How to Change a Square Butt Into a Round Butt

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The best exercises and training tips to “fix” a square butt

Co-authored by Tamika Tucker and Devin McSween

Last Updated: June 8, 2026 Fact Checked

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• What is a square-shaped butt?
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• Can you change butt shape?
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• Best Glute Exercises
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• Workout & Diet Tips
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• Final Thoughts
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

The square butt shape (also known as the H butt shape) is characterized by straight hips and thighs, giving it a box-like appearance. While it’s a very common and completely normal shape, you may be looking for ways to change your shape and achieve a rounder look. Luckily, exercising your glute muscles can help! wikiHow partnered with several personal trainers and fitness experts to learn the best exercises, training tips, and dietary changes to grow your glutes. Keep on reading to learn more!

How to Get Rid of a Square Butt

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The square butt shape is where the hip and thigh follow a straight line. If you want to get a round butt, or where the top and bottom parts of the glutes curve outward, strengthening your glute muscles can help. Focus on exercises like lunges, hip thrusts, deadlifts, and squats, lift heavy weights, and eat enough protein.

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Section 1 of 5:

What is a square-shaped butt?

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1. 
   People with a square butt shape have straight hips and thighs. Also called the H-shaped butt, the square-shaped butt is a common butt shape where the hip bone and outer thigh follow a straight line. People with this shape typically have a boxier-looking bottom, rather than a full, rounded one.

   • Are square butts attractive? Yes, lots of people find the square-shaped butt attractive! It’s important to remember that attractiveness is entirely subjective and differs from person to person. While rounder bottoms may be “in,” that doesn’t make square-shaped butts unattractive—no glute shape is more or less attractive than the other.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Tamika Tucker is a fitness and lifestyle coach and bodybuilder with over 12 years of athletic experience.

   Scott Yonehiro is a personal trainer and gym owner with over 26 years of fitness and nutrition experience.

   John Diaz is a personal trainer and exercise professional with over 35 years of experience.

   Danny Gordon is a certified personal trainer and owner of The Body Studio for Fitness with over 20 years of experience in the industry.

   Alex Robles, MD, NASM is a certified personal trainer and physician who’s the founder of White Coat Trainer.
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Section 2 of 5:

Can you change the shape of your butt?

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1. 
   Your butt shape is mostly determined by genetics, but exercise can help. The shape of your butt largely comes from the shape of your pelvis and hip bones, as well as where your body stores fat—both of which are genetic. While these aren’t things you can change, strengthening your glutes, which are the main muscles in your butt, can help you adjust your shape.

   • The glutes are composed of three muscles:
     • The gluteus maximus, which is the biggest glute muscle and forms most of the butt. It’s also the largest muscle in the body.
     • The gluteus medius, which covers the side of your hips and sits under the upper portion of the gluteus maximus.
     • The gluteus minimus, which is the smallest glute muscle and sits under the gluteus medius.
   • Lots of people find round, full butts attractive and want to achieve a rounder shape. We’ll go over some exercises and training and diet tips to help you get a rounder butt in the sections below!
   • It’s important to note that you don’t need to change your butt shape! The shape of your bottom is completely normal and natural, and there’s no one way it “should” look.

Section 3 of 5:

Exercises to Get a Rounder Butt

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1. 
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   Lunges According to fitness and lifestyle coach & bodybuilder Tamika Tucker, lunges are a great exercise for developing your glute muscles and growing a bigger butt. This exercise targets the glutes as well as the quads and hamstrings. To do a forward lunge:

   • Stand up straight and place your feet about hip-width apart.
   • Contract and tighten your core.
   • Take a step forward with your right leg while lowering your hips and bending your left leg.
   • Stop when your right leg is at a 90° angle and ensure your right knee doesn’t go past your toes.
   • Pause for 1 to 2 seconds, then push through your right leg to return to the standing position.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions on each leg.
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   Hip Thrusts Hip thrusts are another great exercise to get a bigger, rounder butt, agrees Tucker. They primarily work the gluteus maximus, though they also help strengthen the hamstrings. To do a hip thrust:

