Best Side Glute Exercises to Strengthen and Stabilize Your Hips

Gorilla Row

Side glute exercises changed everything for me. I’m not even kidding. Before, I trained legs like everyone else—squats, deadlifts, some lunges. But still, my hips looked flat. No shape. No curve. Then I found out about the side glutes—gluteus medius, to be exact.

These small muscles sit right on the outer part of your butt. And when you train them? You get that round, lifted look. Your hips feel more stable too. Walking, running, even squatting—it all feels smoother.

Honestly, if you’re skipping side glute exercises, you’re missing a key piece. Let’s fix that. I’ll show you the best moves I use every week. No fluff. Just what actually works.

Best Side Glute Exercises for Strength and Shape

Side glute exercises don’t need to be complicated. But they need to hit the right spot. I tried dozens. These five? They’re the ones I keep coming back to. They work. They burn. And they shape your hips like nothing else.

Clamshells

Looks easy. Hurts fast. Lie on your side, knees bent, feet together. Open your top knee like a clamshell. Control it. No swinging. Feel the fire on the side.

Side-Lying Hip Abduction

Still lying down. This time, lift your top leg straight up and down. Keep your hips stacked. Don’t lean back. Do 20 reps and tell me it doesn’t burn.

Banded Side Walks

upper glute exercises Lateral Band Walks

Put a loop band around your thighs. Bend your knees a little. Step side-to-side. Small steps. Stay low. Looks silly—but oh, it hits.

Cable Hip Abduction

At the cable machine. Strap your ankle in. Stand tall. Kick one leg out to the side. Slowly. Don’t let the cable pull you back too fast. Control is key.

Curtsy Lunge

Step one leg behind and across. Drop into a lunge. Feels weird at first. But your glutes? They’ll thank you. It hits the outer glute and the whole hip.

Do these 2–3 times a week. Keep the reps high. Rest short. Your side glutes will wake up—hard.

Why Side Glutes Matter More Than You Think

Side glute exercises aren’t just about building a round butt. They’re about fixing stuff—balance, pain, even posture. I didn’t realize how weak mine were… until I started training them.

  • Better balance.
    I used to wobble during split squats and lunges. One side always felt weaker. Turns out, my side glutes weren’t doing their job. After a few weeks of side glute work? I was more stable. Way more.
  • Less knee pain.
    My knees ached during squats, even with light weight. I thought it was bad form or just me getting older. But once I trained my side glutes, the pain faded. They help keep your knees in the right track.
  • Stronger hips.
    Walking, running, even standing on one leg felt off before. Now, my hips feel locked in. Side glutes keep everything aligned. It’s not a huge muscle, but it makes a huge difference.
  • More shape.
    Let’s be honest—I wanted curves. Not just a big butt, but a wide, lifted shape. Squats didn’t do that alone. It was side glute isolation that brought out that round, outer line. Finally.

Side glute exercises play a key role in lower body strength training. They help improve hip stability, reduce knee stress, and enhance muscle balance. Whether your goal is performance or aesthetics, including these movements in your routine leads to better overall results.

Riley Williams

I’m Riley Williams, an editor for Leadman Fitness where we engineer bespoke strength equipment tailored to unique training goals. My expertise lies in home gym solutions, mobility tools, and injury-prevention gear, shaped by 8 years as a strength coach and rehab specialist. I know how subtle design flaws—a knurling pattern that blisters hands or a bolt that loosens mid-session—can derail progress.
I bridge the gap between our production team and everyday athletes: surveying garage gym owners, analyzing wear patterns on returned gear, and pressure-testing prototypes with physical therapists. My content cuts through marketing hype, focusing on practical fixes—whether you’re retrofitting a basement gym or sourcing commercial equipment that survives 24/7 use. If it’s in our catalog, I’ve stress-tested it myself.



    Please prove you are human by selecting the flag.