Getting back to the glutes, or the muscles in your buttocks and around your hip joint. These big muscles work hard and easily get tight.
I’ve already featured some of the classic poses to stretch this muscle group, but sometimes all you need is a variation on the lunge.
- Start in in a lunge with the left foot forward. Make sure you start with your front ankle under your front knee and the back foot far enough back that you can straighten the back leg and still be on your toes (back heel lifted).
- Push down through your front foot, especially the big toe.
- Lift your hips up.
- If you don’t find a stretch in the right hip or buttock here are few things to try:
- Tip your tailbone up (see last week’s pelvic tipping video).
- Pull your right hip back (but still push down through the front big toe).
- Fold your chest and belly over your thigh and head towards your shin.
- You can return to the lunge and repeat this action, moving in and out of the stretch, to help your muscles progressively relax.
One last option…go back to step 4 with your hips up, then bring your left hand to your left hip. Lift your left shoulder and keep moving the lift hip back – don’t let it lift up.- Don’t forget to switch sides!
A twist on the classic lunge
