When you start working out it’s common to experience muscle tightness or delayed onset muscle soreness, as your muscles adapt to being used in different ways. Your glutes are the largest muscles in your body and play an integral role in many functional movements like squatting, walking, running or climbing stairs. That’s why it’s so important to activate your glutes during your warm-up and to include glute stretches in your post-workout cool-down.
How to stretch your glutes before a workout
Warming up before a workout is an important way to prepare your body for exercise and minimise the risk of injury.
Warm-ups typically involve some light cardio and dynamic stretches to help improve blood flow and increase your range of motion for the target area.
Here are some of the best ways to stretch and warm up your glutes before a workout:
Foam Rolling:
Foam rolling is often an important part of muscle recovery, but it can also help to warm up your glutes before exercise by increasing blood flow to the area and loosening the connective tissue around the muscles to enable smooth movement.
1. Position the foam roller horizontally behind you. Carefully sit on top of the foam roller and place both hands on the floor behind you.
2. Lift and turn out your right leg so that your ankle is resting on your left leg just above your knee, as shown. Gently tilt your hips to the right to allow the foam roller to press into your right glute.
3. Slowly roll the foam roller along the length of your glute. If you reach a point of tenderness, pause and hold that position until the pressure/discomfort is significantly reduced. You can choose to perform small strokes over tight areas if you prefer.
4. Continue to roll down the length of your glute, giving extra attention to any tight spots as needed.
Repeat on your left side.
Leg swings
These warm up your glutes and hips and you can do them before a workout, or to warm up the muscles for deep stretching.
1. With your left hand resting on the back of a chair, stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. While keeping your left foot firmly on the floor and your right leg straight, swing your right leg from side to side in front of your body, keeping your torso upright.
4. Continue swinging the leg backwards and forwards before switching sides. You can also perform these with your leg swinging forward and back, rather than side to side.
Lateral walk
This exercise fully engages your glutes and hips, strengthening the major muscles in your hips, thighs and legs. Lateral walks can help improve your stability and prevent injury.
1. With a resistance band looped around your ankles, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your knees in line with your toes and stand upright. This is your starting position.
2. Keeping your right foot on the floor, step your left foot outwards so your feet are slightly further than hip-width apart.
3. Keeping your left foot on the floor, step your right foot inwards to return to the starting position, like a crab!
Repeat, ensuring that you complete the same number of repetitions on each side.
Single-leg Romanian deadlift & knee hug
The single-leg Romanian deadlift strengthens the muscles used for balance, including your glutes. Being a unilateral exercise, it can help improve any muscle imbalances between your legs.
1. With your left foot firmly on the floor, lift your right foot off the floor and draw your right knee into your chest. This is your starting position.
2. Bend your left knee slightly and without changing the angle of your left knee, hinge forwards from your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor, extending your right leg behind you. At the same time, extend your arms towards the floor. Keep your hips level, maintain a proud chest and keep your head in line with your spine. You should feel the tension in your left hamstring (back of your leg).
3. Push through your left heel and use your glute and hamstring to extend your hips and draw your right knee into a hug to return to the starting position.
Repeat, ensuring that you complete the same number of repetitions on each side.
Once you are comfortable with this exercise, you might progress to the Romanian kettlebell deadlift.
Best glute stretches for recovery
Once your workout is complete, it’s always a good idea to take five minutes to cool down and stretch to minimise tightness later on. The following stretches can be used in your cool-down or in a dedicated recovery session.
Half Pigeon
This pose stretches your hip rotators and hip flexors, as well as your glutes.
1. Place both hands on the floor, slightly further than shoulder-width apart with both legs together behind you, resting on the balls of your feet.
2. Release your left leg, bend your knee and place it behind you and to the left of your left wrist. Rest your left shin on the mat, keeping your foot flexed. At the same time, place your right knee on the mat, untuck your toes and lower your hips towards the floor. Maintain an upright position.
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds (or five slow breaths). Each time you exhale, try to sink further into your hips to increase the stretch if you feel comfortable, keeping your hips level.
Repeat this stretch on the other side.
Standing glute stretch
This stretch targets the largest glute muscle.
1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift and turn out your left leg. Rest the outside of your left ankle just above your right knee.
3. Bend your right knee so that you are in a single-leg squat position and gently push down on your left knee using your left elbow if it feels comfortable.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds (or five slow breaths) breathing deeply throughout.
5. Repeat this stretch on the other side.
If you are struggling to balance, try to focus on a spot directly in front of you, or hold onto a chair or bench for support. You can also find a bench or ledge at hip height to rest your leg on to perform the stretch to make it easier to balance.
The seated version of this standing glute stretch can be done by placing your left ankle on your right knee and leaning forward through your chest.
Supine glute stretch
This stretch helps improve your hip flexibility by stretching your glutes.
1. Start lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, hip-width apart, with your spine in a neutral position.
2. Release and turn out your right leg so your ankle is resting on your left leg, just above your knee.
3. Draw your left knee in towards your torso, resting both hands on the back of your left thigh.
4. Hold this position for 30 seconds (or five slow breaths), breathing deeply throughout.
5. Each time you exhale, draw your knee further into your chest and press your right elbow into your right knee to increase the stretch if it feels comfortable, keeping your spine in a neutral position and your tailbone on the floor.
Repeat this stretch on the other side.
Seated glute stretch
Similar to the previous stretch, this stretch helps improve flexibility and release tension in your glute muscles.
1. Begin in a seated position on a yoga mat with your feet planted on the mat. Press your hands and feet into the floor to elevate your hips, then lift your right leg and turn out your right knee to place your ankle on your left leg just above your knee.
2. Slowly lower your hips to return to a seated position.
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds (or five slow breaths), breathing deeply throughout.
Repeat this stretch on the other side.
