How long should you hold each side of the 90/90 hip stretch when you are new to the exercise?

Sit tall and hinge for 30 to 45 seconds per side, two rounds each. Over time you should be able to sit taller without a prop or hinge a touch further forward, and forcing the chest flat on day one is not the goal.

How do I make the 90/90 hip stretch easier or harder?

Easier: sit on a folded towel or yoga block to stay upright and keep the hinge shallow. Harder: sit flat on the floor without a prop and hinge until your chest nears the front shin, adding a slow torso rotation once that base position is controlled.

What is the 90/90 hip stretch good for, and when is it not a good choice?

It opens the front hip's external rotators and the back hip's internal rotators together, useful for squat depth, hurdle-style sports, and general hip health. It is a poor choice with a current hip impingement or sharp pinching in the joint, since forcing this shape can aggravate a hip that needs a different approach.

Intermediate

90/90 Hip Stretch

The 90/90 position stretches the external rotators of the front hip and the internal rotators of the back hip at once, which is why coaches love it for hip health. Leaning forward over the front shin drives the stretch deep into the glute and piriformis region. Hold the position quietly rather than switching sides quickly.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes
Type: Stretching
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius

How to do it

1
Sit on the floor and set your front leg bent to ninety degrees, shin roughly parallel to your hips.
2
Position the rear leg out to the side, also bent to ninety degrees.
3
Sit tall over both sit bones and square your chest to the front shin.
4
Keeping your spine long, hinge forward over the front leg.
5
Feel the stretch in the outer glute of the front hip and hold.
6
Come back up and reset to the other side.

Tips

Sit on a folded towel or block if you cannot stay upright with both sit bones down.
Hinge from the hips over the front shin instead of rounding your back to reach.
Keep both knees at roughly ninety degrees so the stretch stays in the hips.

Variations

Common mistakes

The back hip lifts off the floor to fake extra depth on the front leg, turning the 90/90 into a twist instead of a clean hip stretch.
Rounding through the upper back to reach further forward drags the stretch out of the glute and into the spine.
The front shin angle creeps open past ninety degrees as the hold goes on, which quietly takes load off the outer hip.
Chasing a flat chest-to-shin position on the first attempt, instead of building range over sessions, can strain a stiff front hip capsule.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold each side of the 90/90 hip stretch when you are new to the exercise?: Sit tall and hinge for 30 to 45 seconds per side, two rounds each. Over time you should be able to sit taller without a prop or hinge a touch further forward, and forcing the chest flat on day one is not the goal.
How do I make the 90/90 hip stretch easier or harder?: Easier: sit on a folded towel or yoga block to stay upright and keep the hinge shallow. Harder: sit flat on the floor without a prop and hinge until your chest nears the front shin, adding a slow torso rotation once that base position is controlled.
What is the 90/90 hip stretch good for, and when is it not a good choice?: It opens the front hip's external rotators and the back hip's internal rotators together, useful for squat depth, hurdle-style sports, and general hip health. It is a poor choice with a current hip impingement or sharp pinching in the joint, since forcing this shape can aggravate a hip that needs a different approach.

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