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The glutes are a group of three muscles in your buttocks: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The gluteus maximus is the biggest muscle in the body, and it plays a key role in many basic physical activities, including standing upright and walking.
Sitting for long periods leads to overstretched gluteus medius muscles and tighter hip flexors, which together cause pelvis instability and pain, according to Harvard Health. Yoga helps activate these muscles, strengthening and stretching them to prevent injuries and improve mobility and posture.
The 14 Best Yoga Poses for Glutes
Strengthening Poses
Poses that use your glutes to lift and support the pelvis build strength. Actively engaging the glutes in standing poses also turns any pose into a glute pose.
Featured Yoga Mat: Liforme Classic Yoga Mat in Purple
Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Setu (Bridge) Bandha (Lock) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Supine
Why This Pose: Lifting into and holding Bridge works your glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lie on your back with your knees pointing up and soles flat on the floor near your butt.
2. Keep your feet parallel and your knees over your ankles.
3. Press into your feet and engage your glutes to lift your pelvis off the floor.
4. Tuck one shoulder under at a time and interlace your hands behind your back.
5. Continue using your glutes to lift your pelvis for five or more breaths.
6. Release your hands and lower your back to the floor.
7. Repeat the pose two or more times.
Featured Yoga Mat: Cosmic Moon in Black
One Legged Bridge Pose (Eka Pada Setu Bandhasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Eka (One) Pada (Foot) Setu (Bridge) Bandha (Lock) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Supine
Why This Pose: Lifting one leg makes your glutes work harder to stabilize the pelvis
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lift into Bridge Pose.
2. Without tilting your pelvis on one side, lift your right leg toward the ceiling.
3. Keep pressing into your left foot and using your glutes to lift your pelvis.
4. After several breaths, lower your right leg and repeat with the left leg lifted.
Featured Yoga Mat: Deep Forest Mindful Garden
Wheel Pose (Urdhva Dhanurasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Urdhva (Upward) Dhanu (Bow) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Backbend
Why This Pose: The glutes lift and support the pelvis
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lie on your back with your knees pointing up and soles flat on the floor near your butt.
2. Bring your palms flat on either side of your head with your elbows pointing up and parallel.
3. On an inhalation, press in your hands and feet and use your glutes to lift your pelvis toward the ceiling.
4. Straighten your arms as much as you can.
5. Release your head.
6. Keep your glutes engaged and hold for three to five breaths before lowering with control on an exhale.
Featured Yoga Mat: Tantalising Terracotta
Bird Dog Pose (Dandayamana Bharmanasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Danda (Staff) Yamana (Restraining) Bharmana (Table) Asana (Pose)
Also Known As: Balancing Table Pose
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Kneeling
Why This Pose: Keeping your pelvis level and lifting your leg engages the glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in a hands-and-knees position.
2. Lift your left leg parallel to the floor, but keep your pelvis neutral with both hip points facing the floor.
3. Lift your right arm parallel to the floor.
4. Take five or more breaths before switching sides.
Featured Yoga Mat: Liforme Classic Yoga Mat in Blue
Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Salabha (Locust) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Prone
Why This Pose: Your glutes are activated by pressing down the pelvis and lifting the legs
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lie on your stomach with your arms alongside your body.
2. Use your glutes to press your pelvis into the mat.
3. Lift your shoulders and head away from the floor.
4. Deepen the pose by also lifting your hands and feet.
5. After three to five breaths, lower to the floor.
Featured Yoga Mat: Liforme Classic Yoga Mat in Deeep Forest Green
Reverse Plank Pose (Purvottanasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Purva (East, the front of the body) Tan (Stretch) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Arm Support
Why This Pose: Requires your glutes to lift and hold up the pelvis
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin seated in Staff Pose (Dandasana) with your palms flat on either side of your hips.
2. Press into your palms and use your glutes to lift your pelvis toward the ceiling on an inhalation.
3. Continue actively lifting the pelvis for five or more breaths.
4. Lower on an exhalation.
Featured Yoga Mat: White Magic
Garland Pose (Malasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Mala (Garland) Asana (Pose)
Pose Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Standing
Why This Pose: Add dynamic movement to your squats to build the glute muscles
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
2. Take your feet to the edges of your mat with your heels turned in 45 degrees.
3. Take your hands to Anjali mudra.
4. On an exhalation, bend your knees to come into a deep squat.
5. On an inhalation, engage your glutes and straighten your legs to stand up.
6. Repeat on each exhale and inhale for five to ten breaths.
Featured Yoga Mat: Radiant Sun in Blue
Chair Pose (Utkatasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Utkata (Powerful) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Standing
Why This Pose: Activates your quads and glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Bend your knees and sink your seat as if you are going to it in a chair.
