Does Pilates Grow Your Glutes? A Physio Answers the Most-Googled Glute Questions

Pilates, StairMaster, squats, hip thrusts, walking and running — what actually works for building bigger, stronger glutes?

If you've ever searched “How do I grow my glutes?”, you'll know the advice can be overwhelming.

Do more squats. Try Pilates. Walk uphill. Use the StairMaster. “Activate” your glutes before every workout.

But what actually works?

As a physiotherapist, here's how I'd break down the most common glute questions.

First: what makes your glutes grow?

Your glutes grow when they're exposed to enough training stimulus to adapt.

For most people, that means:

• Progressive resistance training

• Enough challenging training volume

• Gradually increasing the load, reps or difficulty

• Adequate protein and overall nutrition

• Enough sleep and recovery

• Consistency over time

There isn't one magic glute exercise. The key is giving your muscles a reason to adapt — and doing it consistently.

Does Pilates grow your glutes?

It can, particularly if you're new to resistance training.

Pilates includes plenty of exercises that challenge the glutes, including bridges, lunges and side-lying movements.

For beginners, these can provide enough stimulus to improve strength and potentially increase muscle size.

But if you've been doing the same bodyweight exercises for months, your muscles may have adapted.

For maximising glute growth, progressively loaded resistance training is generally a better foundation.

That doesn't make Pilates ineffective. It's excellent for strength, movement control, coordination and general fitness.

Think of Pilates as one tool in the toolbox — not a secret shortcut to bigger glutes.

Does the StairMaster grow your glutes?

It works your glutes, but it's primarily a cardio exercise.

Climbing requires your hip and knee muscles to produce force, so your glutes are certainly involved.

But working a muscle isn't the same as optimising it for growth.

The StairMaster can help develop lower-body fitness and strength, particularly if you're new to exercise. However, progressive resistance training makes it easier to increase the load and specifically target muscle growth.

Love the StairMaster? Keep it. Just don't rely on it as your main glute-building strategy.

Do squats grow your glutes?

Yes.

Squats can be an excellent glute-building exercise, depending on your technique, depth, load and training volume.

They also train your quads and other lower-body muscles, making them a great all-round exercise.

But you don't have to squat to grow your glutes.

Split squats, lunges, step-ups, hip thrusts and other exercises can all play a role.

The best exercise is one you can perform well, progressively overload and consistently stick with.

Are hip thrusts better than squats?

Hip thrusts are excellent for training the glutes through hip extension. Squats also train the glutes, but involve more movement at the knees and hips and place demands on several muscle groups.

So which is better?

You don't necessarily need to choose.

A well-rounded program might combine exercises such as:

• Hip thrusts

• Squats or split squats

• Romanian deadlifts

• Lunges

• Step-ups

• Hip abduction exercises

You don't need all of them. Choose exercises that suit you and allow you to progressively increase the challenge.

Does walking grow your glutes?

Walking is great for you, but it's unlikely to build significantly bigger glutes on its own.

Your glutes work during walking, particularly when you're moving quickly or walking uphill.

But the resistance is relatively low compared with challenging strength exercises.

Keep walking for cardiovascular health, general fitness, recovery and daily activity.

If glute growth is your goal, use resistance training as the main event.

What about incline walking?

Incline walking increases the demands on your lower body and can increase the contribution from your hip muscles.

It's a great addition to a training program — but it doesn't replace progressive strength training if your goal is muscle growth.

Does running make your glutes bigger?

Running definitely uses your glutes, but it's not primarily a muscle-building activity.

Your glutes help produce and control movement with every stride.

Some runners have highly developed glutes, but that doesn't mean running alone caused it. Genetics, resistance training, nutrition and overall training all matter.

If you enjoy running, you don't need to stop.

You can run and strength train at the same time.

Do you need to “activate” your glutes?

Usually, no.

You've probably seen workouts featuring clams, bridges, monster walks and banded side steps before the “real” workout begins.

These exercises aren't bad. They can be useful as a warm-up, for movement practice or during rehabilitation.

But your glutes aren't simply “switched off” before you train.

When you squat, step up or perform a hip thrust, your nervous system is already coordinating your muscles to produce that movement.

And you don't need to feel a huge glute burn for an exercise to be effective.

Does feeling your glutes mean they're growing?

Not necessarily.

A burning sensation usually reflects fatigue and the accumulation of metabolites. It doesn't directly tell you how much muscle growth is occurring.

Instead, look for measurable progress:

• Are you lifting more?

• Can you perform more reps?

• Is your technique improving?

• Are you consistently training?

• Are you recovering well?

Those are much more useful markers than how much your glutes burn.

So, what's the best way to grow your glutes?

There's no single “best” exercise.

The most effective approach is usually a combination of movements that challenge the glutes and allow you to progressively increase the demands.

For example:

Hip extension:
Hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts

Squat and lunge patterns:
Squats, split squats, lunges, step-ups

Hip abduction:
Cable, machine or banded exercises

You don't need an enormous exercise list.

Pick a few good movements and get stronger at them.

How often should you train your glutes?

You don't need to train them every day.

For many people, two to three resistance-training sessions per week is a sensible starting point.

The right amount depends on your training experience, overall program and recovery.

More isn't automatically better.

If you're constantly sore, fatigued or seeing your performance decline, adding more glute workouts probably isn't the solution.

The biggest mistake: constantly changing exercises

You don't need a new “glute exercise” every week.

In fact, sticking with the same movements long enough to get stronger can be far more useful.

If your hip thrust increases from 60 kg to 100 kg over time, that's meaningful progress.

Constantly changing exercises makes it harder to track whether you're actually improving.

Consistency is the most effective.

The bottom line

Pilates? Yes, it can strengthen and develop your glutes — especially for beginners.

StairMaster? It works your glutes, but it's primarily cardio.

Squats? Absolutely. They're a great lower-body exercise.

Hip thrusts? Excellent for training the glutes and easy to progressively load.

Walking? Great for general health, but unlikely to significantly grow your glutes on its own.

Running? Uses your glutes, but isn't primarily a hypertrophy exercise.

Glute activation? Useful in some situations, but not essential for everyone.

Ultimately, bigger glutes don't require a complicated routine.

Challenge the muscles. Progress gradually. Eat and recover well. And give it time.

That's far more important than finding the next viral glute exercise.