4 Standing Exercises That Restore Glute Strength Faster Than Gym Machines After 55

By Alexa Mellardo

May 5, 2026

Attention gym enthusiasts: Glute day just got real. Your glutes deserve their own designated workout day—especially since they help stabilize your spine and pelvis while lowering knee, hip, and back pain. You need strong glutes to run, lift, and perform everyday tasks. Are we wrong? We didn’t think so. In fact, we want you to avoid “dead butt syndrome,” which can occur if your glutes become weak because you are sedentary, have poor posture, or sit too long. So to get you started, we spoke with an expert.

Terry Tateossian, Founder, Certified Lifestyle Medicine Coach, Trainer, and Nutritionist for Women 40+ at THOR – The House of Rose, who has completed a variety of advanced training to support her work in women’s health and middle-aged weight loss, shares four standing exercises that can help restore your glute strength even faster than gym machines after 55.

“Gym machines are great when looking to target and grow specific muscles in the body or when stability is necessary. But they don’t always translate to real-life function,” Tateossian says. “Machines are designed to lock you into a fixed range of motion, which may be required for some exercises. They also reduce the need to stabilize and balance. In contrast, standing exercises train the glutes in a weight-bearing and more functional pattern. And that helps restore strength, stability, and confidence overall.”

Now, let’s dive into the exercises. It’s important to incorporate these into your routine, because strength is lost in the gluteal area after 55 because of age-related muscle loss.

Romanian Deadlifts

“This exercise is phenomenal for building the posterior chain and also super functional. Think of picking up grocery bags, grandchildren, etc.,” Tateossian says.

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Bend your knees slightly and hold the weights in front of your thighs.
3. Press your hips back as you lower the dumbbells down your leg to about 1 inch below the knees. Maintain a straight back as you do so.
4. Squeeze your glutes to return to the start position.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, sticking with a tempo 3010 and resting for 60 seconds between sets.

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Squats

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart on the floor.
2. Extend your arms in front of you or place your hands on your hips.
3. Bend at the knees and hips as you lower into a squat.
4. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Press through your heels to rise back up to standing.
6. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, sticking with a tempo 3010 and resting for 60 seconds between sets.

Step-Ups

“This exercise is great for unilateral training and brings balance to the left vs. right side,” Tateossian says. “Use any height or whatever feels comfortable and increase as you progress.”

1. Begin by standing tall, facing a step.
2. Place your left foot firmly onto the surface, keeping your core engaged and chest tall.
3. Press through your left heel to lift your body until your left leg is straight and you’re standing on the surface.
4. Use control to lower back to the start position.
5. Repeat on the other side.
6. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, sticking with a 3010 tempo and resting for 30 seconds between sets.

Lateral Banded Walks

1. Begin by placing a resistance band around your ankles or thighs.
2. Slightly bend your knees and step sideways, keeping your movement controlled.
3. Perform 3 to 4 sets of 20 to 30 steps in total, sticking with a 2010 tempo and resting for 60 seconds between sets.