9 Glute Exercises to Strengthen and Stretch Your Muscles

In Yoga Journal’s Archives series, we share a curated collection of articles originally published in past issues beginning in 1975. These stories offer a glimpse into how yoga was interpreted, written about, and practiced throughout the years. This article first appeared in Yoga Journal in 2016. Find more of our Archives here.

Despite the fact that the glutes play a crucial role in almost every move you make, these muscles also experience a lot of down-time.

Your glutes support you whether you’re sitting, standing, walking, running or pretty much any other means of movement. Conversely, prolonged lack of movement—such as sitting in your car, at your desk, or on your couch—can contract and tighten these muscles and lead to low back pain, limited range of motion in the hip flexors, and stiff knee joints over time. Of course, this doesn’t mean sitting is “bad”—keeping the body in any one position for too long can cause discomfort.

But you can balance inactivity with glute exercises to strengthen and stretch these muscles and, in turn, better support your entire body.

9 Yoga-Based Exercises for Strong Glutes

Warm up your body before practicing these glute exercises with your preferred stretches or more dynamic movement such as Sun Salutation A.

1. Airplane Kicks

Come to your hands and knees and tuck your toes for more stability. Hug your outer shins in and draw your navel in toward your spine. Reach your right arm forward at shoulder height with your palm facing in and your fingers spread wide. Reach your left heel toward the back wall and flex your foot. Take 3-5 breaths here. Then reach your right arm to the right side with your palm facing the floor as you simultaneously reach your left heel toward the left with your toes facing the front of the mat. Remain here for 3-5 breaths.

To come out of it, return to your hands and knees. Switch sides.

2. Revolved Chair Pose to Revolved High Lunge

Stand at the top of the mat with your feet together. Bend your knees and lower your hips down as if you were about to sit in a chair. Press your feet into the mat and shift your weight back into your heels. Gently draw your navel in toward your spine. Draw your hands together at your chest in Chair Pose.

As you exhale, twist to the right and reach your right elbow toward your outer left thigh. Hook your elbow on your thigh if it’s comfortable while also lengthening through your spine. Keeping the twist in your body, shift your weight into your left foot, lift your right foot off the mat, and reach your right heel toward your butt. Then step your right foot back 2-3 feet into Revolved High Lunge. Take 5 breaths here.

To come out of it, step your right foot back to meet your left and lower your arms to your sides as you return to standing. Switch sides.

3. Big Toe Pose Leg Lifts

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward from your hips, bending your knees as much as you need, and lower your chest toward your legs in Standing Forward Bend. Wrap your big toes with your index and middle fingers. Press your feet into the mat and inhale as you lift your chest slightly and lengthen your spine in Halfway Lift. From here, shift your weight into your left foot and stack your left hip over your heel. Draw your navel  toward your spine. Lift your right foot a few inches off the mat. Take 5 breaths here, then lower your right foot back down to the mat. Repeat twice on each side.

4. Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose

Stand at the top of the mat with your hands on your hips. Press your feet into the mat and draw your navel toward your spine. Lift your right knee and flex your foot. Grasp your big toe with your right hand or wrap a strap or belt around your foot and hold onto either end of it. Flex your foot and straighten your right leg, or keep it slightly bent. Draw your shoulders down away from your ears and lengthen your spine in Extended Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose. Take 5 breaths here. Still holding onto your right foot, reach it to the right side. Reach your left arm toward the left. Keep your gaze forward or look toward your left thumb. Take 5 breaths here.

To come out of it, release your grip on your right foot and lower it back to standing. Switch sides.

For a less intense stretch, bend your right leg, grasp your right knee from the outside, and keep your leg bent throughout.

5. Lord of the Dance Pose

From standing, shift your weight into your right foot. Bend your left knee, reach your left hand behind you with your palm facing out, and grasp your inner left ankle or foot with your hand or wrap a belt or strap around your foot and grasp the end of it. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling. Lengthen your spine and imagine your tailbone pointing straight down toward the mat.  Keep your gaze forward. As you inhale, lift your left foot behind you. Press your lifted foot into your hand as you press your supporting foot into the mat. Stay here or lean your chest forward as you press your lifted foot toward the wall behind you. Take 5-10 breaths here.

To come out of it, release your grip on your left foot and gently lower it down to the mat to standing. Pause for a few breaths, then switch sides. Repeat up to 2 times on each side.

6. High Lunge Variation

From standing, step your right foot forward 2-3 feet. Bend your right knee and lower your hands to the mat or on blocks on either side of your right foot. Lower your left knee to the mat and untuck your toes in Low Lunge. Press the top of your left foot into the mat, lift your chest upright, and place your hands on your hips. As you inhale, press your right foot into the mat and lift your left knee off the mat. Squeeze your inner thighs together, point your tailbone straight down toward the mat, and draw your navel in toward your spine . Take 10 breaths here.

To come out of it, lower your left knee back down to the mat. Come to your hands and knees and switch sides.

7. Bridge Pose with One Leg Lifted

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Rest your arms by your sides with your palms facing down. Inhale and lift your hips. Wiggle your shoulder blades toward your spine and interlace your fingers underneath you in Bridge Pose. Take 5 breaths here. Stay here or, for a more intense glute exercise, press your left foot into the mat, bend your right knee toward your chest, and extend your right heel toward the ceiling. Take 5 breaths here.

To come out of it, lower your lifted leg if you extended it, then lower your hips back down to the mat. Switch sides. Repeat twice on each side.

8. Thread the Needle (Reclining Half Pigeon)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Reach your right arm through the gap between your legs and grasp your left thigh or shin with both hands. Flex both feet and gently draw your left knee toward your chest as you lean your right knee away from you in Reclining Half Pigeon Pose. Stay here or press your right elbow against your right leg for a deeper stretch. Take 10 breaths here.

To come out of it, release your grip and lower your legs back to the starting position. Switch sides.

9. Cow Face Pose

Sit at the top of the mat. Extend your left leg straight in front of you, and cross your right foot over your left leg, resting the side of your foot next to your outer left thigh. Bend your left knee and flex both feet. Adjust the placement of your feet, moving them closer to or farther away from your body until you feel a comfortable stretch in Cow Face Pose. Lengthen your spine and ground your sitting bones into the mat. As you exhale, hinge forward from your hips and walk your hands forward on the mat. Stay here or, if it’s comfortable, lower your forearms to the mat or on blocks. Take 10 breaths here.

To come out of it, walk your hands in toward your body and lift your chest back to  return to a seated position. Extend both legs straight in front of you and shake them out. Switch sides.

This article has been updated. Originally published January 20, 2016.