whole life. 300+lbs throughout my teens and 20s.

It’s been a journey over the last 2 years but I’m now down to 175lbs and STRICTLY focused on muscle building for the first time in my life.

Your videos are incredibly informative and helpful. I find myself learning SO much it’s insane. Thank you for all the inspiration and help! You’re a legend!

[yoongissoundeffects]

Y'all would not believe that I was wishing for this collab😩. I'm subscribed to both of them and I'm in love with the way they drop nothing but facts

[Dee-zrhe]

i love how it’s all free it just show much much they really want to help people

[ZoeCuiM]

This free program is actually more detailed than some of the paid programs from other channels. Thanks!!!

[kimbrooks]

This is the best video I’ve ever seen on how to build glutes. Keeps simple and visuals are insane

[kimdavis]

Thank you sooo much Jeremy & Brett!! I’m 61 & still lifting heavy weights… growing strong glutes is my focus .. thanks again 🏋️‍♀️

[matthewchandler]

2:35 I really like the added internal imagery Easier to understand how its working it.

[LeoTrainer-ifgg]

Brilliant. As a Personal Trainer, this has been my go-to vid for women clients requesting "a better butt" for the past year. I've got four success stories walking around my gym right now!

PS. I took an online class or my NASM CE credits that focused oin glute development. It was good stuff, but your vid is better and more useful. By a lot. Great production that focuses on content and not fluff. Keep up the great work.

[tomtorrez]

Thank you, @AnastasiaVisotsky.

#1 Vertical Hip Extension - Lower Repetition Range of 6-12 repetitions/set
2:35 Back Squat
2:52 Dumbbell Bulgarian split Squat
3:07 Smith Machine Reverse Lunge
3:27 Romanian Deadlift

#2 Horizontal Hip Extension - Moderate Repetition Range of repetitions/set
4:04 Paused Hip Thrust
4:27 Single Leg Hip Thrust
5:13 45-degree Hyperextension (with rounded upper back)
5:31 Reverse Hyperextension (bodyweight alternative)

#3 Hip Abduction - Higher Repetition Range of 12-30 repetitions/set
6:13 Seated Hip Abduction Machine
6:27 Band Seated Hip Abduction (resistance band alternative)
6:52 Side Lying Hip Raise
7:06 Cable Standing Hip Abduction