6 Easy Glute Stretches to Do at Home
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woman stretching glutesMedically reviewed by Kristin McGee, CPT
If you’re an avid exerciser, one of the muscle groups that you likely use the most, both in your workouts and everyday life include the glutes. The glutes are made up of a group of three muscles located in the buttocks region: the gluteus Maximus (one of the strongest muscles in your body that helps you move your hips and thighs), the gluteus medius (which stabilizes your pelvis when you walk or run), and the gluteus minimus (the smallest of all three muscles that helps with movement and overall stabilization).
In order to ensure that these three major muscles can work properly and synergistically, it’s important to incorporate them into your stretching repertoire. This not only helps decrease the tension of the muscle, but it also improves muscle length as well, explains Jason Tabor, PT, DPT, physical therapist.
Benefits of Glute Stretches
There are many factors that can cause your glute muscles to become tight, ranging from poor posture and skipping warm-ups to training or muscular imbalances, injury and even sitting for too long, warns Amie Dworecki, BS, MA, MBA, a running coach. She recommends stretching as one of the best ways to relieve the tension, discomfort, and pain that can occur in several areas as a result of tight glutes, including your lower back, buttocks, hips, hamstrings, pelvic area, and knees.
“Because they affect such a wide range of movement patterns, you can significantly see results in improving your overall flexibility and range of motion,” she says. “Stretching your glutes can also reduce your injury risk and help improve how you move and perform in sports and daily activities.”
Here are some of the key benefits of incorporating gluteal stretches in your warm-ups and cool-downs.
Enhanced athletic performance
If you want to perform to the best of your athletic abilities, it’s vital that you maintain hip mobility—something you can achieve by incorporating glute stretches. “Shock absorption tasks, like landing from a jump, necessitate adequate amounts of hip flexion to distribute force appropriately, as do rotational athlete movements such as baseball/softball batting, golf swing, or throwing in football/baseball,” explains Tabor. “All require rotation of the body on a fixed foot in the ground, and if there is restricted hip mobility the excess movement will occur at the lower back or knees potentially.”
Increased range of motion
Stretching the glutes regularly can improve the range of motion in your hips and lower back, explains Brooke Taylor, ACE- and NASM-certified fitness instructor, certified RRCA running coach, and creator of Taylored Fitness. “Some people have tight muscles around the hip flexors due to postural deviations or overactive muscles pulling in a certain direction, which can lead to injury or discomfort,” she says. “By actively stretching these muscles it naturally improves mobility, helps in daily movements, and can make exercises more effective.”
Injury Prevention
When your glute muscles are tight, you can experience imbalances in movement patterns and overcompensation which increases your risk for injuries, Taylor explains. This can lead to your muscles working overtime and pulling on your pelvis and spine. “By stretching regularly you can help maintain muscle balance and reduce the risk of strains or sprains,” she adds.
Improved posture
When you stretch your glute muscles, you allow for an increase in the flexibility of your hip flexors, which are prone to tightness due to prolonged sitting or inactivity, explains Bill Daniels, CSCS, CPT, the founder of Beyond Fitness. “This improved flexibility can lead to better posture, decreased lower back pain, and even enhanced athletic performance.”
Static vs. Dynamic Stretches
The two types of stretching are static stretching and dynamic stretching. Both are important, yet they are different in nature. With static stretching, you hold a certain position for an extended period of time to help improve your flexibility and mobility. “Static stretches tend to feel more relaxing, which can help you transition out of your workout during your cool-down,” Dworecki explains. “They can also help avoid post-workout stiffness by lengthening muscles to their pre-workout state.”
Dynamic stretching is a stretch that you perform while you’re moving, for example, walking lunges or trunk twists. “You can rehearse the movement patterns you’ll use in your sport, which can also improve power and coordination,” Dworecki adds.
Easy Glute Stretches to Do at Home
Here are some of the best stretches for your gluteal muscles, according to experts.
Seated Figure-4 Stretch
This stretch targets the piriformis, which is a flat muscle that’s located deep in the glute closer to the top of the buttocks near the hips. Stretching this muscle can alleviate tightness and potential sciatic pain, explains Taylor.
Sit on a chair with both feet flat on the ground.
Place your right ankle over your left knee, creating a "4" shape.
Gently press down on your right knee while keeping your spine straight.
Hold for 15–30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Related: 7 Essential Hip Flexor Stretches
Lying Glute Stretch
If you’re looking to relieve tension deep within all three of the glute muscles, this is your go-to stretch, as it releases tension and enhances flexibility in the buttocks and hips.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
Cross your right ankle over the left thigh just above the knee.
Reach your hands through the gap between your legs and interlock them behind your left thigh, then pull both legs towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the right glute.
Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Runner’s Stretch
Despite its name, you don’t have to be a runner to gain the benefits of this stretch which helps you stretch your glutes and hamstrings and improve your balance.
Start on all fours.
Step your right leg forward into a lunge position.
Maintain a 90-degree angle at your knee.
Hold this position for 30 seconds, or bring your upper body upright for additional intensity and balance.
Pigeon Pose
This popular yoga pose is universally beneficial for just about everyone—at any time. It not only helps the glutes but also the lower back, which millions of Americans have pain-related issues with. “It uses the weight of the floor and gravity to open up the hip joint so it gets the piriformis and gluteus medius/minimus a little deeper,” explains Taylor.
Begin in a plank position.
Bring your right knee forward, placing it behind your right wrist.
Angle your right foot towards the left in a 90-degree angle.
Extend your left leg straight back, keeping your hips squared to the ground.
Square your hips off so that you are getting the maximum benefit from the stretch.
Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch sides.
Single Knee to Chest
Here’s a stretch that can help improve your hip flexion mobility, which is needed for sitting postures and squatting or lunging movements, according to Tabor.
Begin by laying down on your back.
Bring one knee towards your chest and hug it with your arms or a towel if you cannot reach.
You should feel a stretch in your glute.
Hold for 30-45 seconds and repeat 3 sets on each leg.
A dynamic variation is to perform this standing (requires adequate balance) or laying down but holding for a brief 3 seconds and alternating for a repetition of 10 on each leg.
Related: Glute Imbalance: What It Is and How to Fix It
Stretching your gluteal muscles can help improve your mobility and flexibility as well as reduce tension, and tightness and prevent injury. If you’re attempting to relieve these muscles by stretching at home but are still struggling with any discomfort, contact a healthcare provider who can evaluate your symptoms and offer a treatment plan. They also may refer you to a physical therapist who can help guide you through glute stretches step-by-step to ensure you’re performing everything correctly.
Read the original article on Verywell Fitness.
