Best Hip Dip Exercises: 18 Movements That Actually Work

While hip dips are caused by bone structure and cannot be eliminated through exercise alone, building the gluteus medius muscle — which sits directly in the hip dip area — can significantly reduce their appearance. Here are the 18 most effective exercises, organized by equipment type.

Bodyweight Exercises (8)

Perfect for beginners or home workouts. Start here if you are new to hip dip training.

• Curtsy Lunges — The diagonal movement directly targets the gluteus medius
• Fire Hydrants — Rotational movement isolates the side glutes
• Side-Lying Leg Lifts — Pure gluteus medius isolation
• Clamshells — Controlled abductor isolation
• Glute Bridges — Foundation glute builder
• Donkey Kicks — Simple, effective glute activation
• Single-Leg Glute Bridges — Unilateral strength builder
• Frog Pumps — High-repetition glute finisher

Banded Exercises (4)

Add a $10 resistance band to dramatically increase gluteus medius activation.

• Banded Lateral Walks — Constant tension on the side glutes
• Banded Clamshells — Amplified abductor training
• Banded Fire Hydrants — Rotational training with resistance
• Banded Glute Bridges — Forces knee stability and glute activation

Weighted Exercises (6)

For the gym. Heavy loading builds significant muscle mass.

• Barbell Hip Thrusts — The king of glute exercises
• Cable Kickbacks — Constant tension isolation
• Dumbbell Sumo Squats — Wide stance targets gluteus medius
• Romanian Deadlifts — Posterior chain builder
• Bulgarian Split Squats — Unilateral stability and strength
• Abductor Machine — Direct gluteus medius isolation

Training recommendation: 3-4 sessions per week. Alternate between bodyweight/banded days and weighted days. Expect visible results in 4-8 weeks.