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How To Lose Butt Fat: 10 Helpful Exercises To Reduce Butt Fat In 2024

Updated on - Written by
Medically reviewed by Gopal Ramakrishnan, Ph.D.

how to lose butt fat
Effectively losing butt fat through exercise is possible. Photo: Quynh Nguyen

Want to know how to lose butt fat fast and permanently? Exercises to lose butt fat?

You are not alone. Getting a toned butt is a fitness goal for many but achieving it will take some work. 

The right exercise routine can help you burn your butt fat and tone your butt muscles to achieve toned rounded buttocks. 

You can also capitalize on the relationship between supplements and weight loss.

How To Reduce Butt Fat Quickly?

These exercises are great for toning your butt muscles and losing butt fat. 

  1. Kickbacks
  2. Squats
  3. Step Climbing
  4. Running
  5. High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
  6. Lunges
  7. Lateral Band Walk
  8. One Leg Deadlifts
  9. Chair Pose
  10. Side-lying Hip Abduction

How To Lose Butt Fat Fast: Best Exercises For Smaller Butt

Kickbacks 

Kickbacks are great for targeting the gluteus muscles, the largest muscle in your buttocks. They are simple to perform and do not require special equipment and you can quickly get into a routine at home. 

Kickbacks not only contribute to a firmer and shapelier butt but also aid in reducing overall body fat.

Kickbacks
Kickbacks Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Get on all fours with your knees and palms pushing the floor. 
  2. Fully extend right legs till toes are nearly touching the floor. 
  3. Kick your heels upwards while keeping your legs straight and return your leg down.
  4. Repeat the same motion on your right leg before switching to your left and doing it again. 

Tips:

  • You could bruise your knees if you attempt this exercise on the bare floor. Consider laying down an exercise mat before you begin. If you cannot get your hands on an exercise mat, an old towel will do. 
  • Keep your back straight and engage your core during kickbacks to maximize glute activation. This ensures you’re targeting the right muscles to help lose butt fat.
  • Focus on slow and controlled kicks, squeezing your glutes at the top of the motion. This controlled approach maximizes muscle engagement and calorie burning.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 15-20 reps.

Squats 

Would our butt exercises list be complete without squats? 

Squats became a popular exercise for people trying to tone their butt muscles. It has lived up to its reputation and many people report positive results on their butts from performing squats. 

The great thing about squats is that it works on several muscle groups in your butt, thighs, and abdomen. Therefore helping to tone your lower body and midsection. 

Squat
Squat Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Keep your shoulders level and extend your arms in front of you 
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart 
  3. Lower your body slowly bringing your butt as close to the floor as you can
  4. Ensure your back remains straight during your descent 
  5. Return to your starting position 
  6. Repeat the entire process.

Tips:

  • Maintain a straight back, keep your feet shoulder-width apart, engage your core, and ensure your knees don’t go past your toes during squats. Proper form prevents injury and targets your glutes for butt fat loss.
  • Go for deep squats where your thighs are parallel to the ground or lower. Deeper squats engage your glutes more effectively.
  • Remember to breathe in as you lower yourself into the squat and exhale as you push back up. Proper breathing enhances your stability and performance during squats.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three to four sets of 10-12 reps.

If you want a more intense workout to burn more weight, consider using weights. The steps for the exercise remain the same but you would have to hold the weights in your hands while squatting. 

You could also tweak your squats workout to activate your gluteus medius[1] and gluteus maximus muscles by doing the single-leg squat. 

To perform the single-leg squat, you should:

  1. Extend your hands in front of you at shoulder level 
  2. Straighten your right leg and extend it forward 
  3. Slowly bring your butt close to the ground while keeping your back straight 
  4. Return to your starting position and repeat several times for both legs. 

Split squats are another variant of the exercise for toning your butt muscles. A study shows that it is more effective than deadlifts and good morning on your gluteus maximus muscles.

Step Climbing 

If you want to tone your butt muscles, you might want to use the stairs.

Step Climbing
Step Climbing Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

Step climbing is easily one of the easiest exercises that you can do to tone your muscles. You only need a flight of stairs and willpower to get started. 

Step climbing also helps strengthen and tone your upper legs. 

We are not done yet. 

Using the stairs can improve your oxygen uptake and reduce your bad cholesterol levels. Therefore, for your heart health[2] consider using the stairs today. 

