What is the biggest muscle in the body?

The gluteus maximus. It is the largest muscle by volume in the human body, covering the back of the pelvis, and its main job is hip extension — driving you up out of a squat, forward in a sprint, and up a flight of stairs.

Are hip thrusts better than squats for glutes?

They train the glutes differently rather than better. Hip thrusts provide peak tension at full hip extension, where the glute is most shortened; squats and Romanian deadlifts load it in a stretched position. Research on which produces more growth is mixed, and the practical answer is to do both.

Why is my gluteus medius weak?

Because almost nothing in a standard programme trains hip abduction. Squats, deadlifts and lunges are all extension-dominant. Adding seated abductions, lateral band walks or side-lying raises two or three times a week closes the gap quickly.

How often should I train glutes?

Two to three times a week works well. The glutes are large, tolerate volume well, and recover reasonably quickly from anything that is not a heavy deadlift. Spreading 12–20 sets across multiple sessions beats one very long session.

Do you need weights to grow glutes?

You can start without them — bodyweight hip thrusts, split squats and step-ups all provide a stimulus for a beginner. But the glute max is a very strong muscle, and progressing eventually requires meaningful external load.

Lower body

Glutes

Gluteus maximus, medius and minimus

Also called: glutes, gluteal muscles, butt muscles

The glutes are three muscles. Gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body and extends the hip — driving you up out of a squat and forward in a sprint. Gluteus medius and minimus sit higher and to the side, abducting the hip and stopping the pelvis dropping when you stand on one leg.

back

The glutes highlighted on the back of the body.

Glutes anatomy

Gluteus maximus is the big one, covering the back of the pelvis and inserting partly into the iliotibial tract and partly onto the femur. It produces hip extension and external rotation, and its upper fibres also assist abduction.

Gluteus medius lies above and to the side, largely underneath the maximus at the back but exposed at the top. Its main job is hip abduction, but its most important function is stopping the opposite side of the pelvis dropping every time you take a step.

Gluteus minimus sits under the medius and does a similar abduction and internal rotation job on a smaller scale.

Because the maximus is trained by hip extension and the medius and minimus by abduction, a programme built only on squats and deadlifts trains one of the three well and the other two barely at all.

Part	What it does
Gluteus maximus	Hip extension and external rotation. Trained by squats, hinges, thrusts and lunges.
Gluteus medius	Hip abduction and pelvic stability. Trained by abductions, side-lying raises and single-leg work.
Gluteus minimus	Assists abduction and internal rotation. Trained alongside the medius.

Origin: Gluteus maximus: the posterior gluteal line of the ilium, the sacrum, the coccyx and the sacrotuberous ligament. Medius and minimus: the outer surface of the ilium.
Insertion: Gluteus maximus: the iliotibial tract and the gluteal tuberosity of the femur. Medius and minimus: the greater trochanter of the femur.

What the glutes does

Hip extension — driving the thigh backward (gluteus maximus).
Hip abduction — moving the leg out to the side (medius and minimus).
External rotation of the hip (maximus and posterior medius fibres).
Pelvic stabilisation during single-leg stance — the medius stops the opposite hip dropping with every step.
Posterior pelvic tilt and trunk stabilisation under load.

Best glutes exercises

Exercise	Equipment	Role	Level	Why
Hip thrust	Barbell + bench	primary	Beginner	Peak tension at full hip extension, which is exactly where the glute max is strongest and where squats provide least.
Romanian deadlift	Barbell or dumbbells	primary	Intermediate	Trains the glutes and hamstrings in a lengthened position — the complement to the thrust.
Bulgarian split squat	Bench + dumbbells	primary	Intermediate	Single-leg, long range, and demands medius stability as well as max strength. Miserable and excellent.
Back squat	Barbell	primary	Intermediate	Trains the glutes hard in the stretched bottom position. Deeper squats mean more glute involvement.
Cable kickback	Cable machine	primary	Beginner	Isolated hip extension with no lower-back involvement.
Seated hip abduction	Machine	primary	Beginner	The most direct gluteus medius exercise, and one of the most-skipped machines in the gym.
Lateral band walk	Resistance band	primary	Beginner	Medius and minimus under constant tension. Good warm-up, decent finisher.

How to train the glutes

Sets per week

12–20 hard sets

Rep range

6–12 for heavy hinges and thrusts, 12–20 for abduction work

Frequency

2–3 sessions per week

Train both hip extension and hip abduction. Squats and deadlifts cover the maximus; without dedicated abduction work the medius and minimus stay weak.
The glutes are trained in two distinct positions: stretched (squats, RDLs) and shortened (hip thrusts, kickbacks). Include both — they are not interchangeable.
Single-leg work is disproportionately valuable here because pelvic stability is a big part of what the glutes actually do.

Stretches and mobility

Figure-four stretch

Lie on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee, pull the supporting thigh toward you. 30 seconds each side.

Pigeon pose

Front shin across the mat, back leg extended, sink the hips. Ease into it.

Common mistakes

Assuming squats are enough

Squats train the gluteus maximus well but do very little for the medius and minimus, which handle abduction and pelvic stability. Add direct abduction work — it takes five minutes.

Only training in one position

Hip thrusts load the glute at full contraction; RDLs and deep squats load it at full stretch. Programmes built entirely on one or the other leave growth on the table.

Chasing the burn with bands only

Band work produces a strong burn but very little mechanical tension. It complements heavy loading rather than replacing it.

Glutes FAQ

What is the biggest muscle in the body?: The gluteus maximus. It is the largest muscle by volume in the human body, covering the back of the pelvis, and its main job is hip extension — driving you up out of a squat, forward in a sprint, and up a flight of stairs.
Are hip thrusts better than squats for glutes?: They train the glutes differently rather than better. Hip thrusts provide peak tension at full hip extension, where the glute is most shortened; squats and Romanian deadlifts load it in a stretched position. Research on which produces more growth is mixed, and the practical answer is to do both.
Why is my gluteus medius weak?: Because almost nothing in a standard programme trains hip abduction. Squats, deadlifts and lunges are all extension-dominant. Adding seated abductions, lateral band walks or side-lying raises two or three times a week closes the gap quickly.
How often should I train glutes?: Two to three times a week works well. The glutes are large, tolerate volume well, and recover reasonably quickly from anything that is not a heavy deadlift. Spreading 12–20 sets across multiple sessions beats one very long session.
Do you need weights to grow glutes?: You can start without them — bodyweight hip thrusts, split squats and step-ups all provide a stimulus for a beginner. But the glute max is a very strong muscle, and progressing eventually requires meaningful external load.

References

This page is general educational information about exercise and anatomy. It is not medical advice and not a substitute for assessment by a qualified clinician. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, speak to a professional before changing how you train.