Supine Figure-4 Contract-Relax (Active Glutes)

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Supine Figure-4 Contract-Relax (Active Glutes)

Muscle Group Stretched: Glutes

Muscle Group Strengthened: Hip External Rotators

Type of Stretch: Passive Static

Difficulty: All Levels

Suggested Prerequisites: none

This variation of the passive figure-4 stretch turns it into an active flexibility drill by using a contract-relax of the glutes (essentially making this a PNF drill for our glutes). This can be a challenging strengthener for our glutes by working on strengthening them while they’re in a lengthened position.

How To

Step 1

Start lying on your back in a supine figure-4 stretch: crossing one ankle over the other knee so your legs splay out into a “number 4” shape, then pulling your legs towards your chest.

You should be feeling a stretch through the outer hip (glutes) of the leg that’s crossed on top.

Step 2

Keeping the initial stretch, take one hand to the outside of the knee that’s splayed out to the side.

Contract your glutes by pressing the outside of the knee into your hand for 10 seconds (try not to pulse, just give a constant tension/push of the knee in toward your hand).

Step 3

After 10 seconds of engaging your outer hip, relax the leg and just hold the passive stretch. Hold the relaxed stretch for 20 seconds. You can try to pull the legs a little closer to your chest if the stretch is feeling good.

Repeat for another 2-3 rounds of 10 seconds of contracting, and then 20 seconds of relaxing (and potentially sinking into a deeper stretch).

Modifications

Need to make it easier?

Keep the supporting leg’s foot on the floor. Instead of pulling the legs in toward your chest, cross your ankle over the opposite thigh/knee, and keep the supporting leg’s foot on the floor.

Want to make it harder?

Pull the legs more in towards your chest to deepen the stretch.

Related Content

• Flexopedia: Supine Figure-4 Stretch

• Blog Post: Working Towards King Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

• Blog Post: 6 Exercises for Hip Internal and External Rotation