   • Rest your upper back on a bench and extend your legs in front of you.
   • Lay a barbell across your hips, or hold a dumbbell in each hand over your hips.
   • Plant your feet on the ground, about shoulder-width apart, and bend your knees so your bottom is no longer on the ground.
   • Contract your core and lift your hips upward while squeezing your glutes so your knees form a 90° angle.
   • Pause for 1-2 seconds, then lower your hips back down.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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   Glute Bridges According to personal trainer & gym owner Scott Yonehiro, glute bridges are a really great way to build up your butt. It strengthens your gluteus maximus and abs. Here’s how to do glute bridges:

   • Lie flat on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet on the ground about hip-width apart.
   • Place a dumbbell over your hips (or keep this exercise un-weighted, if you prefer).
   • Tighten your core, press your heels into the floor, squeeze your glutes, and push your hips upward.
   • Pause for 1-2 seconds, then lower your hips back down.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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   Deadlifts Personal trainer John Diaz says deadlifts are a great way to work your glutes. It’s also an excellent compound exercise to add to your routine, as it strengthens your hamstrings, abs, arms, and upper back. To do a deadlift:

   • Stand behind a barbell, keeping your feet about shoulder-width apart.
   • Contract your core and push your hips back so you’re in a seated position. Ensure your back stays straight.
   • Grab the barbell in an overhand grip (your palms facing you).
   • Push your hips forward to come into a standing position. Keep your shoulders back and your legs straight.
   • Push your hips back again so you’re in the seated position, keeping your back straight.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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   Squats Squats help make your butt bigger and add more lean muscle to your body, notes certified personal trainer Danny Gordon. They’re another great compound exercise that also works your quads, hamstrings, calves, and abs. To do a squat:

   • Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart.
   • Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them in front of your shoulders. While you can opt for a body-weight squat, if you prefer, Tucker notes that adding weights is important for building muscle and growing your glutes.
   • Roll your shoulders back and down and tighten your core.
   • Bend your knees and push your hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair, keeping your back straight and knees in line with your toes. Diaz adds that it’s important to keep your feet flat on the ground to help target your glutes.
   • Push up through your heels to return to a standing position.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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   Resistance Band Side-steps According to Diaz, “Working with resistance bands works the gluteus medius,” and banded side-steps are a great exercise to build up your glutes. To do resistance band side-steps:

   • Wrap a resistance band around your knees, says Diaz.
   • Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
   • Tighten your core and push your hips back slightly so your knees are above your ankles. Make sure to keep your back straight.
   • Walk sideways, taking small steps so you feel the tension in the band and the exercise in your glutes and thighs.
   • Take about 10 steps, then take about 10 steps in the other direction.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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   Bulgarian Split Squats Bulgarian split squats work the entire gluteus muscle, so they’re especially great for building your glutes. They also target your quads, hamstrings, and core. To do a Bulgarian split squat:

   • Stand in front of a bench that’s about knee height and position your feet about hip-width wide.
   • Place your right foot on the bench, laying the top of your foot flat on the bench.
   • Hold a single dumbbell vertically with both hands, keeping it close to your chest.
   • Tighten your core, keep your back straight, and bend your left knee so it’s in line with the toes on your left foot.
   • Contract your glutes and push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side.
8. 
   8
   Side Lunges Side lunges are great for targeting the gluteus medius and maximus. Plus, they work your quads, hamstrings, and abductors. To do a side lunge:

   • Stand up straight with your feet about hip-width apart.
   • Contract your core and take a wide step out to the side with your right leg, planting your foot on the ground so it faces forward.
   • Bend your right knee and push your hips back. Your right knee should line up with your toes, and your left leg should be fully extended at an angle, with your left foot still firmly on the ground.
   • Push through your right leg to return to a standing position.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side.
9. 
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   Cable Kickbacks Cable kickbacks are a glute isolation exercise that works all three muscles: the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. To do a cable kickback:

   • Head to a cable machine and adjust it so the cable is all the way at the bottom.
   • Attach an ankle strap to your right ankle and connect the cable to the ankle strap.
   • Stand up straight and take a small step back from the machine, rotating your body slightly to the right.
   • Hinge forward slightly at the hips and hold on to the machine for balance.
   • Tighten your core and slowly kick your right leg backwards.
   • Pause and contract your glutes, then slowly return your right leg to the starting position.
   • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side.
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    Hip Abduction Machine The hip abduction machine primarily targets the gluteus medius and minimus, making it a great exercise for growing your upper glutes. To use the hip abduction machine:

    • Sit down on the machine and place your feet on the platforms beside the knee pads.
    • Adjust the machine so your legs are as close together as possible.
    • Keep your back straight, lean forward slightly, and tighten your core.
    • Push your legs apart slowly, pausing for 1 to 2 seconds when they’re fully spread apart.
    • Slowly bring your legs back together.
    • Repeat for 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
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Section 4 of 5:

Workout & Diet Tips for Getting a Rounder Butt

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1. 1
   Work out your glute muscles at least 2 times per week. According to Tucker, developing your glutes is all about focusing on strength training exercises that build up the glute muscles. To see the best results, train your glutes at least two times per week, making sure to rest at least 1 day in between.