3. Bring your arms overhead.
4. Keep your knees the same distance apart as your feet.
5. For an extra challenge, try a deeper seat or a longer hold.
Featured Yoga Mat: XL Mountain Mat
High Lunge Pose (Ashta Chandrasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Ashta (Eight) Chandra (Moon) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Standing
Why This Pose: Strengthens the whole leg and stretches the hip flexors
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in Mountain Pose.
2. Step your left foot to the back of your mat, landing on the ball of your foot.
3. Stack your right knee over the right ankle, adjusting your back foot if necessary.
4. Take your arms overhead.
5. Bring your right thigh parallel to the floor.
6. Hold for three to five breaths, then switch sides.
Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
Sanskrit Meaning: Virabhadra (Hindu Warrior) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Standing
Why This Pose: Standing on one leg and keeping the hips level works the glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in a High Lunge Pose with your right leg forward and your hands on your hips.
2. Tilt your upper body forward at an angle.
3. Transfer your weight into your right leg, bringing your hips over your right ankle while lifting your left leg.
4. Bring your left leg parallel to the floor and flex your left foot.
5. Rotate your left hip down so the pelvis is squared to the floor.
6. Take your arms alongside your body or reach them forward.
7. Take three to five breaths, then step back to a lunge and switch sides.
Featured Yoga Mat: Pasiley Passion in Maroon
Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Utkata (Powerful) Kona (Angle) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Standing
Why This Pose: Holding this high squat works the glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin in a standing wide straddle facing the long side of your mat.
2. Turn your heels in 45 degrees.
3. Bend your knees, stacking them over your ankles and adjusting your stance if necessary.
4. Bring your thighs as close to parallel with the floor as possible.
5. Keep your knees over your ankles.
6. Take five or more breaths.
Featured Yoga Mat: Cosmic Moon in Dusk Blue
Forearm Side Plank (Vasisthasana) Leg Lifts
Sanskrit Meaning: Vasistha (Ancient poet and sage) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Arm Support
Why This Pose: Uses the force of gravity as resistance to build the glute muscles
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lie on your right side with your forearm parallel to the front of your mat.
2. Press into your forearm and right foot to lift your body off the mat.
3. Take your left hand to your left hip.
4. On an inhalation, lift your left leg as high as you can with control.
5. On an exhalation, lower your leg with control.
6. Repeat three or more lifts, then switch sides.
Stretching Poses
Stretching the glute muscles and hip flexors balances the strengthening work and counteracts the effects of sitting.
Featured Yoga Mat: Liforme Classic Yoga Mat in Green
Eye of the Needle Pose (Sucirandhrasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Suci (Needle) Randhra (Hole) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Beginner
Pose Type: Supine
Why This Pose: Stretches your glutes and hip flexors
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Lie on your back with your knees pointing up and soles flat on the floor.
2. Bring your right ankle to the top of your left thigh near the knee.
3. Open your right knee to the right.
4. Lift your left foot off the floor.
5. Reach through the opening between your legs with your right hand and around the outside of your left thigh with your left hand to hold the back of your left thigh.
6. Gently draw your left thigh toward your chest.
7. After several breaths, release and switch sides.
Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana)
Sanskrit Meaning: Go (Cow) Mukha (Face) Asana (Pose)
Yoga Level: Intermediate
Pose Type: Seated
Why This Pose: Opens the outer glutes
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Begin on your hands and knees.
2. Bring your right knee to the center line.
3. Cross your left knee behind the right one.
4. Take your right foot to the left and your left foot to the right.
5. Sit back in the space between your feet.
6. Take your right arm up to the ceiling, then bend the elbow to bring your right hand to the center of your back.
7. Bend your left arm and bring the left hand up the center of your back.
8. Clasp the hands if they meet or hold onto your shirt or a strap with both hands.
9. After several breaths, release and switch sides.
Benefits of Yoga for Glutes
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Yoga poses work the glutes from all angles, so they hit all three muscles.
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Learning to activate the glutes benefits other movement modalities.
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Improves your posture
Wake Up Your Glutes
A glute-focused yoga practice builds your awareness of how to use these muscles to support your pelvis and wakes up the posterior chain of muscles along the back side of your body. If sitting for long periods has weakened your glutes and tightened your hip flexors, use movement breaks and yoga’s whole-body approach to reverse the damage.
FAQs About Yoga for Glutes
Can you build glutes with yoga?
A well-rounded, consistent yoga practice strengthens your whole body, including the glutes.
Which yoga poses are best for activating the glutes?
Bridge Pose is a good way to get a feeling for how to use your glutes.
How often should I practice yoga for glute strength?
Try to practice at least three times a week.
Can yoga help with weak glutes from sitting too much?
Yes, yoga can help strengthen your glutes no matter the cause.
Is yoga enough to strengthen the glutes on its own?
If your goal is glute gains, add some strength training with weights.
Do I need any props for yoga glute poses?
None are required. If you have a block, experiment with squeezing it between your thighs in poses like Bridge and Chair.
