When you crank out a glutes workout, generally the largest muscle group (the gluteus maximus) gets the majority of the love. But if you really want to create a strong and supportive derrière, it’s also important to integrate exercises that target the other parts of your glutes—namely, the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius.
The latter muscle group, also referred to as your side glutes, is an often neglected area because it can be difficult to train. Although many exercises hit a majority of your glute muscles, sprinkling in a targeted side glutes exercise will allow you to make sure those harder-to-reach muscles get some much-needed attention.
And there are so many reasons to make training your side glutes a priority. Strong glutes can make walking and running more comfortable, support better balance, and even promote posture. Moral of the story: This isn’t a muscle group you’re going to want to skip.
Gearing up to head to the gym? Add some of the below exercises from our favorite trainers to your routine and you’ll notice the activation of your side glutes in no time. One pro tip we can offer is that adding a resistance band to your lower-body day will naturally increase the tension on your hips and glutes, taking your burn to the next level. You can thank us later.