Beginner

Standing IT-Band and Glute Stretch

Runners and cyclists collect tightness along the outer hip, and this stretch reaches it without any equipment. Crossing one leg behind the other and pushing that hip outward loads the gluteus medius and the band running down the side of the thigh. Keep it in your cool-down whenever the lateral hip feels stiff or achy.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Glutes
Type
Stretching
Browse by muscle
Gluteus Medius
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Medius
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus
Tertiary
Abdominal External Oblique

How to do it

  1. 1

    Stand tall next to a wall or chair you can touch for light balance.

  2. 2

    Cross your right foot behind your left, planting both feet flat.

  3. 3

    Push your right hip out to the side while reaching your right arm up and over toward the left.

  4. 4

    Sink your weight into the stretch until you feel a pull along the outer right hip and thigh.

  5. 5

    Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Drive the stretch from the hip pushing sideways, not from bending sharply at the waist.
  • Keep both feet grounded so the outer hip takes the tension.
  • Reach the top arm long to deepen the line down the side of the body.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The back foot rolls onto its outer edge as the hip pushes out, so the ankle absorbs the shift the hip was supposed to take.
  • With the crossed foot planted only a few inches behind the other, there is nothing to push the hip away from and the outer thigh never comes under tension.
  • The chest turns toward the floor as the arm reaches over, and a side stretch becomes a twist that misses the outer hip entirely.
  • Leaning your weight into the wall you are holding unloads the very hip you are trying to stretch; that hand is there for balance only.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the standing IT-band and glute stretch?
Twenty to 30 seconds a side is enough, but go through it two or three times, spending the extra round on whichever side stiffened up on your run or ride. Working it into every cool-down does more for a cranky outer hip than one long session a week.
How do I make the standing IT-band and glute stretch easier or harder?
To make it easier, cross the foot only a little way behind and leave the top hand on your hip instead of reaching over. To make it harder, cross further behind, reach the top arm long overhead and let the hip travel further sideways, or move to the lying figure four, which isolates the glute more precisely.
What is the standing IT-band and glute stretch good for?
It reaches the outer hip and the line down the side of the thigh with nothing but a wall to touch, which makes it a convenient cool-down for runners and cyclists. Most of what you feel comes from the muscles attaching into the band rather than the band itself, so if the outer hip keeps flaring up, pair this with hip strength work instead of stretching it harder. It is also the wrong tool when the outside of the knee is the painful part, which usually needs a look at your training load.

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