How To Stretch Butt Muscles – 6 Best Stretches
In this article, I will show you the best ways to stretch your butt muscles.
You will learn how to loosen tight buttock muscles, but before that, let’s see what muscles are precisely the buttock muscles.
What Are Buttock Muscles?
This muscle group is known as gluteal muscles (glutes) and they consist of three muscles:
Beside these muscles, I want to add a two, smaller yet important muscles that are also part of the buttock area.
They are piriformis and tensor fascia latae.
If you’re anatomy geek, check this article out: Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb
If not, let me show you how to stretch butt muscles.
How to Stretch Butt Muscles
Knee to Chest Stretch
Step 1: Lay down on your back. Grab just bellow knees with your hands and push your knees outward.
Step 2: Pull your knees towards your chest gently. Hold this position for 30s.
*Use pillow to relax your head and neck. If you want to increase the stretch on a lower back as well, then tuck in your chin as presented.
Lying 90/90 Glute Stretch
Step 1: Lay down on your back. Cross your legs and place your hands underneath your knee.
Step 2: Pull your leg towards your body, in a gently and controlled way. You should feel stretching in opposite leg you’re pulling. Hold this stretch for 30s, not more, not less. I’ll explain later why.
Pigeon Pose
Step 1: Take a pigeon pose stance as shown in a picture above. Place your hands on the ground and breath in.
Step 2: As you breath out, gently lean forward with your upper body until you reach a point you feel stretching in your butt muscles. Hold this stretch for 30s.
Pigeon Pose Elevated Leg
Step 1: Place your front leg on a stepper and assume a pigeon pose starting position.
Step 2: Lean gently forward with your body until you feel stretching in your buttocks. Then hold this position for 30s.
If you’re struggling with pigeon pose on a ground, you don’t have to perform this exercise.
Stick to the basic variation then, to avoid muscle strain.
Piriformis Stretch
Step 1: Lay on your back and grab one leg just above your knee. Then rotate your leg so your knee is in line with the opposite shoulder.
Step 2: Pull your leg towards your body. Avoid lifting your butt up. Find the appropriate stretching intensity and hold this position for 30s.
This is one of the basic piriformis stretches, and most popular one.
Tensor Fascia Latae Stretch
Step 1: Find a wall. Lean with your underarm on a wall and place your back leg a bit away from the wall.
Step 2: Lean towards the wall with your pelvis (use the other hand to push your hips towards the wall). You should feel the stretch in the outer part of your thigh. Hold this position for 30s.
Why Stretch Your Butt Muscles?
Butt muscles are the one which are active when you stand on one leg, when you go upstairs, downstairs or when you’re running or jumping.
Basically, in 90% of your daily activities, these muscles are working like a machine to provide you a pleasant experience and minimize the load on knees, ankles and hips.
Not to mention the importance of butt muscles on lower back health or pelvis posture. Especially for people who sits a lot during their day. Their hip mobility and flexibility is often neglected and their body feels that, trust me.
If you want to use the full potential of your buttock muscles, then you should stretch them, at least, when you’re done with your weight training. Preferably you would want to stretch your butt muscles daily if you struggle with these stretches I’ve shared with you.
Tips When Stretching Butt Muscles
- Don’t rush into stretch. You want quality over quantity. You want to have control over movements, not vice versa.
- Breath deeply. Stretching butt muscles can be tough, so take your time and control your breath.
- If you experience sharp pain, stop with exercising. Find someone who’s expert in this field.
- Even though this article is about stretching butt muscles, you should also do some strength exercises like squats, lounge and especially one leg squats if you’re strong enough.
- The most optimal static stretching is 30s. Stretching too much can lead to temporary reducing in muscle strength.
Conclusion
Stretch your butt muscles daily if you struggle with rotating your hips. Sitting a lot or doing any activity that require you to use your lower body strength, explosive jumps and similar, is a sign that you should try stretches in this article. They will help you loosen tight glutes. If you’re not convinced yet, let me share you some articles about stretching the glutes and buttock muscles.
| Article | Purpose | Conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Effects of Static and Dynamic Stretching With Strengthening Exercises | To investigate the effects of static and dynamic stretching on patients with Patellofemoral Pain who have inflexible hamstrings. | The study suggests that both static and dynamic stretching can be beneficial for patients with Patellofemoral Pain, particularly those with inflexible hamstrings. |
| 5 glute stretches that may improve mobility | To provide insights into how stretching the glutes can improve mobility. | Although not a scientific study, the article concludes that stretching the glutes can help ease muscle tightness and improve range of motion. |
| Strengthen and Stretch: It’s what the Glutes and Piriformis Need | To discuss the importance of both strengthening and stretching the glutes and piriformis muscles. | The article emphasizes that a balanced approach of both strengthening and stretching is essential for optimal glute and piriformis health. |
The Next Step
For more in-depth information, you can explore our articles on stretching, posture, and exercise and fitness. If you’re interested in a comprehensive guide, check out my ebook – Secrets of Stretching.
So, are you ready to stretch those butt muscles?
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