Hip dips are those gentle inward curves just below your hip bones and above your thighs. And guess what? They’re completely normal. They’re more about bone structure than fat or muscle. Still, if you’re looking to shape your lower body and build strength in that area, targeted exercises can absolutely help tone things up.
This isn’t about “getting rid” of hip dips. That’s not the goal. The goal is to build strong, sculpted glutes, boost your confidence, and feel great in your skin—curves and all. Let’s get into six moves that help build muscle around your hips and thighs, creating more definition and balance.
1. Side-Lying Leg Raises
This is a staple for a reason. It hits the outer thighs and the gluteus medius—the muscle that wraps around your hip and gives it more shape.
How to do it:
- Lie on your side with legs straight and stacked.
- Rest your head on your bottom arm or support with your hand.
- Raise your top leg slowly about 45 degrees.
- Lower it back down without letting it touch your bottom leg.
- Do 15-20 reps, then switch sides.
Why it helps:
This move directly targets your side glutes and thighs, the area right around the hip dip. With time and consistency, it helps round out your hip area by building muscle.
Pro tip: Add a resistance band around your thighs to make it more challenging.
2. Glute Bridges
Glute bridges are magic for the entire backside. And yes, they absolutely play a role in shaping the area around your hips.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms at your sides.
- Push through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down.
- Repeat for 12-15 reps.
Why it helps:
Glute bridges activate all three glute muscles, especially the gluteus maximus (your biggest butt muscle). Building this area creates a rounder appearance overall, which can visually reduce the depth of hip dips.
Pro tip: Try single-leg bridges once you get stronger, or place a dumbbell on your hips for added resistance.
3. Curtsy Lunges
This move not only strengthens your legs and glutes but also tones the muscles around your hips and outer thighs.
How to do it:
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
- Step your right leg diagonally behind your left, like you’re doing a curtsy.
- Lower your hips until your front thigh is nearly parallel to the floor.
- Push through your front heel to return to standing.
- Alternate sides, doing 10-12 reps per leg.
Why it helps:
Curtsy lunges fire up your glute medius and inner thighs. The cross-legged motion brings in those side muscles that regular lunges often miss.
Pro tip: Control your movement and don’t rush. The slower, the better for deeper engagement.
4. Fire Hydrants
This one’s a bit quirky-looking, but don’t let that stop you. It’s one of the best exercises to target the outer glutes, where hip dips are most visible.
How to do it:
- Get on all fours (hands under shoulders, knees under hips).
- Keeping your knee bent, lift one leg out to the side like a dog at a fire hydrant.
- Lower it back down slowly without touching the floor.
- Do 15 reps on one side, then switch.
Why it helps:
Fire hydrants zero in on your glute medius and minimus. Over time, they help thicken and shape the sides of your butt and upper thighs.
Pro tip: You can loop a resistance band around your thighs to level up the burn.
5. Bulgarian Split Squats
This is more of an advanced move, but it delivers big results in shaping your glutes, hamstrings, and thighs.
How to do it:
- Stand about two feet in front of a bench or elevated surface.
- Place the top of one foot on the bench behind you.
- Lower into a squat on your front leg, keeping your chest upright.
- Push back up to starting position.
- Perform 8-10 reps per leg.
Why it helps:
This move is great for isolating one side at a time, giving each glute a proper workout. It also helps build symmetry and fills out your hips as you get stronger.
Pro tip: Keep your knee aligned with your ankle and don’t let it go past your toes.
6. Step-Ups
Step-ups are simple, but they build lower body power and sculpt your legs and glutes beautifully.
How to do it:
- Stand in front of a sturdy box or bench.
- Step one foot up, pressing through your heel to lift your body.
- Bring the other foot up to stand, then step down one foot at a time.
- Repeat 10-12 reps on one leg, then switch.
Why it helps:
This move trains all the major leg and glute muscles, helping add muscle where you want more shape—especially around the hips and upper thighs.
Pro tip: Add dumbbells to increase the challenge and tone faster.
How Often Should You Do These?
Aim for 3-4 times a week if shaping your hips is a goal. Don’t do all six moves every day. Instead, pick 3 or 4 and rotate through them. Combine these exercises with walking, stretching, and good nutrition to see more balanced results.
A Real Talk Moment
You don’t have to “fix” hip dips. They’re part of your body’s natural structure. Everyone has them to some extent—even people you think don’t. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting to build muscle, shape your glutes, and feel confident in your body.
Just keep expectations real. These exercises will help build muscle in the right places, but they won’t completely erase dips because bones don’t change. And that’s okay. Strength, shape, and confidence are far better goals than perfection.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been frustrated with your hip dips, let’s reframe that. Instead of trying to hide or erase them, work on building strength and shape around them. The six exercises here are all great tools—not just for visual results, but for making your body stronger and more stable.
It’s not about chasing an unrealistic standard. It’s about feeling confident, owning your curves, and showing up for yourself.
Your hips aren’t a problem to fix. But if you want to shape them up, now you know exactly how to do it.
