What is a Seated Glute Stretch?

A seated glute stretch, also known as a figure 4 stretch, is a way to work on your flexibility while targeting your gluteal muscles (glutes). These are the muscles that make up your seat, in your hips and buttocks. Although there are a few ways to stretch your glutes, the most common seated glute stretch involves sitting on the floor and crossing one leg over the other. Place one ankle on the thigh of your opposite leg and open your hip to stretch your glutes. This stretch helps relieve tension in the glutes, improve hip mobility, and reduce tightness in your lower back. For those with hip and back pain or sedentary jobs, this is a great way to lengthen the muscles that help you sit comfortably.

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How-to

Sit on the floor or a mat and bring one ankle up onto the knee of your other leg.
Lean forward, keeping your back straight, until a stretch is felt in the glute. Hold.
Return to the starting position.

Muscle Worked

Primary Muscle Groups

Glutes

The glutes help you extend your thighs from the hips and drive you forward.

Secondary Muscle Groups

Adductors

The adductors are the muscles on the insides of your thighs that move your legs toward the midline of your body

Pro Tips

Try to keep an upright posture with your spine neutral. Keep your back straight and your chest lifted the whole time during this stretch. Slouching or rounding your back makes your seated glute stretch less effective and puts pressure on your lower back.
Make sure you’re sitting tall so you target the glutes properly and support your spine.
Brace your core. This helps to keep your torso still as you stretch.
Lightly engage your core muscles just enough so that you can keep yourself upright. It’s not an ab workout, but you shouldn’t feel your core muscles slacking or dropping downward.
A sturdy core prevents unnecessary twisting or tilting through your midsection and will let you isolate your glutes for a deeper stretch.
If the stretch feels too intense, don’t be scared to adjust your position for comfort. You can sit on a couch cushion or even keep a bend in your extended leg. This guide also covers a lying down glute stretch variation you can do down below if you prefer this for comfort.
Use your arms to get in and out of position and guide your movement. That way, the range of motion is comfortable and gentle on your hip joints and the glute muscles. Remember, you should never feel like you’re forcing this stretch.

Benefits

The seated glute stretch effectively loosens tight glute muscles and relieves tension in the hips. This is especially beneficial for those who sit for extended periods or engage in activities that strain the glutes, such as running or weightlifting, helping to prevent stiffness and discomfort.
If you’re on the lookout for more flexible hips, stretching your glutes and surrounding muscles is a great way to improve your hip mobility. This is great for your body’s movement mechanics, so simple daily things like taking a walk or your regular workout routine can feel a lot easier on the body. You’re also less susceptible to the risk of injuries.
Tight glutes can contribute to lower back pain since they can pull on your pelvis. Seated glute stretches help reduce this tension to give you better alignment between the pelvis and spine. This can put less stress on your lower back for straighter posture and more comfort.

Warm Up & Cool Down

Warm Up

Glute Bridges: Lie on your back with your knees bent and plant your feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips up toward the ceiling and squeeze your glutes. Hold briefly, then lower, rolling down through your spine. This warms up and activates your glutes and gets them ready to stretch.
Hip Circles: Stand up with your hands on your hips. Make big, slow, controlled circles with your hips, first in one direction, then the other. This helps loosen up your hip joints and other nearby muscles for mobility.
Dynamic Lunges: Walk forward in a straight line, lunging and bending one knee, then the other, alternating legs. On each lunge, twist slightly toward your bent front knee. What this does is activate both your glutes when you drive up and out of your lunge and the torso torque that you’ll use in a seated glute stretch to twist. It also helps activate your hip flexors and bring blood flow to your lower body.

Cool Down

Child’s Pose: Kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels. Stretch your arms out in front of you and try to pull your forehead and chest to the floor. This is a great position to rest your hips and lower back. The muscles in these areas work in tandem with your glutes.
Figure-Four Stretch (Lying Down): This can be an alternate variation that you substitute for a seated glute stretch, or you can use it as a cool down. Lie down on your back and cross one ankle over the opposite knee so your body makes a number 4 position. From here, reach through the gap in your legs and pull the knee of the leg further away from you toward your chest. This deepens your glute stretch in a more relaxed position and can feel less active and like a better cool-down than sitting.
Supine Twist: Lie on your back, bring one or both knees across your body toward the opposite side and stick your arms out to make a T-shape. Look over your shoulder away from your knees. This can stretch your glutes, lower back, and hips. It also feels relaxing for most people.

What is a Seated Glute Stretch?

How-to