Choose movements, not a promise about shape
For a glute-focused bodyweight session, pick movements that do different jobs. A squat bends and straightens the hips and knees while your feet stay planted. A bridge lifts the hips while your back is on the floor. A side-lying leg raise moves one thigh out to the side. All three appear in the American Council on Exercise (ACE) exercise library as no-equipment movements targeting the butt or hips. None requires a separate technique because the person doing it is a woman.
This is a short practice session, not a guarantee of a particular appearance. It also leaves out upper-body pushing and pulling. If you want a broader plan rather than another hip exercise, the no-equipment strength session for women at home places a bridge and squat alongside other movement patterns. Choose the version of each exercise that fits your comfort and available space.
Bodyweight squat: work within a useful depth
Stand with feet around hip to shoulder width apart and toes pointed where your knees can travel comfortably. Bend your hips and knees together, letting your hips move back as you lower. Keep both feet planted and stand by pressing into the floor. Your knees should move in roughly the same direction as your toes. ACE's bodyweight squat instructions describe the controlled lowering and return and advise stopping the descent when your heels lift or your torso loses its position. You do not need to force a parallel-thigh depth on the first attempt.
If a free-standing squat feels uncertain, sit onto a sturdy, nonrolling chair and stand again. Use a height at which you can control both directions. This changes the range and gives you a clear endpoint; it is not a test of whether your squat is good enough. Start with a few deliberate repetitions rather than dropping quickly onto the seat.
Two-foot bridge: lift the hips without chasing height
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, roughly hip width apart. Press your feet into the floor and raise your hips until the movement feels controlled through the hips; lower slowly before repeating. Keep breathing. ACE's glute bridge guide recommends pressing through the heels and cautions that lifting too high can turn the finish into an exaggerated low-back arch. If that happens, shorten the lift.
The bridge is often the easiest of these moves to log precisely: write down whether both feet stayed planted, the number of controlled lifts and whether the lowering phase stayed slow. Save single-leg progressions for later. A harder variation is not automatically more useful if the two-foot version is still difficult to repeat. If lying down or getting up from the floor is a problem, leave it out and ask a qualified exercise professional about a suitable alternative.
Side-lying leg raise: keep the hips stacked
Lie on one side with legs extended and your head supported. Stack your upper hip above the lower hip. Slowly raise the upper leg a modest distance without turning the knee toward the ceiling, then lower it under control. Finish one side and turn over for the other. The ACE side-lying hip abduction instructions say to stop raising the leg when the pelvis starts tilting or tension shifts to the low back. A small, steady raise is better than rolling backward to make the foot travel higher.
This sideways movement is different from a bridge, but you do not need to collect endless variations to make a session count. If your shoulder or hip is uncomfortable on the floor, do not force the position. The exercise should be adjustable to you, not the other way around.
A first session with room to adjust
After a few minutes of easy walking and a rehearsal of each movement, try one round: six to eight chair or bodyweight squats, six to eight two-foot bridges and six side-lying leg raises on each side. Pause long enough between exercises to set up calmly. These numbers are an example for learning the movements, not an official dose or a rule for everyone. Stop a set earlier if your range or control changes. If one round was manageable, you can repeat it after a rest; if not, leave it at one.
The CDC's adult guidance uses 8 to 12 repetitions as an example of a strengthening set and says at least one set is a place to start, with effort appropriate to the individual. It also recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days a week. The shorter practice counts above deliberately give you room to learn. Repeat the same session on another day before adding reps, a second round or more resistance. Note the chair height, bridge range and whether you kept your hips stacked during the side raise, so the next session is comparable.
What this short glute session leaves out
Glutes work during more than one kind of movement, but a short hip-focused session does not cover your chest, arms or a resisted pull for the back. The American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 resistance-training update favors regular work for all major muscle groups and notes that bodyweight training can be useful. Put these exercises inside a wider routine rather than treating them as your whole weekly plan. The squat, bridge and side raise give you three distinct starting choices; none covers every major muscle group.
If you are pregnant, recently postpartum, recovering from an injury or managing a condition that affects exercise, generic movement examples may not fit. Ask an appropriately qualified clinician or exercise professional for individual guidance. Stop if a movement causes pain, dizziness or other concerning symptoms and seek appropriate care. Do not use a rep target as a reason to push through discomfort.
Editorial note: This article was prepared with AI assistance using the linked primary sources. It offers general exercise examples, not an individual assessment.
