How long should a beginner hold the supine figure-four stretch?

Twenty to thirty seconds per side for two rounds is a good beginner dose, breathing out as you draw the thigh in. Let the extra range come week by week from a calmer hold, not from yanking the leg closer.

How do I make the supine figure-four stretch easier or harder?

Easier: loop a towel around the thigh instead of reaching with your hands, and let the crossed knee stay wide open. Harder: draw the thigh closer to the chest with your hands, or straighten the bottom leg up toward the ceiling for a bigger stretch.

What is the supine figure-four stretch good for, and who should be cautious with it?

It eases glute and piriformis tightness from sitting or running in a low-back-friendly position most people can do safely. If you have a diagnosed disc issue, keep the low back flat on the floor throughout and stop if you feel any pull down the leg rather than a stretch in the hip.

Beginner

Supine Figure-Four Stretch

The lying figure-four is the most accessible glute and piriformis stretch because the floor supports your spine the whole time. Crossing the ankle over the opposite knee opens the outer hip, and pulling the far thigh in scales the intensity. A safe, low-back-friendly staple for anyone with tight glutes from sitting or running.

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

How to do it

1
Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat.
2
Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh, just above the knee.
3
Reach your hands behind the supporting thigh, threading one arm through the gap.
4
Draw that thigh toward your chest until you feel the outer hip of the crossed leg lengthen.
5
Keep the crossed knee pressing gently open and your head relaxed on the floor.
6
Release and repeat on the other side.

Tips

Gently press the crossed knee away with your elbow to deepen the glute stretch.
Keep your tailbone down and low back neutral rather than curling the pelvis up hard.
Loop a towel behind the thigh if you cannot comfortably reach with your hands.

Variations

Common mistakes

The crossed ankle slides down to rest on the shin instead of staying right above the knee, which loads the knee joint instead of opening the hip.
Curling the tailbone up off the floor to help pull the thigh closer trades a glute stretch for a lower-back stretch.
The neck and shoulders lift and tense while reaching through the gap, adding strain nowhere near the muscle you are actually stretching.
Forcing the crossed knee flat toward the floor before it is ready, instead of letting it drift open, turns a controlled stretch into a fight with the hip.

Frequently asked

How long should a beginner hold the supine figure-four stretch?: Twenty to thirty seconds per side for two rounds is a good beginner dose, breathing out as you draw the thigh in. Let the extra range come week by week from a calmer hold, not from yanking the leg closer.
How do I make the supine figure-four stretch easier or harder?: Easier: loop a towel around the thigh instead of reaching with your hands, and let the crossed knee stay wide open. Harder: draw the thigh closer to the chest with your hands, or straighten the bottom leg up toward the ceiling for a bigger stretch.
What is the supine figure-four stretch good for, and who should be cautious with it?: It eases glute and piriformis tightness from sitting or running in a low-back-friendly position most people can do safely. If you have a diagnosed disc issue, keep the low back flat on the floor throughout and stop if you feel any pull down the leg rather than a stretch in the hip.

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