While it's a no-brainer to use dumbbells for upper-body exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses, and triceps extensions, they're also pretty stellar for lower-body moves. Specifically, you can use dumbbells to get a great butt workout. Of course, doing squats and lunges with just your bodyweight is a great way to work your glutes. But doing butt exercises with weights lets you increase the intensity, challenges your body further, and over time, can help you get stronger and build more muscle, if that's your goal.
Of course, there are many types of equipment you can use if you're looking to do butt exercises with weights. You could use kettlebells, barbells, or even machines at the gym. But for many people, dumbbells are the easiest to find and use—most gyms will have at least a rack of dumbbells in various sizes, and they're generally easier to grip and control than some of the other options out there. Whether you're a beginner or advanced exerciser, dumbbells are a great, convenient option.
If you want to try doing your butt workouts with dumbbells, here are some exercises you can try. All of these moves target your glutes, but you'll also work plenty of other muscles in your lower body and your core as you do them. After all, your butt is connected to both your core and your legs, so it's pretty hard to work without involving some of its neighbors.
For these moves, try starting with a medium-weight set of dumbbells, like 8-10 pounds, and increasing the weight as your get stronger. Here's some more info on how to choose the right weight for your body and current fitness level.
Incorporate a few of these dumbbell butt exercises into your usual routine, or pick four or five to create your own circuit. Try starting with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each one.
Demoing the moves below are Cookie Janee, a background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve; Rachel Denis, a powerlifter who competes with USA Powerlifting and holds multiple New York state powerlifting records; and Amanda Wheeler, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Formation Strength, an online women’s training group that serves the LGBTQ community and allies.
