Having a fantastic butt doesn’t just make you feel good, it’s also an eye-catcher and makes other daily activities easier to accomplish. For instance, building strong leg, glute and core muscles will give you greater strength to lift or move items as well as reduce the chance of pain and injury, especially as you age.

Also, muscle creates higher metabolism within the body which, in turn, works to burn more fat. Since your legs contain approximately 50% of your body’s muscle mass, the more muscle you build in these areas, the higher your metabolism will be and the more fat you will eliminate by simply going about your day.

So, if you have an upcoming party, family or school reunion, wedding, or you just want a nice butt to show off at the gym, beach, or walking down the street in your new outfit then try out these 5 glute exercises which can be conveniently done at home. Begin with 3 sets of each exercise at least 3 times a week.

Glute Builder #1 - Back Kicks

This is a common glute exercise used by athletes. You can add greater resistance to the workout by anchoring a resistance band to something sturdy and placing it around your ankle.

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  • From a standing position, hold onto something to maintain balance and with back and legs straight, move one leg backwards slowly and as high as you can. Squeeze your butt muscles as you lift and do not twist the hips. Hold for a moment, lower the leg back down slowly and repeat for a set of 10. Change legs and repeat.

Glute Builder #2 - Leg Kicks

This is another common glute building exercise. You will get the most from this glute workout if you raise the leg as high as you can and then push for an extra amount.

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  • Using a mat, get into a position on your hands and knees. With your back straight, slowly raise one leg upwards while keeping it at a 90° angle. Once you reach the peak of your lift, pump your leg upwards just a little further. Slowly lower your leg back down until your knee touches the mat and repeat for a set of 10. Change legs and repeat.

Glute Builder #3 - Dumbbell Lunges

This is a very good exercise for building both glutes and thighs. When you come up from the lunge, be sure to push hard as this movement is what really works the muscles. You will need a pair of dumbbells for this exercise. However, if you don’t have them, you can use 2 full bottles with handles (such as fabric softener) as long as they are of equal weight and size.

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  • From a standing position with back straight and holding dumbbells, take a large step forward with one leg into a lunge position. Do not allow your knee to pass your toe. Hold the position for a moment and then push powerfully back up into a standing position. Repeat for a set of 10. Change legs and repeat.

Glute Builder #4 – Glute Squats

This glute workout is good for building thighs as well. Be sure to squeeze the glutes for the added workout.

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  • From a standing position with your hands on your hips and feet separated a shoulder width apart, slowly lower into a squat position, keeping your back straight. Hold for a moment and then slowly rise back up squeezing your glutes as hard as possible. Once you reach a standing position, hold with glutes tightened for a count of 5 and then release and repeat for a set of 10. Take a short break (at least one minute) and continue with another set.

Glute Builder #5 – Big Ball Butt Builder

This is a very good exercise to build your butt and hamstrings as well as strengthen your back and other core muscles. You will need a large, plastic ball, such as a Swiss ball, to complete this glute workout. When you have mastered this exercise, you can switch to using one leg instead of two for added strength training.

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  • Lie on your back on a mat and place your feet up on a large ball. With arms on the floor for balance (those who need more of a challenge can cross the arms over the chest), lift the hips up until the back is straight and your weight is held by your feet and shoulders. Pull your legs into your hips until your knees form a 90° angle (the ball will roll with your feet) and do not bend your hips. Hold this position for a moment and then slowly roll the ball back to the start position. Repeat for a set of 10. Take a short break (at least one minute) and continue with another set.

If you do these butt building exercises at least 3 times a week then you will soon have a killer butt that will better help you perform daily tasks, protect you from injury and catch the looks of all those passing by.