You can get your step climbing exercise when you:

  • Use the stairs 
  • Use step climbing machines at the gym 
  • Go bouldering 
  • Hike uphill 

How to do:

  1. Find a staircase or step platform.
  2. Stand with feet hip-width apart, facing the stairs or platform.
  3. Step up with one foot, then follow with the other.
  4. Alternate steps, maintaining a steady rhythm.
  5. Engage your glutes and quads.
  6. Continue for your desired duration or number of steps.

Tips:

  • Stand tall while stepping, engage your core, and avoid leaning forward or backward. This ensures the glutes are properly engaged during the exercise.
  • Adjust the step’s height to change the intensity. Higher steps increase glute engagement, while lower steps allow for longer-duration sessions.
  • Step with your entire foot and push through your heel on each step. This maximizes glute activation and helps sculpt and tone the area effectively.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 15-20 mins.

Running 

running
You should include running in your exercise routine to burn more butt fat. Photo: Dudarev Mikhail/Shutterstock

If you are looking to burn fat in your buttocks then you should include running in your exercise routine. 

Cardio exercises such as running are excellent for losing weight. They also turn up your heart rate and have multiple benefits[3] for your heart health. 

Running for 30 minutes daily can burn fat and bring you closer to your fitness goals

The general weight loss you might experience from running regularly could translate to less fat in your butt. 

It goes further. Running gives your butt and thigh muscles a good workout.  Hence, it is a great way to get a rounder butt. 

While running is a more intense workout than walking, you can opt for walking if you cannot run. It is still a great way to work those muscles and burn fat cells.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

how to lose butt fat
HIIT has become an increasingly popular fitness trend for losing weight with success. Photo: antoniodiaz/Shutterstock

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves committing to a single activity for a short period followed by a slow-paced activity for a longer period. 

HIIT has become an increasingly popular fitness trend for losing weight[4] with success. 

If you have a tight schedule and you are worried about finding enough time to commit to exercising, HIIT might be the option for you. 

HIIT compresses intense workouts into a short time frame so that you can get the most benefits within your tight schedule. 

A simple HIIT routine that you could try might involve:

  • Warm-up 
  • Run on your treadmill for one minute at 7mph
  • Run on your treadmill for two minutes at 5mph
  • Repeat the process for 15 minutes 

Lunges 

One of the best strength training exercises for your lower body is lunges. Variations of this exercise include forward, sideways, and transverse lunges. 

Lunges activate your gluteus maximus muscles as well as your thighs and calves. 

Lunges
Lunges Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Stand with your feet apart at about your hip’s distance.
  2. Put your right leg forward.
  3. Lower your body slowly keeping both knees at 90°.
  4. Ensure that your left knee does not touch the ground and your right knee does not move beyond your toes on your left foot.
  5. Return to your original position and repeat the motion several times for both legs.

Tips:

  • Keep your upper body straight, and shoulders back, and engage your core throughout the exercise. This helps target the glutes while preventing strain.
  • Take long strides and lower your back knee until it’s close to the ground. This deep lunge position effectively engages your glutes, leg, and butt muscles.
  • Emphasize balance and control with each lunge to prevent wobbling, ensuring both proper muscle engagement and injury prevention.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 12-15 reps.

Lateral Band Walk 

For this exercise, you will need to get resistance bands. 

The lateral band walk makes a great warm-up exercise before you dive into more intense workouts such as running. It is also helpful in toning your gluteus medius muscles. A higher level of resistance from your resistance band gives you a more intense workout for burning calories.

Lateral Band Walk
Lateral Band Walk Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Place your resistance band flat against the balls of your feet.
  2. Stretch your legs to shoulder width and evenly distribute your weight. 
  3. Bend slightly into a semi-squat position. 
  4. Squeeze your core muscles and glutes. 
  5. Take a step about three inches to your right. 
  6. Take another step about three inches to your left. 
  7. Repeat this motion.

Tips:

  • Keep your back straight, engage your core, and ensure your knees are slightly bent during lateral band walks.
  • Keep the resistance band taut throughout the movement to engage your hip muscles effectively and target butt fat loss.
  • Take deliberate and controlled sideways steps, focusing on the full range of motion to work your hips and glutes.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 15-20 reps.

One Leg Deadlifts

Deadlifts can give your gluteus muscles an intense workout. You might need to use weights if you want to increase the intensity. 

how to lose butt fat
One Leg Deadlifts Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  • Stand on one leg.
  • Extend your other leg backward, keeping your shoulders back and your back straight. 
  • Lower your torso forward but not below your hips. 
  • Return to your starting position and repeat the motion.

