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Your glutes are the biggest muscles in your body. They’re quite literally behind so many day by day movements. Much of what you do in yoga and life strengthens the glutes, corresponding to lunges, walking, and climbing. Strong, stable glutes help us move with ease and forestall pain and injury, in response to the International Sports Sciences Association. When you’re weak back there, it’s possible you’ll be liable to knee injuries, hamstring strains, ankle sprains, lower back injuries, and other misalignments.

But when those muscles are too tight, it’s possible you’ll experience other problems: tight hips and hamstrings; tension within the lower back; pain within the knees, pelvis, and low back.

As with all the pieces in life, caring for your glutes means finding balance. It’s key to stretch your glutes just as much (if no more) than you strengthen them.

Anatomy of the Glutes

Your glutes allow you to rotate your hips externally and so they support your sacroiliac (SI) joint. That’s what keeps you erect, aligned, and in good posture, whether you’re sitting or standing. Also a part of the gluteal muscle system are the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus—smaller, more interior muscles which are essential for internal hip rotation.

The glutes are comprised of three muscles: the gluteus maximus (pictured), gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. (Photo: Sebastian Kaulitzski | Getty)

Glute stretches may also help prevent tightness, pain, and potential injuries—not to say improve your flexibility and mobility. One other profit: moving those posterior muscles helps counteract the results of all that sitting all of us do.

10 Go-To Glute Stretches to Round Out Your Practice

You possibly can practice the next stretches as a sequence or just incorporate them, one by one, into your day every time you’ll be able to.

After an extended day, Hand to Big Toe Pose may also help lengthen drained glutes and tense hamstring muscles. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

1. Hand to Big Toe Pose (Hasta Padangusthasana)

This pose is a welcome stretch for weary glutes and hamstrings. Hand to Big Toe Pose, like other forward bends, offers the additional benefit of calming the nervous system and reducing stress. Seems like a much needed reprieve after an extended day.

The right way to:

1. Stand together with your feet hip-width apart. Contract your quads as for those who’re attempting to lift your knees toward your hips.
2. Hinge forward out of your hips and reach your hands toward your feet. Slide your index and middle fingers of every hand between your big toes and second toes or slip a strap or belt under the balls of your feet and hold the ends of the strap.
3. Inhale as you lift and lengthen your back barely, as for those who were beginning to arise again, and straighten your elbows. Contract your thighs to release your hamstrings. Keep your neck consistent with your spine and gaze straight down. Lift your sit bones.
4. On an exhalation, bend your elbows and increase your grip in your toes to attract your chest closer to your thighs,  keeping your back long. Breathe here.
5. To come back out of this pose, release your toes and slowly roll as much as standing.

Stretch your glutes while practicing your balance with Eagle Pose. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

2. Eagle Pose (Garudasana)

Once you cross one leg over the opposite in Eagle Pose, you’re targeting your gluteal muscles on one side. You’ll notice the stretch is intensified the more you bend your standing leg. You possibly can practice only the lower portion of the pose and produce your hands to anjali mudra or prayer position.

The right way to: 

3. Come into Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Lift your arms straight out out of your shoulders and cross them in front of you, placing your right elbow on top of your left elbow. Then bend your elbows and wrap your forearms around one another, bringing the palms or backs of your hands together.
4. Lift your elbows to about sternum height and lean your forearms away out of your face.
5. Bend your knees as if to sit down back in a chair. Shift all of your weight into your your right foot, and are available onto your left toes. Slowly lift your left leg and cross your left knee over your right knee. Bring your left foot against the side of your right calf or rest it on a block placed outside your right foot. Squeeze your inner thighs together. For a more intense stretch, hinge forward at your hips and produce your elbows toward your knees. For an additional challenge, wrap your left calf around your right calf and hook the toes in your left foot around your inner ankle.
6. Bend your knees to sit down lower. Keep your elbows and chest lifted. Focus your gaze on the wall in front of you. Breathe here.
7. To release, unwind your legs and arms and return to standing. Repeat on the opposite side.

3. One-Legged Chair Pose or Figure 4 (Eka Pada Utkatasana)

This can be a version of the standard Chair Pose that everyone knows (and sometimes resent). The glute-stretching and hip-opening that this one-legged version offers are well definitely worth the challenge. It counteracts glute and hip tightness from sitting for long periods and, like Eagle Pose, it’s a glute stretch and balance pose multi functional.

The right way to:

1. From standing, bend your knees as if to sit down in a chair. Your chest will come barely forward, but keep your spine straight.
2. Shift all of your weight into your left foot. and are available onto your right toes. Lift your right leg and place your right ankle in your left knee. Lean your right knee away from you.
3. Bring your palms together at your chest in anjali mudra or prayer position, keeping your chest lifted and your neck lengthened. Focus your gaze on the wall in front of you.
4. Breathe here. To release the pose, straighten your left leg and release your right foot right down to the mat. Return to standing. Repeat on the opposite side.

In High Lunge, the glutes of your front leg are stretched while the glutes of your back leg are engaged and strengthened as they support your body. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

4. High Lunge

When you’ve been to a vinyasa class, you’re probably no stranger to High Lunge. But it’s possible you’ll not have realized the numerous advantages of this pose. High Lunge stretches the glutes and hamstrings of your front leg and the hip flexors of your back leg because it strengthens the glutes of your back leg. That’s an entire workout in a single pose.

