Strengthening the Glutes: What the Research Says

The gluteal muscles are among the most important muscle groups in the body. They drive athletic power, stabilize the hips and pelvis, protect the knees and lower back, and play a major role in balance and mobility as we age. And yet — for all of that responsibility — most people still train the glutes inefficiently.

A 2023 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise set out to fix that. The researchers used advanced biomechanical modeling and muscle activation analysis to determine which movements actually produce the greatest force in the three major glute muscles: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The findings were revealing — and they should change how most people program their lower body.

The Three Glutes, and the Exercises That Train Them

Each glute has a different job. The maximus drives hip extension and power. The medius keeps your pelvis level and your knees tracking properly. The minimus is a deep stabilizer that quietly holds your hip together. A complete program trains all three.

Gluteus maximus — the body’s largest and most powerful hip-extensor muscle. The top exercises were the split squat, single-leg Romanian deadlift (RDL), and single-leg hip thrust. Each generated the greatest mechanical tension — the essential ingredient for strength, muscle growth, and explosive athletic performance.

Gluteus medius — the muscle critical for pelvic stability, knee alignment, and balance. The most effective exercises were side planks, single-leg squats, and single-leg RDLs. Weakness here has been associated with knee pain, hip dysfunction, and increased injury risk — particularly in active adults and aging populations.

Gluteus minimus — the often-overlooked deep stabilizer of the hip. It responded best to side planks and single-leg RDLs. This muscle plays an outsized role in maintaining efficient movement mechanics and keeping the hip joint quiet under load.

Train one leg at a time. Load it progressively. Don’t skip the side plank. The takeaway

Two Principles That Quietly Run the Whole Study

One of the most important conclusions wasn’t an exercise — it was a pattern. Single-leg exercises consistently produced some of the highest levels of glute activation across all three glute muscles. Two-leg movements like back squats have their place, but they let the strong side compensate for the weak side. Single-leg work doesn’t allow that. Each side must do its own work — which is exactly what builds resilient, symmetrical strength.

The second principle: adding external resistance significantly increased muscle force production. Bodyweight work is a starting point, not a destination. The glutes are the largest, most powerful muscle group in the body. They need to be challenged with progressive load — dumbbells, a barbell, cables, bands — to keep adapting.

The researchers also noted that exercises performed at longer muscle lengths — split squats and RDLs in particular — may provide a greater stimulus for muscle growth and strength development than shorter-range alternatives. That’s the same principle behind why a deep split squat outperforms a half-rep version.

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The Glute Three — Where to Start

You don’t need ten exercises. You need three movements done well, loaded progressively, performed on both legs:

• Split squat. Loaded with dumbbells or a barbell. Full range of motion — back knee tracks toward the floor. Builds the glute max and gives you the long-muscle-length advantage.
• Single-leg RDL. The one movement that appeared in every glute’s top-exercise list. Builds the entire posterior chain and trains balance simultaneously.
• Side plank. The most effective exercise for the medius and the minimus. Free, portable, no equipment required. Build up to 60 seconds per side, then load it.

The Bottom Line

If your goal is stronger glutes, improved athletic performance, better balance, healthier knees and hips, and reduced injury risk, your program should include progressive single-leg strength training — split squats, single-leg RDLs, hip thrusts, and side planks — with load that increases over time.

Strong glutes are not just about appearance. They’re foundational for movement, performance, and long-term physical function. The research keeps confirming what good coaches have known for years: train one leg at a time, load it progressively, and don’t skip the side plank.

Be well. — Mackie

Mackie Shilstone

Integrative Performance Management · 43+ Years

America’s premier sports performance management and career-extension specialist. Coach to Serena Williams (14 years), Peyton Manning, Michael Spinks, Bernard Hopkins, and Ozzie Smith, among others. Former Director of wellness programming at the John Ochsner Heart & Vascular Institute, served as a lifestyle expert for MLB Umpire Medical Services for 21 years, and is the author of seven books on health and performance. Mackie’s Maximum Wellness is his column at MaxWell Nutrition.