What are the gluteus medius muscles?
As we just mentioned, there are three gluteal muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. The gluteus medius is found (you guessed it) in the middle of the other two, above and behind the gluteus maximus and below the pelvis. It’s a fan-shaped muscle that supports the hip and pelvis, especially when you’re moving side to side or twisting through the hips and lower body. While they aren’t the muscles that lift and shape your booty, strong gluteus medius muscles are important to helping you move without pain and ensuring that your pelvis and lower spine are stable enough to support your upper body.
How to work the gluteus medius
You don’t need heavy weights—or any weights at all, really—to work the gluteus medius. It’s a small enough muscle that working with just your bodyweight is more than enough. The key is targeting the muscles with your movements in a way that doesn’t allow the gluteus maximus to take over the exercise.
So how do you do that? By focusing on exercises that force you to move laterally, either with your entire body, or with just one leg. Single-leg movements that require balance also call on the gluteus medius to stabilize your working leg. Finally, you can use tiny, targeted movements that use just the gluteus medius to move the legs out and in or up and down.
10 best exercises for the gluteus medius
The exercises below are a mix of the different types of movements explained above, all designed to target the gluteus medius (while occasionally engaging other glutes and leg muscles as well). Try incorporating them into your home workouts.
Fire Hydrants
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Weights to use: bodyweight or one light weight
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How to do it: Come onto all fours. If you are using a weight, nestle it in the crook of your knee. Keeping your hips facing the floor, lift your knee straight out to the side as high as you can before you start to open your hip, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Pretzel
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Weights to use: bodyweight or one light weight
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How to do it: Start in a seated cross-legged position. Lift one foot and flip it behind you, with your knee still bent. Take that knee and shift it back, just behind your hip. Lean forward slightly and place your hands on the floor on either side of your front knee. Keeping your shin parallel to the floor, squeeze your glute to lift your knee up off the floor, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Glute Bridge Press-Outs
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Weights to use: bodyweight
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How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Squeeze your butt to lift your hips until only your upper back is on the floor. Keeping your hips lifted, do small presses of your knees out to the sides.
Sumo Squat Press-Outs
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Weights to use: bodyweight
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How to do it: Stand with your feet wide and toes turned out. Lower to the lowest point of your squat, then do small presses of your knees out to the sides.
Clamshells
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Weights to use: bodyweight or one light weight
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How to do it: Come onto your side on the floor and prop your elbow directly under your shoulder. Stack your legs and bend them so your knees are directly in front of you. If you’re using a weight, hold it on the outside of your thigh. Keeping your legs bent and toes together, lift your top knee, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Side-Lying Leg Lifts
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Weights to use: bodyweight or one light weight
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How to do it: Come onto your side on the floor and prop your elbow directly under your shoulder. Extend your legs straight, stacking them on top of each other. Keeping your top toe pointed down and your hips facing forward, lift your top leg, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Side Lunges
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Weights to use: bodyweight, light or medium weights
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How to do it: Start with your feet together holding weights at your sides, if using. Take a large step to the side, sending your butt back as you bend your knee and keep your other leg straight. Push off your stepping leg to return to standing. Alternate sides.
Single Leg Squats
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Weights to use: bodyweight, light or medium weights
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How to do it: Stand with weights at your sides, if using. Extend one leg in front of you with your foot just off the ground (or just barely rest your heel on the floor). Bend your standing leg and send your butt back to lower into a squat, then press through your heel to rise back up. Repeat on the other side.
Monster Walks
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Weights to use: bodyweight or resistance band
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How to do it: If you’re using a resistance band, wrap it around your thighs just above your knees. Lower into a squat. Take a few steps in one direction then a few steps in the other, going back and forth and never coming up out of the squat.
Single Leg Bridges
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Weights to use: bodyweight or one light weight
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How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat. Extend one leg straight, keeping your knees together. Squeeze your butt to press your hips up, keeping your upper back on the ground, then lower back down. Repeat on the other side.
Get stronger every day
Strong gluteus medius muscles are important for supporting the hips and spine and maintaining a powerful lower half. But they are just one small muscle among many that you need to work to achieve full-body fitness—and amp can help. The hundreds of AI-powered workouts will help you work each body part and muscle group to its potential, making you stronger and fitter than you’ve ever been. Get your amp today.