Glute workouts with dumbbells? Honestly, they’re a game changer. No machines, no waiting, no weird gym setups. Just you, a pair of dumbbells, and some space.
What I love most — you can do them anywhere. Home, living room, hotel room. Doesn’t matter. And they hit hard. Your glutes? They’ll know what’s up after just one round.
The moves are simple, but the burn is real. Plus, you’re not stuck waiting for equipment while someone else does ten sets of curls. You’re in, out, done.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the best dumbbell glute exercises. Real stuff. No fluff. Let’s get to it.
Top 10 Glute Workouts with Dumbbells
Glutes workout with dumbbells are simple, effective, and can seriously change how your glutes look and feel.
Here are 10 of the best ones. Add a few to your leg day, or mix them up for a full glute workout at home or at the gym.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
One of the best dumbbell glute exercises. It targets your glutes and hamstrings with a deep stretch. Simple move — big results.

🔹 How to do it
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging in front of your legs
- Keep a soft bend in your knees
- Push your hips back like you’re closing a door
- Lower the dumbbells down your legs, keeping your back flat
- Stop when you feel a stretch, then squeeze your glutes to stand up
✅ Who it’s good for
- Beginners learning how to hinge
- Anyone looking to build glute strength with control
🎯 Best rep range
3–4 sets × 10–12 reps
Dumbbell Hip Thrust
This move is all about glute power. It’s perfect for that round, lifted look — and it really isolates the glutes without stressing your knees.

📌 Form guide
- Sit on the floor with your upper back on a bench or couch
- Place a dumbbell on your hips (use a pad or towel if needed)
- Bend your knees, feet flat
- Push through your heels to lift your hips
- Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower slowly
💡 Who it’s good for
- Anyone who struggles to activate their glutes
- Great for isolating the glutes without hitting quads
🔥 Best rep range
3–4 sets × 12–15 reps with a pause at the top
Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
Tough, but effective. You’ll feel the burn — especially in your glutes and lower glutes. A favorite for sculpting and strength.

✨ How it’s done
- Stand a few feet in front of a bench
- Place one foot behind you on the bench
- Hold dumbbells at your sides
- Lower your back knee toward the floor
- Push through the front heel to come up
✅ Who it’s good for
- Intermediate to advanced lifters
- Great if you want balance, strength, and major glute activation
🚀 Best rep range
3 sets × 8–10 reps per leg
Dumbbell Step-Up
Step-ups train your glutes while improving balance and coordination. Plus, they mimic real-life movement — super functional.

📎 Step-by-step
- Use a sturdy bench or step (about knee height)
- Hold dumbbells by your sides
- Step one foot onto the bench and push through your heel
- Bring the other foot up, then step back down
- Alternate legs or stay on one side
💡 Who it’s good for
- All levels — from beginner to advanced
- Great for functional strength and full-leg focus
👍 Best rep range
3 sets × 10–12 reps per leg
Dumbbell Glute Bridge
Simple but effective. A great move to start with or finish a workout. Pure glute squeeze without loading your back.

📌 How to do it
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat
- Place a dumbbell on your hips
- Drive through your heels to lift your hips
- Squeeze your glutes at the top
- Lower with control and repeat
✅ Who it’s good for
- Beginners who want to learn glute activation
- Anyone recovering from injury or avoiding heavy loading
🎯 Best rep range
3–4 sets × 12–20 reps
Dumbbell Sumo Squat
Wider stance, deeper glute stretch. Great for inner thighs too. A fun switch-up from regular squats.

💡 Movement breakdown
- Hold one dumbbell with both hands
- Take a wide stance with toes slightly turned out
- Squat down, keeping your chest up
- Push through your heels to stand back up
- Squeeze your glutes at the top
📍 Who it’s good for
- Great for beginners
- Anyone wanting a wide-stance variation that hits glutes differently
💪 Best rep range
3–4 sets × 12–15 reps
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
Good old goblet squats. Easy to control, easy to load. And yes — great for glutes if you go low and slow.

🔸 What to do
- Hold a dumbbell close to your chest
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
- Lower into a deep squat
- Push through your heels to stand up
- Squeeze glutes at the top
✅ Who it’s good for
- Beginners learning squat form
- Great for full-leg training with glute focus
🎯 Best rep range
3 sets × 10–12 reps
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
This one’s super joint-friendly and targets your glutes more than forward lunges. Smooth, simple, and spicy.