The right way to:

1. Come into Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) or hands and knees. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Keep the ball of your left foot on the mat and your left knee lifted.
2. Press down through your right foot and lift yourself to an upright position. Reach your arms alongside your ears, palms facing one another.
3. Lengthen your tailbone down toward the mat. Press your left heel toward the back wall. Breathe here.
4. To release, bring your hands onto the mat. Step your right leg into Downward Dog or return to hands and knees. Repeat on the opposite side.

You should utilize blocks under your hands, bend your knees, or take every other modifications that allow you to feel more comfortable in Downward Dog.  (Photo: Andrew Clark)

5. Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Even though it’s probably some of the recognized yoga poses, Downward Dog stays some of the difficult for many individuals. It stretches not only your glutes and hamstrings but your entire back and neck.

The right way to:

1. From hands and knees, place your hands a couple of inches in front of your shoulders.
2. Press down through your knuckles, tuck your toes, and lift your knees and hips. Lengthen along your back and reach your chest toward your thighs. Lift your sitting bones toward the wall behind you where it meets the ceiling.
3. Keep your feet hip-width apart and parallel. Let your head hang  and release any tension in your neck. Bring your gaze toward your feet. Attempt to balance your weight evenly between your hands and feet. You possibly can bend your knees or take blocks beneath your hands.
4. To release the position, bend your knees and return to all fours.

Gently press your arms against your inner thighs as you squat to extend the stretch in your glutes and hips. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

6. Squat or Garland Pose (Malasana)

The form your body takes in Squat lets you experience an intense stretch in your hamstrings, hip flexors, and glutes. When you’re on the lookout for some glute-strengthening, lift your body from a squat and lower a couple of times.

The right way to:

1. Come into standing together with your feet hip-width apart and turned barely out.
2. Bend your knees and lower right into a squat. If it’s more comfortable, slide a block underneath your sit bones to support you. Keep your heels on the mat. In the event that they don’t reach, slide a folded blanket or your partly rolled mat underneath them. Lean your knees out toward the perimeters and press your elbows against your inner thighs.
3. Bring your palms together in anjali mudra or prayer position. Lengthen along your back. Breathe here.
4. To release the pose, straighten your knees and rise as much as standing.

Half Lord of the Fishes counteracts the results of sitting. Be sure you gently twist (and never strain) your upper body on this pose. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

7. Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

On this seated twist, your glutes on one side of your body lengthen as you switch your chest to the side. When you’re on the lookout for a release to your glutes and low back after an extended day of sitting, Half Lord of the Fishes is your pose. Plus, this posture is believed in Ayurveda to help digestion by stimulating your inner organs.

The right way to:

1. Come to a seated position together with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Step your right foot over your left leg and place it outside your left knee together with your right knee pointing toward the ceiling.
3. Keep your left leg straight or bend it and produce your left heel outside your right hip.
4. Place your right hand behind your right hips and are available onto your fingertips. Twist your chest toward your right thigh, initiating movement out of your belly. Bring your left arm to your outer right thigh and gently press your arm into your leg and your leg into your arm.
5. Inhale and lengthen through your spine. Exhale and release just a little more into the twist. Turn your head and look over your right shoulder or, if it’s more comfortable, look forward or to the left. Breathe here. To come back out of the pose, release the twist and undo your crossed legs. Return to seated together with your legs straight out in front of you. Switch sides.

8. Knees to Chest Pose (Apanasana)

This can be a restorative posture that lengthens your lower back and glutes. This pose might be especially helpful for individuals who have an anterior (forward) pelvic tilt, because the pelvis, lower back, and glutes experience a stretch in the wrong way.

The right way to:

1. Lie in your back together with your legs straight. Bend your knees and draw them  as near your chest as possible.
2. Hug your knees to your chest. You could need to rock gently backwards and forwards. Breathe here.
3. If you end up ready, release the legs and extend them out to a completely reclined position.

Supine Spinal Twist is meant as a passive pose that permits your glute muscles to loosen up into the stretch. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

9. Supine Spinal Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

Your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back will all experience a stretch in Supine Spinal Twist. As with all twist, you would like it to stay a stretch and never force it to the purpose where you are feeling a strain.

The right way to:

1. Lie in your back and produce your arms straight out out of your shoulders.
2. Bend your knees and produce your knees directly over your hips so your legs create a right angle.
3. Slowly lower your knees to your left. Your right hip will lift as you twist. Try to maintain your shoulders on the mat. Your left hip will lift as your spine twists to the fitting. For a more intense stretch in your glutes, straighten your left leg and extend it out to the fitting.
4. To release this pose, bring your legs back to center and switch sides.

Get creative in Comfortable Baby by rocking side to side or straightening one leg at a time. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

10. Comfortable Baby (Ananda Balasana)

When you’re on the lookout for a stretch that can bring out your playful side, try Comfortable Baby. Since you’re in a reclined position, this pose offers a reprieve to your lower back while your hips, glutes, and hamstrings experience a pronounced stretch.

The right way to:

1. Lie in your back. Bend your knees and draw them toward your belly.
2. Grip your outer feet together with your hands. If it’s uncomfortable for you to succeed in your feet, bring your hands to your calves.
3. Take your knees barely wider than your hips after which attempt to bring each ankle directly over your knee. You possibly can as a substitute come into Half Comfortable Baby by practicing it on one side at a time.
4. Flex your feet. Press your lower back into the mat. You possibly can stay still or it’s possible you’ll need to rock gently backwards and forwards. Breathe here.
5. To come back out of Comfortable Baby, release your grip and lower your feet to the mat.