The results of working the glutes in this way are multi-faceted.  Because most exercises and day-to-day routines target the gluteus maximus, I tend to focus on the glute medius, glute minimus and the very bottom tip of glute max, which I call "the underbutt."  The reason is because these smaller glutes not only have athletes' athletic ability and performance improve but they also have the power to keep the hip joint aligned properly and sometimes even realign the hip joint so as to reverse hip and low back pain.  

And those are just the health results.  The aesthetic aspect of a strong and toned glute minimus makes the glutes have more of a bubble butt effect and toning the glute medius helps with a lifted effect.  And that just feels great when you put your jeans on in the mirror!  

Because muscle and connective tissue repair is important to muscle development, I always recommend adequate lean protein, especially from plant-based foods and lean meats if one is so inclined and I also recommend supplementing with multi-collagen powder.

Some of the best glute exercises utilize biomechanics for better motor skill and strength development while improving hip alignment.  Here are 4 to try:

Glute Medius Activation Exercise:  This is one to wake up and strengthen glute medius, to help open the hips and develop proper hip alignment to overcome and prevent aches and pains.  This muscle is, generally, surprisingly weak, even in athletes.  You wouldn't imagine that being the case, but every single person who does this exercise gets an enormous benefit.  Grab a yoga block or a 4" thick book.  Lie on the floor with the knees up.  To do this on the right side, lift the right heel and keep the right heel off the floor for the whole exercise.  Externally rotate the right leg and rest the knee on the block or book.  Rotate the body slightly to face the right.  Using about 30% effort push the right knee into the block and feel for that the very outside of the right hip engages.  And only the outside of the right hip (that's glute med).  If glute max, hamstrings, the groin or the hip flexors are trying to kick in, use less force pushing into the block.  Be careful NOT to allow any takeover from anything other than glute medius. Press down 5-7 times and then press down again and hold for 30 seconds unless the muscle fatigues before that.  

As your strength increases, the pressure of the knee against the block may increase as well.  And in the most advanced variation, the hips may come up off the floor.

I find that even when practicing a more advanced variation of this exercise is far more effective if this more basic variation is used first.  And most of the athletes and people healing hip injuries use this exercise as a warm-up before going for the run, the tennis match, the hike, because it results in better performance and fewer aches and pains.  

Here's a link to a video of this one.

Glute Minimus Activation

This exercise utilizes the less is more theory.  Get onto your elbows & knees.  To do this exercise on the right side, take your right leg up, bent at a 90-degree angle at the knee and flex the foot.  Look around your shoulder and underneath your leg to double-check that 90 degrees at the knee. Once there, start to pump the leg towards the ceiling using small ranges of motion.  There's a big difference between thinking the foot up vs thinking about the thigh bone lifting up.  This makes the difference between strengthening the glute minimus and glute maximus because glute minimus is such a small muscle located further up toward the sacrum in the glute complex.  Pump, pump, pump small, quality pumps with the focus on thigh bone pumping up and feel the squeeze of glute minimus.  Pump about 25 times or so.  If you get fatigued before that stop after you feel the fatigue and do 3 more pumps and then relax and switch sides.  When you stand up and walk around, it may feel lighter as you walk, like your glutes are doing the work of walking instead of your hip joint.   

Here's a link to a video.

Underbutt Activation Exercise. This exercise powers up an area of the glutes that we normally sit on for hours every day, causing deactivation and dysfunction.  It's the very bottom tip of gluteus maximus and we want to activate that area because it powers us forward in walking, in running and moving one leg at a time.  It allows hamstrings and hip flexors to relax more because hamstrings and hip flexors are sometimes known to take over for this underbutt area.  When this area is strengthened, we see running times improve and more ease in hiking, biking and faster directional shifts in sports like tennis.  Start by lying on the floor with your knees up.  Stretch your arms down by your sides and cup your hands around the bottom of your bum.  In your hands will be your "underbutt."  This is the area we are isolating.  To activate the right side, squeeze only your underbutt on and relax off.  Look to see if the big part of glute max is engaging.  If so, use half the effort when you squeeze.  Squeeze on and off.  Check to see if the hamstrings are trying to take over.  If they are, step that right foot out away from the head another 2 inches and use less effort until you feel that hamstrings are no longer involved in the squeezing.  Then place your right hand in the inguinal crease (the crease where your hip and thigh meet).  And squeeze and relax.  Make sure hip flexors and the groin aren't taking over.  If they are, again, drop down in how much effort you are using.  Remember here less is more.  Your underbutt has to be isolated for this to work.  Keep squeezing and relaxing at a lower level of effort and this will surely wake up.  

Here is a link to a video

Hip Hikes utilize glute medius so I always recommend the glute medius activation exercise first and then this one for best results in strength and mobility of the hip.  Take a yoga block or that book again and place it on the floor.  From your hands and knees (quadruped position), place your right knee on the block.  Your left knee will be aligned alongside the right one, but it will be on the floor so your pelvis will be offset to begin.  Slowly hike up your left hip so that it is slightly higher toward the ceiling than the right hip.  Then slowly set the left knee back onto the floor.  The slower, the better so you build more functional strength in ALL of the muscle fibers that elevate that hip up and that resist on the way back to the floor.  Repeat this exercise 10-15 times.  If it fatigues quickly, when you feel the fatigue, do 1 or 2 more and rest.  As you build strength you can always add more reps and you can also add in a little "fire hydrant."  The fire hydrant position is just that.  Think of a dog at a fire hydrant.  As the left knee is lifting up, continue the motion of the knee lifting up to a 90-degree angle out to the left.  This will open the hip and, because you are using strength, it will safely open and the hip joint and increase hip mobility. 

Here's a video of this exercise.    

Glute exercises are important for everyone.  We use glutes to sit, walk, run, play, exercise.  Having strong glutes add to our longevity, our vitality and our athletic skill and performance.  Check these out and, most of all, have fun.  Living a life you love is what it's all about.  Having glute strength supports health, vitality and the ability to do all the things that bring you joy.