From 1 video
Are jump squats good for growing my glutes?
Answered by WarriorBabe's coaches · Updated
The short answer
Not really. One WarriorBabe coach ranks jump squats in D tier for glute growth. They're explosive and great for cardio, but the emphasis is on power and endurance, not building glute strength or size. If bigger, stronger glutes are your goal, put your effort into loaded moves like hip thrusts and Bulgarian split squats.
Hear it answered
Tap play to start right where it's answered. It keeps playing while you browse.
Why jump squats train power and cardio, not glute strength or size
Plays from 3:00 · Video: Best and Worst Glute Exercises for Women Over 40
Why hip thrusts are the S tier pick for maximum glute growth
Plays from 0:35 · Video: Best and Worst Glute Exercises for Women Over 40
Bulgarian split squats as a brutal but effective glute builder
Plays from 1:39 · Video: Best and Worst Glute Exercises for Women Over 40
The full answer
If you've been doing jump squats and wondering why your glutes aren't changing, it's not you. It's the exercise choice. In a tier-list breakdown of popular glute exercises for women over 40, one WarriorBabe coach puts jump squats at the bottom. They're explosive and good for cardio, but they're not very effective for glute isolation, and they train power and endurance more than strength or size.
The same coach says the moves that earn their place in a glute program are the ones you can load and control:
- Hip thrusts (S tier): they target the glutes directly and activate them better than almost any other exercise. Use a full range of motion and squeeze at the top.
- Bulgarian split squats (S tier): they build glute strength plus balance and stability, and all you need is a bench or step and some dumbbells.
- Cable kickbacks (A tier): a solid accessory isolation move, though limited by how much weight you can use.
- Sumo deadlifts (B tier): great for overall lower body strength, but the glutes get less isolation.
- Bodyweight squats (C tier): fine for beginners and warm-ups, but you'll need to add resistance for real growth.
The common thread is resistance. Glutes grow when you give them enough load to work against, and jumping doesn't do that the way a barbell hip thrust or a loaded split squat does. That doesn't make jump squats useless. If you enjoy them for conditioning, keep them as cardio, just don't count them as your glute-building work. Build your lower body sessions around the S and A tier moves and let jump squats be the extra, not the plan.
From WarriorBabe's coaches (how we write our answers). For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
Part of
Strength Training for Women →Women also ask
More questions →
Strength Training for Women
What is the best exercise to build glutes after 40?
One WarriorBabe coach names the hip thrust as the best glute exercise after 40: nothing else activates the glutes as much under the same load. She ranks Bulgarian split squats alongside it in the top tier. Start with 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, feeling it in your glutes, not your lower back.
Read the answer →
Strength Training for Women
Are kickbacks enough to grow my glutes?
No. Kickbacks are a good finishing move, but one WarriorBabe coach explains they're limited by how much weight you can use, so they shouldn't be the main focus. Glute growth comes from heavy compound lifts like hip thrusts and Bulgarian split squats, progressed over time, with kickbacks added afterward for isolation and variety.
Read the answer →
Strength Training for Women
How many days a week should I lift weights?
Three to four days a week is Nikkiey's core recommendation for women over 40: 30 to 45 minutes per session, built on compound lifts and progressive overload, with walking on off days and seven to eight hours of sleep. Lifting six or seven days a week, she says, breaks down muscle faster than you can rebuild it.
Read the answer →
Watch or listen in full
More on this topic →
4 minBest and Worst Glute Exercises for Women Over 40
Video · Feb 7, 2025