Basic Mat Pilates Glute Exercises

Plus one great glute stretch!

Rozalynn is an award-winning, multimedia journalist, NASM-certified personal trainer, and 10-time marathon runner, living in New York City. She's been writing health and wellness content for Real Simple since 2020, covering everything from nutrition to mental health to stretching.

Grace Canaan

When it comes to fitness, one of your main goals should be to build strong, healthy glutes. No, not just to have a nice, perky posterior, but because this muscle group is “the largest muscle in the body [and] strengthening our glutes allows us to move properly,” explains Coach Zha, a certified classical Pilates instructor.

Comprised of three muscles, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus, “the glutes have a central role in controlling movements of the lower extremity as well as movements of the trunk,” explains Alex Rothstein, CSCS, program coordinator and instructor for the exercise science program at New York Institute of Technology. “They are a massive muscle group that essentially connects the upper and lower halves of the body."

Your glutes contribute to everything from standing to walking to climbing stairs. Strong glutes also play a role in speed and power when sprinting, research in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise reveals. It’s not just about improving functional body movement and mobility, though, strong glutes, according to an International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, also help ward off ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injuries as well as hamstring strains and ankle sprains.

“Any dysfunction or weakness in this muscle group can cause issues with other areas of the body that are called upon to compensate,” Rothstein says.

An example of this is with the hamstrings, which Rothstein says is often recruited to compensate for weak glutes, which causes chronic tightness. Struggling with lower back pain? The Journal of Physical Therapy Science says weak glutes may also be to blame.

Unfortunately, weak, under-engaged glutes are super common, especially if you spend a significant amount of your day sitting. To help get your butt back in gear and start feeling better, stronger, and more balanced, Zha offers five effective mat Pilates glute exercises for strength and stability, plus one targeted post-workout glute stretch to help keep them relaxed and flexible. The best part: They’re simple enough for beginners and don’t require any special equipment—though a mat might make your exercise experience more pleasant.

Grace Canaan

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