The 3 best exercises to have a banging bum in midlife

(All the below exercises are home workout friendly & approved by our head trainer and CGO – Chief Glute/Gainz Officer – Kelly.)

These are hip bridges, not thrusts FYI... but those are good for your butt as well!

If you’re serious about growing dem glutes and having an absolutely cracking arse (and if you're not, why are you reading our insightful blog on the subject?!), then listen up. Not all booty workouts are created equal. Whether you’re working out from home (like most of our FitBitch crew) or in a gym, you need to be intentional about the movements you’re choosing to actually see things change.

Today we’re breaking down 3 of the BEST glute-growing exercises, why they work, how to do them at home, and the rep ranges you want to target if your goal is a bigger, stronger, juicier bum and not a deflated pancake (looking at you Vic... before you started FitBtch anyway 😉).

1. Hip thrusts – aka the Glute Queen™️

If you’re not hip thrusting, what tf are you even doing babes? Hip thrusts are the go-to for building the largest muscle in your bum (the gluteus maximus – bonus fact: it's actually the largest muscle in the whole body) and the one that gives you that full, round shape... when it's worked properly.

You can use your own bodyweight alone or, if you're feeling super powerful, load up with a dumbbell, barbell, or even a resistance band.

How to do hip thrusts at home:

1. Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet hip-width apart. Rest your shoulders and upper back on sofa or bench, even a gym ball – anything sturdy enough to support your upper back.

2. Looking down toward belly button, drive feet firmly into floor, engage glutes, and lift hips off the ground, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.

3. Slowly lower your hips back toward the floor.

Rep range:

• Bodyweight: 12–20 reps per set. Don't thrust until you collapse but make sure you feel 'close to failure' – like you can only do one or two more, max.

• Weighted: 6–15 reps per set

Some variations to try:

• Standard hip thrusts (weighted or bodyweight)

• Single-leg hip thrusts

• B-stance (staggered stance) hip thrusts

Hip thrusts are one of those movements you can load up more heavily with over time, so don’t be afraid to get strong here!

2. Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) – stretch & squeeeeeeeze

RDLs are incredible for targeting the glutes and hamstrings through a strong hip hinge. This movement really works the glutes under stretch, which is key for muscle growth.

How to do them at home:

All you need is a set of dumbbells or a barbell.

• Stand with a slight bend in the knees. Place your feet underneath your hips

• Hold your weight in front of your thighs

• Send your hips behind your heels as if you're shutting the fridge with your arse.

• Lower the weight. Keep your spine neutral

• Feel the stretch in your hamstrings and when the weight is below your knees, squeeze your bum muscles to return to first position.

You can also do what's known as a "B-stance RDL" to isolate one glute at a time and help with imbalances. For this one, stand with one foot slightly behind the other, with the toes of your back foot barely touching the ground.

Rep range:

Weighted (dumbbell/barbell): 6–15 reps per set. Lighter or bodyweight only: 12–20 reps per set (focus on your form and control of movement).

3. Side-lying hip raises – work that clam!

This one targets your gluteus medius – the medium-sized bum muscle that creates that sort of “shelf” at the top of your glutes and helps shape the upper side of your soon to be bangin' booty. This one burns! But it’s gold for building that rounded arse.

How to do them at home:

Lie on your side (keeping everything in a nice line) and lift your top leg. That's, well, it. You can keep it bodyweight or add a resistance band or small dumbbell if you want more challenge.

Rep range:

• Bodyweight: 15–25 reps per side

• With band or weight: 12–20 reps per side

Focus on slow, controlled reps. You want to feel that arse cheek working.

So, I'm really effing busy but I do want a great bum. How much do I really need to do?

If you’re serious about seeing some results, aim for 10–20 total sets per week per glute muscle group. Here’s a simple breakdown:

• Hip thrusts – 3 to 4 sets

• RDLs – 3 to 4 sets

• Side-lying hip raises – 3 to 4 sets

That’s enough volume to start seeing real changes in strength and shape, and improve endurance, especially if you’re training close to failure (where you could maybe only do 1–2 more reps, as above).

Kelly's final tips for Booty Gains:

• Don’t just go through the motions, focus your mind on muscle connection.

• Progressively overload when you can (add more reps or weight).

• Be consistent – 1-2 bum workout days a week is plenty if you’re actually working hard.

Ready to grow that peach? Keep showing up, keep squeeeeezing, and those neglected glutes will thank you later. If you prefer to be told in real time what to do, you could always join us on our Glutes & Abs course for a bargain £15.99 (or as part of our membership)!