How to Fix a Flat Ass? Proven Tips and Exercises for a Toned Booty

Let’s face it—many of us have looked in the mirror and thought, “Where did my booty go?” A flat backside, or “pancake butt,” is more common than you might think and nothing to be embarrassed about. Whether it’s caused by prolonged sitting, lack of targeted exercise, or simply not knowing how to fix a flat ass, there are effective solutions. With the right exercises and habits, you can build strength, enhance shape, and boost your confidence.

Strengthening and lifting your glutes does more than fix a flat ass—it improves posture, reduces injury risk, and builds confidence. Developing strong, firm glutes enhances overall functionality and helps maintain alignment during daily activities. In this post, discover practical tips, effective exercises, and expert advice to sculpt and strengthen your backside. Let’s dive in!

Understanding the Glute Muscles

Before diving into exercises, let’s understand the “big three” gluteal muscles:

• Gluteus Maximus ^[1]: The largest and most noticeable muscle in your buttocks. It’s responsible for hip extension and gives your glutes their shape and power.
• Gluteus Medius ^[2]: Located on the side of your pelvis, this muscle stabilizes your hips and plays a key role in balance. Developing muscle mass here adds width and contour to your hips, enhancing your overall shape.
• Gluteus Minimus ^[3]: The smallest and deepest glute muscle. It works with the gluteus medius to stabilize your hips and rotate your thighs inward.

Understanding these butt muscles is key to designing effective workouts. You’ll achieve a stronger, more balanced, and lifted backside by targeting all three.

What Causes a Flat Butt?

A flat butt can result from a variety of factors, many of which are lifestyle-related. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Prolonged Sitting: Sitting for long periods leads to gluteal amnesia, weakening and flattening your glutes.
• Lack of Exercise: A sedentary lifestyle can lead to underdeveloped glute muscles. Without targeted strength training, your glutes don’t get the stimulation they need to grow and maintain their shape.
• Improper Workouts: Exercises that overly focus on quads or other large lower-body muscles can leave your glutes undertrained even if you’re active. Squats, for instance, may not engage the glutes effectively without proper form or activation.
• Genetics: Natural body structure and genetics play a role. Some people have less fat or muscle volume in the gluteal area, making it appear flatter.
• Aging: As you age, muscle mass and skin elasticity decrease, which can lead to a flatter appearance. Regular glute exercises for seniors help maintain muscle strength and tone, preventing this effect and promoting overall mobility and firmness.

Why Fixing a Flat Butt Matters

Glutes are more than just for looks—they’re crucial for your body’s function and strength. Weak glutes can lead to poor posture, lower back pain, and even flat butt syndrome, often caused by prolonged sitting. Inactive glutes can also result in muscle imbalances and reduced hip, thigh, and lower back stability.

Strong glutes stabilize your hips, support your lower back, and improve mobility. The gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your body, powers activities like walking, running, and climbing while also shaping your backside. Strengthening these muscles boosts your functional strength, posture, and athleticism.

The best part? With consistent effort and the right exercises, building stronger glutes and learning how to fix a flat ass is entirely achievable for anyone committed to their fitness goals.

Expert Insights from Alli Kerr

Building strong, toned glutes isn’t as simple as sticking to the usual lower-body routines—and I realized this after a game-changing conversation with fitness expert Alli Kerr. She explained why exercises like squats and lunges, while popular, often don’t deliver the results many women are looking for. These moves can overwork the quads and fail to properly engage the glutes, especially for women with different muscle tissue needs than men.

Instead, Alli recommended focusing on nontraditional exercises like hip thrusts and deadlifts. These movements are far more effective at isolating and strengthening the gluteus maximus—the muscle that plays the biggest role in shaping and lifting your backside.

One piece of advice that stuck with me was her emphasis on patience and consistency. Progress might feel slow, but every workout builds toward your ultimate goal. Celebrate small wins, stay committed, and remember that success isn’t about being perfect—it’s about showing up and putting in the work.

Armed with these insights, I shifted my focus to glute-specific movements designed to activate and build strength where it counts. Here are the most effective exercises I’ve incorporated into my routine to tone, lift, and strengthen my glutes.

Best Exercises to Fix a Flat Ass and Strengthen Gluteal Muscles

To lift and tone your glutes effectively, you need exercises that target the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. Bodyweight exercises like squats can engage other muscles, including the core, so focusing on targeting the glutes is important. Here are some tried-and-true moves that worked wonders for me:

Beginner Moves

Start with these exercises if you’re new to glute training. They’re simple but super effective.

1. Bridges

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, maintaining a good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place both hands at your sides with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Engage your core, then push from your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the top. Hold the position for a couple of seconds. Lower your hips back down to return to the starting position. Repeat the movement for 10 repetitions.

2. Fire Hydrants

• Begin in a 4-point position with your hands under your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
• Engage your core and lift one leg, bringing one knee out to the side. Begin a sweeping circular motion in one direction. Lower your leg back to the starting position and repeat the movement in the opposite leg.