📌 How to perform
- Hold dumbbells at your sides
- Step one leg back and lower your back knee
- Keep your front heel grounded
- Push through the front foot to return to standing
- Alternate sides
💡 Who it’s good for
- All levels — especially if forward lunges hurt your knees
- Great for building glute strength and balance
🎯 Best rep range
3 sets × 8–10 reps per leg
Single-Leg RDL
Unilateral. Unforgiving. But so good. Great for balance, control, and really targeting one glute at a time.

✨ How it’s done
- Hold a dumbbell in one hand
- Stand on the opposite leg
- Slightly bend your knee and hinge at the hips
- Lower the weight while your other leg lifts behind you
- Keep your back flat and core tight
- Return slowly to standing
✅ Who it’s good for
- Intermediate to advanced lifters
- Anyone who wants to fix glute imbalances
🎯 Best rep range
3 sets × 8–10 reps per leg
Dumbbell Frog Pump
Looks funny, works great. High reps, high burn. A great finisher for any glute workout.

💥 Form guide
- Lie on your back, soles of your feet pressed together
- Knees fall open like a butterfly
- Place a dumbbell on your hips
- Push through the outer edges of your feet
- Squeeze your glutes hard at the top
✅ Who it’s good for
- Perfect for burnout sets or home workouts
- Great for anyone wanting max glute pump
🎯 Best rep range
3–4 sets × 15–20 reps
Sample Glute Workouts with Dumbbells You Can Start
Let’s keep it simple. Here’s how to turn those glute workouts with dumbbells into real workouts — no fluff, just stuff that works.
Pick the level that fits you. Train 2–3 times a week. Rest 30–60 seconds between sets. Focus on form. Feel the glutes. That’s all.
🟢 Beginner Routine
If you’re just starting out, focus on learning the movements and feeling your glutes working. Keep the weight light and form tight.
Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
---|---|---|
Glute Bridge | 3 × 15 | Squeeze at the top |
Goblet Squat | 3 × 12 | Keep it controlled, not rushed |
Step-Up | 2 × 10 per leg | Use a low box or step |
Reverse Lunge | 2 × 8 per leg | Hold onto a wall if needed |
🟡 Intermediate Routine
You’re getting stronger. Time to add a bit more weight, more single-leg work, and some burn at the top of each rep.
Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hip Thrust | 4 × 12–15 | Pause at the top — full squeeze |
Romanian Deadlift | 3 × 10–12 | Slow down and feel the stretch |
Bulgarian Split Squat | 3 × 8 per leg | Stay balanced and controlled |
Sumo Squat | 3 × 15 | Wide stance, glutes drive the move |
🔴 Advanced Routine
Ready to feel the fire? Go heavier, go slower, add pauses. These combos hit your glutes hard and require real control.
Exercise | Sets × Reps | Notes |
---|---|---|
Hip Thrust | 4 × 15 | Add a burnout round at the end |
Single-Leg RDL | 3 × 8 per leg | Core tight, full control |
Step-Up | 3 × 12 per leg | Higher box = more glute work |
Frog Pump | 3 × 20 | Fast, high-rep finisher |
You don’t need fancy machines or crazy gym setups to train your glutes. Just dumbbells, the right moves, and a bit of consistency.
We’ve covered the best dumbbell glute exercises, shown you how to build them into a routine, and kept it simple on purpose — because simple works.
Start where you are. Keep your form tight. Don’t rush the reps.
And stick with it.
The soreness? That means it’s working.
The results? They’ll show — if you do.
Let the dumbbells do their job. Your glutes will follow.

Hi, I’m Alex Carter, part of the editorial team at Leadman Fitness. We specialize in crafting premium custom racks, cable machines, functional trainers, and strength accessories for home and commercial gyms. With a background in competitive powerlifting and gym design consulting, I’ve spent years testing gear under heavy loads and optimizing layouts for efficiency.
I focus on translating real-world user frustrations—like space limitations, budget constraints, or durability needs—into actionable solutions. By collaborating directly with our engineers and facility owners, I ensure our custom equipment evolves to solve the unspoken challenges lifters face daily. What I share isn’t textbook advice; it’s battle-tested insight from racks I’ve welded, cables I’ve replaced, and gym floors I’ve trained on.