Tips:

  • Maintain balance by keeping your core engaged and your back straight throughout the one-leg deadlift.
  • Perform the exercise with slow, controlled movements, emphasizing the stretch and contraction of your glutes.
  • You can rest on your non-supporting leg for some time if the workout gets too intense for you. 

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 12-15 reps.

Chair Pose 

If you are into yoga you have probably heard of the chair pose. Just like squats, it targets your buttocks and back fat. 

You could think of the chair pose as static squats. You can perform the chair pose anywhere you find a sturdy wall.

Chair Pose
Chair Pose Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Stand straight with your back to the wall.
  2. Get into a squat using the wall for support. 
  3. Extend your hands forward at shoulder level. 
  4. Hold the pose for the desired amount of time.

Tips:

  • Focus on squeezing your glutes to activate and tone your butt muscles.
  • Keep your back straight, chest lifted, and your knees aligned with your ankles to maximize its benefits.
  • Focus on deep, controlled breaths while holding the chair pose to enhance balance, endurance, and flexibility.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 30-second reps.

Side-lying Hip Abduction

The side-lying hip abduction is a buttock and hip toning exercise that you can do on your exercise mat. 

It targets your gluteus medius muscles. If you want to increase the challenge you could use ankle weights for resistance. 

how to lose butt fat
Side-lying Hip Abduction Guide. Photo: Aliaksandr Makatserchyk

How to do:

  1. Lie on one side keeping your knees together and your legs straight or your top leg extended and your bottom leg bent.
  2. Support your head with your arm. 
  3. Raise your top leg slowly as high as you can without rotating your pelvis. 
  4. Return your leg to your starting position slowly. 
  5. Repeat the motion for both legs for the desired number. 

Tips:

  • Focus on squeezing your glutes as you lift your leg during the side-lying hip abduction.
  • Keep your body in a straight line, head supported to ensure optimal muscle engagement and injury prevention.
  • Raise your top leg slowly and lower it with control to engage your hip muscles fully. Avoid jerky movements for better results.

Optimal Sets and Reps: three sets of 15-20 reps.

Is It Possible To Target Fat Loss To Your Butt?

Spot reduction of fat in your buttocks alone is almost impossible. The best way to reduce your butt fat is to work towards overall body fat.

When you lose weight generally,  you will lose fat in your face, belly, butt, arms, thighs, and other parts of your body. 

You will need to pay attention to your nutrition during this time. Moderately reducing your daily calorie intake can help with general weight loss.  

Consider adopting healthy eating habits and consuming health-friendly foods to ensure you receive all the necessary nutrients.

Power training exercises that target the muscle groups in your buttocks help you build muscle and are also great for promoting weight loss. These workouts should help you tone your butt muscles. Combining diet and exercise should also improve your results. 

You might need to seek medical advice before you jump on these exercises.

Conclusion 

If you want to know how to lose ass fat and keep it off, you will have to work for it. It takes the right cocktail of exercises to help you lose fat and tone your butt muscles. Aerobic activity for burning more calories is also important.

Spot reduction of butt fat is not practical. However, these exercises could help you tone your butt muscles to burn fat.


+ 4 sources

Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here

  1. Hae Rim Han, Yi, C.-H., Sung Hyun You, Heon Seock Cynn, Lim, O. and Jae Ik Son (2018). Comparative Effects of 4 Single-Leg Squat Exercises in Subjects With Gluteus Medius Weakness. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, [online] 27(6), pp.513–519. doi:https://doi.org/10.1123/jsr.2016-0193.
  2. Boreham, C., Kennedy, R., Murphy, M., Tully, M.A., Wallace and Young, I.S. (2005). Training effects of short bouts of stair climbing on cardiorespiratory fitness, blood lipids, and homocysteine in sedentary young women. British Journal of Sports Medicine, [online] 39(9), pp.590–593. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2002.001131.
  3. Lee, D., Pate, R.R., Lavie, C.J., Sui, X., Church, T.S. and Blair, S.N. (2014). Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, [online] 64(5), pp.472–481. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.058.
  4. Roy, M., Williams, S., Brown, R., Meredith-Jones, K., Osborne, H., Jospe, M.R. and Taylor, R.W. (2018). High-Intensity Interval Training in the Real World: Outcomes from a 12-Month Intervention in Overweight Adults. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, [online] 50(9), pp.1818–1826. doi:https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0000000000001642.

Medically reviewed by:

Jennifer Anyabuine holds a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and is currently a medical student. She is a freelance medical writer specializing in creating content to improve public awareness of health topics.

Medically reviewed by:

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