   • It’s important to choose exercises that train all of the glute muscles (the maximus, medius, and minimus), notes professional personal trainer Nevrize Aydogan.
2. 2
   Lift heavier weights as each exercise gets easier. To ensure you’re building muscle, certified personal trainer Alex Robles, MD, NASM says it’s important to implement progressive overload. He suggests starting an exercise with 3 sets of 8 repetitions. The next time you do it, see if you can get to 3 sets of 9 reps. Slowly work your way up to 3 sets of 12 reps, and once that feels doable, up your weight by 5 lbs (2.27 kg) and drop down to 3 sets of 8 reps.

   • Keeping your repetition and weight increases slow and gradual helps your body acclimate to the exercise, notes Dr. Robles.
   • Plus, it helps you monitor and measure your progress, Dr. Robles says.
   • Progressive overload is also important because you can’t do the exact same workout over and over and expect to build muscle or make any progress, explains Dr. Robles.
3. 3
   Eat enough protein to build muscle. According to Gordon, getting enough protein is very important because it helps build and repair your muscles. Registered dietitian and nutritionist Jalpa Sheth notes that the average person needs to get 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or, 0.36 grams per pound of body weight). If you’re very athletic, you may want to get even more.

   • To help build muscle, Gordon recommends eating lean, low-fat protein sources, like chicken breast, tuna, soy beans, and eggs.
4. 4
   Maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich diet. Your diet and nutrition are super important if you really want to put on muscle, notes Tucker. She recommends prioritizing proteins, complex carbs, and healthy fats while limiting high-fat foods. Some great foods to add to your diet include complex carbs like legumes (beans, lentils), brown rice, quinoa, and veggies, and healthy fats like avocados, nuts, and olive oil.

   • As Tucker explains, if you’re training but eating high-fat foods, you’re not going to put on much muscle. Instead, you’re going to start storing fat.
   • For a simple way to build a nutritious meal, certified personal trainer & nutritionist Pete Cerqua recommends making 50% of your meal protein, 40% carbs, and 10% healthy fats.
5. 5
   Work on losing any excess fat, if needed. Losing excess weight can help you see more definition in your glutes. To lose weight, fitness trainer Laila Ajani says to maintain a slight caloric deficit while still maintaining a healthy diet. Then, add about three days of cardio exercise to your exercise routine.

   • For a safe and manageable weight loss plan, aim to cut 500 calories per day from the total number of calories you need to get each day. This helps you lose about 1 pound (0.5 kg) per week.
   • To find out how many calories you need to eat per day, use an online calculator, like this one from the Mayo Clinic. Then, subtract 500 from that number to find your caloric deficit.
   • Some great cardio exercises include walking, jogging, cycling, jumping rope, or swimming.
6. 6
   Be consistent and patient. The glutes are a large muscle group, notes ACE certified personal trainer Monica Morris, and it takes time for them to transform. So, don’t lose faith and keep up your strength training and diet to see results. According to personal trainer Alex Jamal, you should start seeing good progress after 6 months of consistent training.

   • Ensure you’re getting around 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, adds Alphonso White, a certified personal trainer with CompleteBody NYC, as muscle growth occurs during sleep and recovery.
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Section 5 of 5:

Final Thoughts

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1. 
   A square butt is a completely normal and natural shape. So, it’s not something you need to change about yourself. However, if you do want to achieve a rounder shape, focus on strength training exercises that target the glutes, like lunges, hip thrusts, glute bridges, deadlifts, and squats, and maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich diet. Just remember that your glute shape is primarily determined by your anatomy and genetics, so while exercise can help fill in your glutes and alter their shape, it may not provide dramatic results.

   • Regardless of your workout goals, it’s important to train your glute muscles for your general health and mobility, too!

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