3. Step-Ups

For this exercise, kindly use a sturdy stepper or utilize a stair.

• Begin in an upright standing position before a sturdy stepper or a stair, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.
• Step up with one foot onto the stepper, then bring the other foot up to meet it. Step down one foot at a time. Repeat this movement 10-15 times on each leg, ensuring controlled and steady steps throughout the exercise.

Advanced Strength Builders

Once you’ve mastered the basics, level up with these challenging moves:

1. Single Leg Deadlifts

• Begin in an upright standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs.
• Clasp your hands in front of you. Engage your core and transfer all your weight onto one foot, slightly bending your supporting knee. Hinge your hips, then bend forward until your upper body is parallel to the floor while extending your opposite leg back.
• Hold this position for a couple of seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

2. Squat

• Begin in an upright standing position with your feet hip-width apart, maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Clasp your hands in front of you. Tighten your abdominal muscles.
• Bend your knees and hinge through your hips to move into a squat position. Keep your knees behind your toes. Hold the position for a couple of seconds. Raise back up to an upright standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top position. Repeat the movement for 10 repetitions.

3. Clamshell

• Lie on your side on the floor with your knees bent and stacked together. Maintaining good alignment with your upper body and your ankes in line with your hips. Bend your bottom arm and rest your head on it.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles. Slowly raise your top knee to open your hips. Lower your knee to the starting position and repeat the movement with 10 repetitions. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

You may use resistance bands to add more resistance. This exercises the muscles of the hip, particularly the gluteus medius.

These exercises focus on all areas of the glutes, helping you tone and lift effectively. Remember to maintain proper form and gradually increase intensity for the best results.

Common Mistakes When Trying to Fix a Flat Ass and Avoid Dormant Butt Syndrome

Before starting your glute transformation, avoid these common pitfalls:

• Over-relying on squats: Squats target the quads more than the glutes. Focus on glute-specific exercises.
• Skipping glute activation: Wake up your glutes with activation exercises like glute bridges before heavy lifts.
• Impatience: Building glutes takes time—don’t expect results overnight.

How to Reduce Body Fat and Cellulite While Toning Your Glutes

Strengthening your glutes is important, but for the best results, you’ll want to pair it with other strategies, especially if you have little body fat, as this can make it more challenging to achieve a fuller, smooth appearance.

• Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated and help reduce the appearance of dimples.
• Add foam rolling to your routine to improve circulation and enhance skin texture.
• Consistency is key. The more you work those glutes, the more toned and smooth they’ll become.

Lifestyle Adjustments to Lift Your Butt

Lifting and shaping your glutes isn’t just about the gym—it’s also about how you live outside of workouts. Here are key adjustments to consider:

1. Move More, Sit Less: Combat prolonged sitting by standing and stretching every hour or sneaking in glute squeezes while sitting.
2. Fuel Your Body for Growth: Eat protein-rich foods like lean meats, eggs, and tofu. Incorporate healthy fats and ensure a slight caloric surplus if muscle gain is your goal.
3. Prioritize Sleep and Recovery: Aim for 7–8 hours of quality sleep each night to support muscle growth.
4. Mind Your Posture: Stand tall with your shoulders back to naturally engage your glutes.
5. Stretch and Mobilize: Regularly perform hip flexors stretches, pigeon poses, or glute kickbacks.
6. Incorporate Everyday Glute Engagement: Squeeze your glutes while climbing stairs or standing in line.
7. Reduce the “Sitting Curse”: Set reminders to stand or stretch every hour.
8. Stay Hydrated: Drink 8–10 glasses of water daily to keep muscles and skin healthy.

Non-Exercise Tips for Glute Development

Fixing a flat butt isn’t just about hitting the gym. What you do outside of workouts matters, too:

• Eat for growth with protein-packed foods and healthy fats.
• Avoid the “sitting curse” by standing up and stretching regularly.
• Prioritize rest and sleep for muscle recovery.

Conclusion

And there you have it—everything I’ve learned about how to fix a flat ass. I get it—staying consistent with workouts can feel like a challenge, especially when the couch and Netflix are calling your name. But trust me, if I can stick with it and see results, so can you!

The secret is simple: stay patient, keep pushing, and celebrate your progress along the way. Your glutes—and your confidence—will thank you. So grab your mat, queue up your favorite playlist, and move. You’re stronger than you think, and your booty will thank you for it later—promise.

FAQs

Can you reverse a flat bum?

Yes, with consistent glute-targeting exercises like hip thrusts and deadlifts, you can activate and strengthen your glutes, improving their shape and tone.

How do I reset my glutes?

Start with glute activation exercises like bridges and clamshells to wake up your glutes, then progress to compound exercises like squats and deadlifts to build strength.

How long does it take to tone my bum?

You may start seeing changes in 4-6 weeks, but significant toning can take a few months, depending on your consistency and effort.