Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Maximus
Stretches
Stretches
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Laying
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Laying
How to perform the stretch:
1. Start in laying on your back position
2. Choose the muscle or hip you intend to stretch
3. Flex the target hip 135 degrees towards your torso with a flexed knee
4. Keep the opposite leg flat on the floor
5. Medially (inwards) rotate the target hip 25-45 degrees over the opposite hip and grasp the knee with the opposite hand
6. Pull the knee towards the floor, increasing the hip rotation to increase the stretch
7. Hold the stretch for 20 Seconds
8. Release the stretch
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Standing Walking Lunge
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Standing Walking Lunge
How to perform the stretch:
1. Start in a standing walking lunge position
2. Choose the muscle or hip you intend to stretch bringing this leg to the front
3. Interlock the hands behind the back
4. Keep the feet in line, with the knees flexed and the forward knee positioned over the ankle
5. Flex forward at the hips to bring the chest directly over the thigh
6. Hold the stretch for 20 Seconds
7. Release the stretch
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Kneeling Lunge
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Kneeling Lunge
How to perform the stretch:
1. Start in a kneeling lunge position
2. Choose the muscle or hip you intend to stretch bringing this leg to the front
3. Interlock the hands behind the back
4. Keep the feet in line, with the back knee on the floor and the forward knee flexed and positioned over the ankle
5. Flex forward at the hips to bring the chest directly over the thigh
6. Hold the stretch for 20 Seconds
7. Release the stretch
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Sitting
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for All Sitting
How to perform the stretch:
1. Start in a sitting on-the-floor position with legs straight out in front of you
2. Choose the muscle or hip you intend to stretch
3. Flex the target hip and knee towards the torso
4. Wrap the elbow of the arm around the target knee
5. Hug the knee towards the chest to increase the stretch
6. Hold the stretch for 20 Seconds
7. Release the stretch
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for Advanced Sitting
Gluteus Maximus HIP Stretch for Advanced Sitting
How to perform the stretch:
1. Start in a sitting on-the-floor position with legs straight out in front of you
2. Choose the muscle or hip you intend to stretch
3. Flex the target hip and knee towards the torso
4. Bring the arm and shoulder that is on the same side of the target hip to the inside of the knee
5. Wrap the elbow of the arm ‘backwards’ around the target knee, bringing this knee under the armpit
6. Retract this shoulder rearward to increase the stretch
7. Hold the stretch for 20 Seconds
8. Release the stretch
Muscle Details
Muscle Details
The Gluteus Maximus is by weight, usually the largest muscle in the human body and is one of only two muscles that insert into the ITB (iliotibial band), the other being the TFL (tensor fasciae latae).
Origin:
- Posterior iliac crest, sacrum coccyx and the sacrotuberous ligament.
Insertion:
- Iliotibial band (ITB) and the gluteal tuberosity of the femur.
Action:
- Extension & lateral rotation of the hip. The upper 1/3 muscle fibres abduct the hip and the lower 2/3 muscle fibres adduct the hip. Bilateral contraction produces posterior pelvic tilt.
People who suffer from ITB syndrome or ‘runners knee’ should be working to stretch this muscle (along with the TFL) to ease the contraction ‘pull’ upon the ITB, rather than just relying on the ‘fad’ that is ‘foam rolling’ alone. Tension within the gluteal muscles can refer pain down the posterior leg or up into the lumbar back contributing to ‘back pain’, especially desk workers or those who sit for long periods.