8 Simple Glute Stretches to Do Every Single Day

They'll help reduce glute tension, lower back pain, and hip stiffness.

You may quickly stretch your arms and legs before or after a workout, or you may forget to stretch at all (which is a habit worth changing). One of the most overlooked—and important—body parts to stretch is the glutes. It may come as a surprise, but your glute muscles (aka the three muscles in each of your buttocks) are the largest and heaviest muscle group in the body.

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Best Glute Stretches to Do Daily

Glute stretches might not look as straightforward as stretching other muscle groups such as your hamstrings, but once you get the hang of them, they’re easy to do and incorporate regularly into a daily stretching routine. If you have tight or sore glutes, Julie Lohre of FITBODY, certified personal trainer Andrew White of Garage Gym Pro, and Winnie Yu, a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) at Bespoke Treatments, give glute stretches for maximum flexibility and pain relief.

Related: 3 Glute-Strengthening Exercises to Try Instead of Squats

Seated Piriformis Stretch

This stretch focuses on the piriformis muscle, a deep glute muscle that can get notoriously tight, Lohre explains.

1. Sit on the floor with both legs extended straight in front of you.

2. Bring your right leg toward you and cross it over your left leg, placing your right foot flat on the floor beside your left knee.

3. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and gently twist your upper body to the right.

4. Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing deeply, then repeat on the other side.

If you have knee issues, Lohre suggests being cautious about the amount of pressure you place on your knee with the opposite elbow. “Sit up tall throughout the stretch, keeping your chest and shoulders lifted,” she says.

Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose is a popular yoga posture that deeply stretches both the glutes and hip flexors.

1. Start on all fours.

2. Bring your right knee forward by placing it behind your right wrist and laying the outside of your right shin perpendicularly in front of you,

3. Extend your left leg straight behind you. Aim to keep your hips squared as much as possible.

4. If your flexibility allows, lower your upper body toward the ground to deepen the stretch, White says. (Don't force it, if not.)

5. Hold here for 20 to 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

Related: 6 Simple Yoga Stretches That Melt Away Muscle Tension

Standing Figure-Four Stretch

One of the best glute stretches for your gluteus maximus and medius muscles is the standing figure-4 stretch (or a standing glute stretch). Here’s how to it correctly, according to Lohre.

1. Stand tall with your feet flat on the ground.

2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee, forming a figure-four shape.

3. Gently hinge forward, sending your hips backward, keeping your back straight, until you feel a stretch in your right glute.

4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

If you have trouble balancing during this stretch, Lohre recommends holding onto a chair back, railing, or wall for balance.

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Lying Figure-Four Stretch

If either pigeon pose or standing figure four feel too challenging, a great alternative is a lying figure-four stretch, White suggests.

1. Lie on your back and cross your right ankle over your left knee and gently pull your left knee toward your chest. This should create a stretch in the right glute.

2. Hold here for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

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Seated Figure-Four Stretch

Another variation of the figure-four stretch is to create the same position and stretch while seated. “This stretch is a great starting point because it's easy to do and very effective,” White says.

1. Sit on a chair (where you can reach the floor with your feet).

2. Cross your right ankle over your left knee and gently press on your right knee while keeping your spine straight for 20 to 30 seconds, or until you feel a stretch in the glute of the raised leg.

3. For an even deeper glute stretch, hinge forward slightly at the hips, keeping your back straight.

4. Repeat on the other side.

High Kick

If you’re a fan of kickboxing, you’ve probably done a high kick, or at least seen one before. In fact, high kicks are one of the most dynamic glute stretches, Lohre says.

1. Stand tall and lift your arms straight out in front of your body at shoulder height.

2. Take a step forward with one foot; as you take the next step, draw the opposite/back leg upward in a controlled, arcing motion towards your hands.

3. Finish with a gentle and controlled motion to allow the lifted foot and leg to come back down to a start position just behind your body.

4. Repeat on the opposite side, and alternate legs several times.

“Hamstring flexibility can limit how high you lift your leg,” Lohre says. “You do not have to touch your hands or even go parallel to still get the benefits of this stretch.”

Dynamic Glute Stretch in 90-90

"This one is really good because it's a two-for-one specials," says Yu. "This stretch works the front hip in an external rotation position and the back hip into the internally rotated position, so you're increasing strength in both areas.

1. Sit on a mat and bend one leg in front of your body, so your hip is rotated out and your leg forms a 90-degree angle.

2. With your other leg, rotate your. hip inward and bend your knee, forming a 90-degree angle with your legs.

3. To do it dynamically, meaning you move rather than hold the stretch, place your hands to either side of the front leg. "So if my left leg is forward, I would have my right hand on the inside of my left leg," Yu explains. "The left hand will be on the outside of my left thigh and then I would softly bend through the elbows."

4. Hinge forward and feel the stretch.

5. Repeat this for 2 to 3 rounds of about 10 reps.

Lying Knee to Chest

This is a great gentle stretch to do at the end of the day, according to Yu. "It allows the spine to have support against the ground and to stretch out the glutes in a very supported, relaxed position," she says.

1. Lie down and grab the back of one leg, for example the right side.

2. Then bring that knee you're holding to your chest and hold for about 30 seconds. Repeat on the other leg and do two to three reps for each side.

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Benefits of Glute Stretches

Your glutes play a major role in everyday functions we often don’t think twice about, such as standing up from a sitting position, climbing stairs, or simply staying standing. That’s why giving your glutes a good daily stretch, regardless of whether or not you’ve exercised formally or vigorously, is a great way to maintain glute function and flexibility.

“As an online fitness coach and a woman, I can’t stress [enough] how crucial it is for women to give their glutes some love through regular stretching,” says Lohre. “I know life can get busy, but taking a few minutes each day for glute stretches can make a world of difference in how we feel and move.”

For people who have desk jobs or sit for extended periods of time, Lohre says that glute stretches can be a gamechanger. “It helps release that tension, allowing us to move better both when working out and in life in general,” she explains. “The women I work with who take the time to stretch, especially through their legs and glutes, quickly see improvement in flexibility.” Loosening up your glute muscles, Lohre continues, can increase range of motion and even reduce the risk for injury or lower back pain.

It’s no secret that stretching can help relieve general soreness, but White says stretching your glutes can also increase blood circulation and enhance overall athletic performance, which is an added bonus for athletes and active individuals. “Tight glutes can limit your hips’ range of motion, which in turn puts strain on the spine,” he explains, adding that this is how injuries and pain can occur.

"Not only do you want to mobilize the hip through stretches, but you also wanna make sure that you stabilize through strengthening exercises," Yu says. People stretch the heck out of their glutes, but they don't necessarily stabilize after." You can pair these stretches with stabilization exercises such as bridges or lateral band walks, she explains.

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