Walking down the street you can’t help but notice some shapely bums, on both men and women. In this article, I want to provide at-home exercises for bigger hips and thighs, so that you too can have a strong, plump bum.
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You know what Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Ashley Graham, and Beyonce all have in common with each other…? Their sizeable assets!!
In this post, you’ll learn how to get bigger hips and thigs by doing 5 lower body exercises designed to target your glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings. These exercises will promote muscle growth, providing you the curves you’re looking to get.
I appreciate the way my bottom looks and feels in a pair of jeans or yoga pants. I work hard for that bump, it gives me confidence and I know I earned it from self-discipline and resilience. And that’s okay for me. I work on my glorious glutes for me, not anyone else.
For women, in particular, times have changed in the past decade and having shapely bigger glutes is all the craze. It seems to me that having a cute little behind was the desired shape but no longer. So whether it’s for aesthetic reasons or for practical reasons, having strong glutes is the way to go.
First, let’s discuss the functionality or practicality of the glutes.
What do Your Glutes Do?
The glutes help stabilize the hips and pelvis. So anytime you bend over and then raise back up, your glutes are the engine driving your upper body back up. When your glutes are strong, you have a stable pelvis and better support for your lower back. This way any load can be more evenly distributed through the lower back.
Another reason for having a strong pelvis and hips is that whenever these are weak you tend to overcompensate with a different muscle. From the hip down to the foot, it’s very much a closed chain. So if you ever had a foot problem, your knees and hips can take the brunt of the displacement and cause issues. Similarly, if your hips are weak, it can lead to knee aches, foot pain, or other imbalances.
Since the glutes are one of the largest muscles in the body it has a lot of functionality and influence on the rest of the body. Strong glutes help us in moving forward while walking or running, and they help us stand up straight. Additionally, having weak glutes means less power, potential back problems, and less functionality in everyday movements.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve met several people that have had back surgery and it doesn’t seem to be working out as well as they had imagined. If keeping the lower back from injury means having strong glutes, then sign me up.
A Bigger Hips and Thighs Workout Plan
Here are 5 exercises you can do at home to get a stronger more functional butt. Keep in mind these exercises will need to be done with moderate to heavy weights, when you can. Adding bulk usually requires lifting heavy, so when you’re done with squats and deadlifts, these are superb supplemental lifts.
Hip Thrust/Bridge
Start on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Slowly drive your heels into the ground and lift your hips, squeezing your glutes. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position. For a bonus use a resistance band around your knees. Keep the resistance band tight throughout the exercise. This exercise is great for the glutes but it will also work your back and abs. If you feel any strain on your back make sure your abs are tight and engaged. Start out doing 12-15 reps.
The Bird Dog
The starting position for this is on your hands and knees with a flat back and tight engaged abs. Raise your right hand and left leg simultaneously while keeping your abs braced. Point your right arm straight out from your shoulder and your left leg straight out from your hip. Your pelvis should not rotate (if someone placed a ball in the small of your back, it shouldn’t have fallen off). Your back should be flat like a table. Hold this position for 3-5 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Again, this position is great for your back and abs. Alternate back and forth for 12- 15 reps.
Lying 1-Leg Hip Extension
The starting position for this is similar to the hip thrust. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Brace your abs, and contract your right glute (butt muscle) while you take your left leg, lift it off the floor and hold it in the position shown. Using the right glute, bridge your hips up. Keep your abs braced and engaged. Do not use your lower back to do this exercise. Slowly lower your hips down until they are an inch above the ground. Switch sides until you’ve completed 10-12 reps. This one really targets your glutes, so take it slow. Also, don’t let your hips fall to one side, keep them level.
1-Leg Deadlift
Stand with your feet slightly greater than shoulder-width apart. Pick one foot off the ground and extend that foot backward. Contract your glutes, brace your abs and keep your spine in a neutral position. Let your arms hang at your sides. Start the movement at the hip joint. Push your butt back and “sit back as if you were sitting on a chair”. Go slowly and focus on balance. Go until your thigh is parallel to the floor, but keep your lower back flat. Push with your buttocks, hamstrings, and quadriceps to return to the start position. Depending on your strength you can switch back and forth between legs or do several reps with one leg and then switch. Strive to do 8-10 reps.
1-Leg RDL
Stand on one leg with a small bend in that knee. The other leg is bent back. Keep your lower back arched and bend forward by pushing your hips back. Keep your knee slightly bent, back arched, and try to keep the other leg straight. Repeat all reps for one side then switch. If you’re feeling wobbly, hold onto something for support and reduce the range of motion, until your strength and balance improve.
Conclusion of Exercises for Bigger Hips and Thighs
These 5 movements will give you a good start for shaping your butt and adding muscle. Stay consistent and try to incorporate these into your leg day workouts. As you progress you’ll want to include resistance bands, weights or equipment to increase the resistance. Building muscle is based on increasing the amount of resistance over time. You can start small by increasing the number of sets and/or reps, but at a certain point, you’ll need to add weight. The body is incredibly efficient and smart, so you’ll need to change it up a bit as your journey to a stronger butt continues.
I hope you garnered some good information with these hips and thighs exercises. If you would like to get a full-body workout program, check out the reviews I did on Turbulence Training and Bodyweight Burn. Each program has its advantages and disadvantages, but both are great for at-home workout plans.
