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Glute Stretches

Tell us what's causing your glute tightness. Get the right stretch sequence — timed and sequenced so you can follow along on a yoga mat without touching your phone.

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Reviewed by Licensed Physical Therapists

via Yoga With Adriene

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What's causing your glute tightness?

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Sitting All Day
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Running or Cycling
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Lower Back Pain
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Hip Tightness
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General Flexibility

Glute Anatomy: Four Muscles You Need to Stretch

Gluteus Maximus

The largest muscle in the body. Primary hip extensor. Tightens from sitting (constant shortening) and heavy training. A tight glute max contributes to posterior pelvic tilt and lower back pain.

Gluteus Medius & Minimus

Hip abductors. Stabilize the pelvis during single-leg activities (running, walking, step-ups). Often underactive and tight. Weakness here causes the hip to drop on the opposite side — a major running injury risk factor.

Piriformis

Deep external hip rotator. Runs directly over the sciatic nerve. When tight, it can compress the sciatic nerve causing piriformis syndrome — pain, tingling, or numbness down the leg. Very common in desk workers and cyclists.

The Glute-Lower Back Connection

Tight glutes and weak glutes are both contributors to lower back pain — often existing simultaneously. When the glutes are tight, they restrict hip extension, forcing the lumbar spine to compensate during movements like walking, squatting, and climbing stairs. This creates excessive lumbar motion and strain on the facet joints and discs.

Stretch Guide: 5 Essential Glute Stretches

Pigeon Pose

Glute Max + Piriformis

Front shin parallel to the front of your mat (or as close as possible). Fold forward over the front leg. Key: keep the front foot flexed (active) to protect the knee.

Foot pointed — this collapses the knee. Flex the foot throughout to keep the knee stable.

Figure-4 Stretch

Glute Med + Piriformis

Lie on your back. Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh. Thread your hands behind the lower thigh and pull toward your chest. More accessible than pigeon — good for beginners.

Not pulling the leg close enough. The stretch intensifies significantly as you draw the legs toward the chest.

90/90 Stretch

Hip Internal + External Rotation

Sit with both legs bent at 90 degrees — front leg external rotation, back leg internal rotation. Sit tall. Fold over the front leg for a deep glute stretch. Switch sides.

Collapsing the torso. Maintain an upright or slightly forward-inclined torso — don't round the back.

Seated Spinal Twist

Glutes + Thoracic Spine

Sit with one leg extended. Cross the other foot over to the outside of the opposite knee. Place the opposite elbow against the raised knee and twist. Breathe deeply — exhale into more rotation.

Twisting from the neck only. The rotation should come from the thoracic spine and hips — not just the upper body.

Glute tightness AND lower back pain? See our Recovery Hub for phase-based rehab programs. Tight glutes are often related to core weakness and hip flexor tightness — addressing all three simultaneously produces better results than stretching alone.