TL;DR
- Train glutes 3-4x per week with progressive load
- Eat 200-400 calories above maintenance on training days
- Hit 0.7-1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight daily
- 12-week progression table: phase 1 base, phase 2 load, phase 3 push
- Male-bodied readers need heavier load + bigger surplus than default advice
A bigger butt without surgery comes from three levers: progressive glute training, a small caloric surplus, and enough protein to build with. This is the 12-week plan for AMAB and male-bodied readers, where most programs stay silent.
How To Get A Bigger Butt Naturally (The 5-Step Plan)
- Train glutes 3 times per week with compound lifts (hip thrusts, squats, Bulgarian splits) plus 1-2 isolation moves per session.
- Eat 200-400 calories above maintenance on training days. Lean into a surplus, not out of it.
- Hit 0.7-1 g of protein per pound of bodyweight every day — roughly 120-160 g for most readers.
- Add load every 2 weeks. Heavier dumbbells, one extra set, or more reps at the same weight.
- Measure at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Tape measure around the widest point of the hips. Photos same time of day.
Why Male Bodies Need A Different Starting Point
Most 'how to get a bigger butt' articles default to a gender-neutral plan with female-bodied demonstrations. AMAB readers start with less baseline fat in the seat, a narrower pelvis, and more testosterone-driven response to heavy lifting.
That last one is an advantage: muscle builds fast when you load it.
The trade-off: without a visual hip-to-waist ratio to start from, a bigger butt on a male frame needs more muscle volume to read as bigger. So the plan leans heavier than a typical female-bodied program, with 4 sessions a week for committed readers and a genuine caloric surplus.
Illustration via NCBI Bookshelf
The Bigger-Butt Starter Kit
Tap a cardThese four pieces cover the whole 12-week plan. Tap for the exact picks.
The 12-Week Bigger-Butt Progression
Your Full 12-Week Program
| Weeks | Sessions/Week | Focus | Weighted Hip Thrust | Expected Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 3 | Movement quality + light load | 3x10 @ 20-30 lb | Glutes wake up, minimal visual |
| 5-8 | 3-4 | Progressive overload | 4x10 @ 40-60 lb | Seat fills out, 0.5-1 inch hip |
| 9-12 | 4 | Max load + squeeze volume | 4x8 @ 70-90 lb | Visible lift, 1-2 inch hip |
Numbers above are based on an average male-bodied starting point. If you've never lifted, start lighter and add load every session for the first two weeks. If you already lift, skip to phase 2.
Hip Thrusts: The Single Best Lift For A Bigger Butt
Routine: 4 sets of 8-12 reps, weight heavy enough that the last 2 reps are a grind.
Upper back on a couch or bench. Dumbbell rested on your hips, held steady with both hands. Drive through heels until your torso is parallel to the ground. Squeeze for two seconds at the top. Lower under control.
Credit via Giphy
A 60-lb dumbbell on bare hip bone hurts. Fold a yoga mat or hoodie under the weight. Your pain tolerance isn't the bottleneck — your glute strength is, and you want to feel every rep.
Goblet Squats For Leg-Day Glute Growth
Routine: 3 sets of 12-15 reps, kettlebell or dumbbell held at chest.
Stance slightly wider than shoulders, toes turned out 15 degrees. Sit back as if to a low chair, weight in the heels. Descend until your hips drop below your knees — that's where the glute tension lives. Drive straight up.
Credit via Giphy
A 35-lb kettlebell is the sweet spot for most readers. Easier to goblet-hold than a dumbbell and loads heavy enough for a real challenge once you're past week 4.
Romanian Deadlifts For The Glute-Hamstring Tie-In
Routine: 3 sets of 10-12 reps, dumbbells held in front of thighs.
Feet hip-width, slight knee bend (not a squat — the bend stays fixed). Push your hips straight back, letting the dumbbells slide down the front of your thighs.
Descend until you feel a deep hamstring stretch, then drive the hips forward to return. Squeeze the glutes hard at the top.
Credit via Giphy
Banded Abductions For Side-Glute Width
Routine: 3 sets of 20 per side, fabric band above the knees.
Two variations — run both. Standing side raises: loop the band above knees, shift weight to one leg, lift the other straight out to the side. Seated abductions: sit on a bench, band above knees, open knees against band resistance. Both hit the glute medius directly.
Band choice — which fabric loop?
Both sets work for every move in this program. Pick based on how you train.
Credit via Giphy
Eating To Grow A Bigger Butt
Target 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day. That's 105-150 g for a 150-lb reader. Hit it with chicken, Greek yogurt, eggs, canned tuna, tofu, lentils, cottage cheese, or a scoop of whey after training.
Caloric surplus matters more than people think. Eating at maintenance means your body maintains — not builds. Aim for +200 to +400 calories above your daily burn on training days. For a skinny starter, closer to +500.
5 g daily of creatine monohydrate is the most-studied legal supplement for muscle hypertrophy. It lets you push 1-2 more reps per set, which compounds into meaningful size over 12 weeks. Cheap ($15/month), no loading phase needed.
Protein timing is not load-bearing — total daily intake is. Spread it across 3-4 meals, hit the number, don't stress the window.
Recovery And The Rest-Day Rule
Sleep 7-9 hours on training days. Less than 6 and your body prioritizes basic function over hypertrophy. Space glute sessions 48 hours apart — Monday, Wednesday, Friday works. Saturday optional for a lighter pump session.
Daily recovery checklist
0/5 doneBigger-Butt Mistakes To Avoid
- Going too light forever. If your last rep feels like your 5th, it's a cardio set, not a hypertrophy set. Add weight every 2 weeks minimum.
- Cutting calories while trying to grow. You can't build muscle in a deficit past the beginner gains window. Pick grow now, cut later.
- Skipping the squeeze. A half rep with no peak contraction misses the growth signal. Two seconds at the top, every rep.
- Cardio-ing the surplus away. 30 minutes of running a day can eat your entire +300 surplus. Keep cardio to 2-3 short sessions a week during a growth phase.
- Quitting at week 4. Visible change lands between weeks 6-10. Most beginners quit right before their payoff.
What's Next After 12 Weeks
Pick your next phase
Finished the 12 weeks? The next plan depends on what you're chasing.
For shape-first readers, our bubble butt program is the natural next step. For the original beginner routine that pairs with both, see our femboy butt guide — co-written with a personal trainer and still the best starting point if you're brand new to lifting.
Build Your Bigger-Butt Kit
Tick what you're ordering. One solid dumbbell set plus bands covers 90% of the plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Male bodies respond fast to heavy glute training because of higher baseline testosterone. The trade-off is a narrower pelvis and less starting fat, so visible gains need more load and a genuine caloric surplus than a gender-neutral plan.
Most men see their first visible changes around week 4-6 of consistent training and land a meaningfully bigger butt by week 12. That assumes 3-4 glute sessions a week, 0.8 g of protein per pound of bodyweight, and a 200-400 calorie surplus.
Squats help but they're not the best move. Hip thrusts directly load the glutes more than any squat variant. A full bigger-butt plan combines hip thrusts as the star lift with squats, Romanian deadlifts, and banded side work.
Protein is the limiting factor — chicken, Greek yogurt, eggs, tuna, tofu, lentils, cottage cheese. A scoop of whey after training rounds out the day. Carbs fuel the sessions; a small surplus of roughly 300 calories supports actual growth.
Reviewed by Alex Hayward · Last reviewed April 12, 2026
Alex Hayward—7+ years of grooming & skincare editorial experience
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