The Pilates ring is excellent for glute work — particularly for the gluteus medius, which is often undertrained and hard to isolate without props. Adding the ring between the thighs or around the ankles creates enough resistance to meaningfully increase the demand on the glutes through exercises that might otherwise feel too easy.
Here is a demonstration of glute-focused ring work:
Key exercises
Hip bridge with ring squeeze
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and the ring placed between your inner thighs just above the knees. Gently squeeze the ring as you lift your hips into a bridge position, pressing through the feet and engaging the glutes. Hold the squeeze at the top for a moment before lowering your hips back down. Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions. This targets the glutes, inner thighs, and core simultaneously — it is one of the most effective uses of the ring for the lower body.
Clamshells
Lie on your side with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, stacked on top of each other. Place the ring between your thighs. Keeping your feet touching, lift the top knee as high as you can without rotating the pelvis, then lower it back down. Avoid letting the top hip roll forward or backward. This targets the gluteus medius specifically. Perform 10 to 12 reps on each side.
Squats with ring
Stand with the ring held between your thighs, just above the knees. Feet hip-width apart. As you lower into the squat, press gently outward against the ring with your knees — the resistance encourages external hip rotation and keeps the glutes engaged throughout the movement. This is more effective for glute activation than squatting without the ring.
Standing leg lifts
Stand with the ring placed between your ankles. Keeping the core engaged and the standing leg stable, lift one leg directly behind you, in line with the hips, then lower it slowly. The ring at the ankles adds resistance to the lifting phase and challenges your balance. You can also lift the leg out to the side for a more direct gluteus medius challenge. Perform 10 to 12 reps before switching sides.
Side-lying leg lifts
Lie on your side with the ring between your ankles. Lift the top leg against the resistance of the ring, then lower it with control. For a greater challenge, keep the leg lifted and pulse it upward 10 times before lowering. This directly targets the outer hip and gluteus medius.
A few things to keep in mind
Keep your core engaged throughout all of these exercises. The ring provides the resistance, but your muscles need to control it — let the ring guide the movement rather than dominate it. If the ring is sliding or you cannot maintain the position, reduce the number of repetitions and focus on quality before adding more. Three sessions a week consistently will produce more noticeable results than sporadic intense sessions.
If you do not have a ring yet, see my post on how to choose a Pilates ring — it covers sizing, resistance levels, and what to look for. For more ways to use the ring across the whole body, see my Pilates ring picks and exercises guide.
