The glute muscles are the biggest muscles of the body. Any abnormality with them can cause a negative effect on overall body movements. Glute stretches, when done properly and on a regular basis, keeps these muscles in a functional state.
The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus are a set of muscles which comprise the buttocks. Together they are referred to as the gluteal muscles, and they control a number of movements of the upper leg, such as thigh rotation, abduction and rotation of the hip, etc. Problems with any of these muscles can affect various movements of your body. Hence, to keep them functional, you need to work them out, and the easiest way to do that is to perform stretches. In the following paragraphs, we gave you some simple exercises to stretch these muscles and keep them in shape.
Best Exercises for the Glute Muscles
Exercise 1
Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and the toes pointing forward. Move your left foot forward to a distance comfortable to you. Now, bend your left knee by keeping it aligned with the toes. You may place your hands on the left knee to get support for your body while in such a position. Stay in this posture for about a minute. Come back to the starting standing posture and repeat the above steps with your right leg.
Exercise 2
Sit on the floor with your back straight and legs extended. Bring both your arms behind and allow your back to get support from them. Position the legs such that a right angle is formed at the knees. Lift the left leg and let it rest on the right one. Hold the suggested posture for about a minute. Return to the original posture slowly and perform the given steps switching the leg.
Exercise 3
Take a firm platform which is about 2-3 feet high. Stand erect an inch or two away from it. Lift your right leg and place it on the platform such that the outside the foot touches the platform. The right knee should be bent out to the side. You will feel a stretch in your thigh. Stay in this posture for about 30 seconds. Do not strain yourself. If you don’t feel comfortable, return to the original posture in a controlled manner.
Exercise 4
Take a firm platform about 6 inches high. Lay your body on the floor with the platform placed an inch away from your foot. Adjust yourself such that you can place your left foot on the platform. The left knee should make a right angle. Cross the left leg with the right one. Make sure that both your arms are placed straight at the sides. Hold the posture for about a minute. Come back to the starting posture and perform the given steps alternating the legs.
Exercise 5
There are three muscles that make up the back of your upper leg. They are biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranous. These three muscles are collectively referred to as hamstrings. There is a great exercise to stretch and strengthen the hamstring along with the glute. To perform it, lie on your back on the floor. Bend your right leg. Hold your left leg with the right arm behind the thigh with the left arm behind the calf muscle. Gradually, try to maintain your left leg as straight as possible. Pull it towards you till you feel the back of your thigh stretched. Let the muscle relax into the stretch. Stay in this position for about 20-25 seconds. Return to the starting posture and repeat all the steps switching the leg.
To build and strengthen any kind of muscle, including the glutes, you need to eat healthy and perform the exercises in a right manner. Always warm your body well before stretching the muscles. This is necessary for the muscles to benefit from the stretching exercises. You may take a walk or climb stairs to warm yourself up.
Although the stretches described above are quite safe and comfortable to perform, it will be good if you seek a doctor’s agreement with respect to your medical condition before including these exercises in your regular exercise regimen.
