Your body is a powerhouse of potential, even when it comes to the often-neglected gluteus minimus muscle.
Sitting below your glutes and above your thigh, this medium size buttock muscle plays an essential role in keeping you limber and strong throughout the movement.
But how do you unlock its potential and start toning up your booty? The answer is through effective exercises specifically geared toward strengthening this key muscle group.
In this blog post, we’ll provide a list of top exercises for gluteus minimus so that you can reap all the impressive results from these hard-core moves.
So put on those workout shoes and get ready to take charge of your booty potential:
Best Exercises For Gluteus Minimus Strengthening
Let’s have a look at the top exercises and workouts for gluteus minimus strengthening:
1. Curtsy Lunges
Curtsy lunge is probably one of the most result-driven exercises for strengthening the gluteus minimus.
In spite of the fact that curtsy lunges may take some time to master, we insist that you include them in your routine because of how well they work.
How To Do Curtsy Lunges?
- Maintain a shoulder-width posture and fold your hands in front of your chest.
- Leave your left foot where it is and take a small step back with your right, positioning your right foot just outside your left hip as you do so.
- As you drop your body to the ground, bend both knees. Keep your back straight and your left knee over your right ankle.
- Raise your right knee off the floor a few centimeters.
- Then, bring your left leg back to the beginning position and repeat the process.
2. Side Plank With Hip Abduction
One of the most effective workouts for the lateral glutes is the side-lying hip abduction.
While you'll be using most of your abdominal and gluteal muscles in this move, you'll be focusing specifically on your side butt (gluteus minimus and gluteus medius) to strengthen those muscles and round out your butt growth.
How To Do Side Plank With Hip Abduction?
- Relax on your side, bottom leg flat on the ground, and elbow on the floor.
- You can do a side plank by raising your body up onto your elbow and the outside of your bottom foot.
- Slowly lower yourself from the side bridge (plank) position while squeezing your side glutes as high as you can.
- After 10-12 reps on one side, switch to the other.
3. Fire Hydrants
The fire hydrant is an advanced single-leg workout for gluteus minimus that may be performed without equipment or a resistance band.
Getting down on all fours and lifting your legs laterally with bent knees is the goal.
How To Do Fire Hydrants?
- You should get down on your hands and knees right away.
- Position your hands just under your shoulders, your knees directly under your hips, and your spine perpendicular to the floor.
- As you let out your breath, open your right knee to the side and lift it off the floor.
- Use the power of your hip flexors and gluteus maximus to pry the door open.
- When you're ready, exhale, and tuck your knee back under your hip.
- Do ten sets of right knee flexion, then left knee flexion.
- Don't twist outward from the middle.
- At no point during this exercise should your torso be at an angle to the floor.
4. Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are a highly effective exercise for activating the gluteus minimus, offering several benefits. As you lift your hips toward the ceiling during the bridge movement, the gluteus minimus is actively engaged, aiding in muscle activation and development.
This exercise helps to isolate the glute muscles, including the minimus, promoting strength, and enhancing their overall functionality.
Glute bridges are particularly advantageous for individuals looking to tone and shape their glutes, with a focus on the gluteus minimus, which plays a crucial role in hip stabilization and abduction.
How To Do Glute Bridges?
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
- Place your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
- Activate your core by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
- Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Aim for a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top of the movement.
- Hold the bridge position for a moment, focusing on squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position with control.
- Perform the desired number of repetitions, keeping a steady and controlled pace.
Gluteus Minimus Exercises At Home
Listed below are some of the best gluteus minimus exercises to do at home in 2024:
5. Dumbbell Bulgarians Split Squat
With this popular dumbbell workout for gluteus minimus, known as the Bulgarian split squat, you may strengthen your quadriceps and tone your gluteal muscles.
The split squat is not only an isolation movement for the gluteus minimus like some of the other exercises, but it works the glutes as a whole.
How To Do Dumbbell Bulgarians Split Squat?
- As you turn away from a chair or the plyo box, grab a pair of dumbbells.
- Put your foot on the raised surface by extending one leg behind you. Don't lift your toe off the floor; keep it firmly planted.
- Drop your chin to your chest, tighten your abs, and inhale deeply.
- Lower yourself into a squat by bending your leading limb at the knee. Lower yourself till the front of your thigh is nearly parallel to the ground.
- Wait a second at the bottom, then extend your leg by driving through your front heel. At the very pinnacle, let out a deep breath.
- Refresh yourself by taking a deep breath and starting over.
- After you've completed your set of leg lifts with one leg, switch to the other leg by bringing it forward and extending it behind you.
6. Clamshells
One of the greatest exercise for gluteus minimus to do at home is clamshell.
While performing this glute stretch, if your top leg moves like a clamshell opening, you're doing it perfectly.
How To Do Clamshells?
- Start by lying on a mat with your right side in a straight line.
- When you're ready, go into a straight line and bend your knees till they're touching the mat's edge.
- It's important to keep your feet in a straight line with your hips and the rest of your upper body.
- Your feet should be together and lifted such that they are slightly higher than your hips once you are in position.
- Once you've raised your legs, keep your toes together as you open your top leg by lifting your knee.
- Open your knee while squeezing your glutes, and then slowly lower your knee.
- Start with your left leg on top and complete ten repetitions before switching to your right leg.
7. Banded Lateral Walks
The resistance provided by the band challenges the gluteus minimus during the lateral movement, helping to activate and strengthen this often-neglected muscle. As you step sideways against the resistance, the gluteus minimus works to stabilize the hips, promoting improved lateral hip strength.
This at-home gluteus minimus workout exercise is particularly beneficial to address muscle imbalances and enhance hip stability, which is crucial for activities involving lateral movements and dynamic stability.
How To Do Banded Lateral Walks?
- Position a resistance band around your legs, just above your knees.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, keeping tension in the band.
- Get into a half-squat position by bending your knees slightly.
- Keep your back straight, chest up, and engage your core throughout the exercise.
- Take a step to the side with one foot, maintaining tension in the band.
- Follow with the other foot, maintaining a constant level of resistance.
- Focus on controlling the movement, keeping your steps slow and deliberate.
- Perform the lateral walk in one direction for the desired number of steps.
- Then, perform the same number of steps in the opposite direction.
- Take a short rest between sets if needed and repeat the exercise for the recommended number of sets.
Final Remarks
Utilizing the best gluteus minimus exercises is a great way to tone and strengthen this important set of muscles.
Not only do these exercises help to shape and strengthen your body, but they can also help ensure proper posture, protection from injury and provide stability while standing or sitting.
Dedicating time to performing gluteus minimus exercises no more than three times per week in combination with cardio training can help you reach your gluteal goals in a healthy manner.
Always remember to start slowly and increase intensity over time to ensure that you’re getting the best workout possible.
With just fifteen minutes of focused movement every few days, unlocking your booty potential has never been easier.
