Best overall: deadlifts for pure glute emphasis

Deadlifts make the glutes work hard through hip extension, especially at the start of the pull and near lockout. That makes them a top pick if you want a lift that heavily trains the posterior chain — glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors together. For many lifters, that “hinge” pattern feels more directly glute-driven than a squat.

Why it made the list: deadlifts let you load the hip hinge heavily, which is useful for strength and for stimulating the glutes with progressive overload. The tradeoff is that they are not always the best single lift for total glute growth if you do very low volume or if your form shifts stress away from the hips.

Best for overall lower-body size: deep squats

Squats can be excellent for glutes when you use a full range of motion and control the descent. Deeper squats generally increase hip flexion, which can increase glute demand on the way out of the hole. If your squat is shallow, though, your quads may take over and the glute stimulus drops.

Why it made the list: squats are easier to build into a high-volume leg program, and they train the glutes plus quads in one movement. For many people, that makes them a better “bang for your buck” choice for complete lower-body development, not just glutes.

Best for glute growth: the one you can progress safely

If you have to choose only one, pick the lift you can perform consistently with good depth, stable bracing, and a load you can keep increasing over time. Glutes grow from sufficient hard sets, progressive overload, and technique that keeps tension on the target muscles.

Why it made the list: the best glute builder is not always the exercise with the highest theoretical glute activation — it is the one that matches your leverages, mobility, recovery, and training history. Some lifters get more from deadlifts; others grow better from squats because they can train them harder and more often.

Best answer for most people: use both, but bias one

For most lifters, the smartest approach is to keep both in the program and give one of them the main role. A practical setup is one squat-focused day and one deadlift-focused day each week, then add an accessory glute move such as hip thrusts, split squats, or Romanian deadlifts.

Why it made the list: squats and deadlifts overlap, but they are not redundant. Squats are usually better for quad-dominant leg mass and deep knee/hip work, while deadlifts are better for heavy hip extension and posterior-chain strength. Together, they cover more of the glute’s job.

Tips

• Use full, controlled reps: shallow squats and sloppy deadlifts reduce glute involvement.
• Bias the hinge if you want more glutes from deadlifts: think hips back, brace hard, and finish with glutes, not a lean-back.
• Bias the squat toward glutes by going deeper when mobility allows and keeping tension through the bottom.
• Train glutes 2 to 3 times per week with enough hard sets to progress, not just one heavy set.
• If form is hard to monitor, Fitnit can help with AI form analysis and rep counting so you can keep squats and deadlifts cleaner at home.