How to Loosen Tight Buttock Muscles?

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There is a bunch of wrong information on the internet that teaches people how to loosen tight buttock muscles.

Results?

Some aren’t working, some are difficult to implement. Worst of all, some wrong info costs you an injury…

So in this guide, we are going to talk about how to loosen your butt scientifically.

Overview

Your buttocks may be one of your most attractive features, but there’s more to them than just the show. It’s important that they are able to move in their full range of motion as set by nature.

If your hips cannot move in this range, it may mean that your hip flexor muscles have shortened over time. This can cause tightness, aches, and pains, which can thankfully be relieved with proper care of your tush even at home.

Why Are My Glute Muscles So Tight?

Your glute muscles may have become tight due to a number of reasons. Perhaps you have an inactive routine in which you’re bound to sit in one place for long periods. Or maybe it’s the opposite – you’ve overworked those muscles at the gym in your quest for getting shapely buttocks!

Poor posture, incorrect form while working out, not warming up pre-workout and not stretching post-workout may also cause tight, weak glutes. Moreover, not using your glutes through their full range of motion causes them to shorten over time, resulting in the tightness you feel.

Signs and Symptoms of Tight Glute Muscles

Since your gluteus muscles are associated with several different muscle groups, the signs and symptoms of tight glutes may not be limited to your buttocks only. A feeling of pain or stiffness in your leg, back, buttock, or pelvis may all originate from glute tightness.

Scientific data shows that weakness of the Gluteus Maximus, the major hip muscle, can contribute to the injury itself, causing aches and pains such as sore hips, tight hip flexors, ankle sprains, hamstring strains, lower back pain, and anterior knee pain.

The Tight Glute Test:

You can check if your hip muscles are tight by lying flat on the floor and raising your thigh while bending it at the knee, bringing it close to your chest. If you feel some kind of physical hindrance to this motion, chances are, you have tight hips. Here’s a video by Strength Side on how to check for tight hips.

How to Loosen Your Tight Buttock Muscles The Right Way

Some lifestyle changes can help with loosening those glutes a bit. For instance, if you’re used to sitting at a desk throughout the day, you could stand and take a short walk every 30 minutes or so to prevent the tightening and weakness of your buttocks. Sitting up straight with the correct posture would also help if you must be inactive.

Stretching exercises along with massage can help relieve painful, tight hips over time. The next session discusses some effective exercises for relieving the tightness in your buttocks.

6 Exercises for Tight Bum

Almost all exercises for tight buttocks involve a great deal of stretching. That is why it is important to warm up first to get your blood circulating properly and generating heat in your body. This will enable you to effectively perform the exercises meant to loosen your buttocks later.

Fitness expert Yuri Elkaim suggests leg swings, front lunges, and hip bridges as a good dynamic warmup before you start stretching those glutes.

Once you’re all warmed up, it’s time to pamper your booty with some serious stretching exercises. These aren’t very difficult to perform, as you’ll be able to see from the step-by-step guides below.

Pigeon Pose

The pigeon pose is a great stretching exercise to open up those hips. Actually a yoga pose can increase the flexibility of your glutes while strengthening them over time.

Here’s a video by Howcast for a step-by-step visual guide to the pigeon pose.

  • Start by positioning yourself on all fours. Your knees should be in a straight line with your hips, and your palms directly below your shoulders.
  • Slide your right knee forwards, position it between your hands, and bring your right heel just in line with your left hip.
  • Stretch your left leg straight behind, keeping it unbent, and your left toe touching the floor. If you’re having trouble making your right hip stay in contact with the floor, you may use a block or folded mat for support underneath it.
  • Exhale while lowering your torso toward the ground until your forehead touches the floor. Maintain this position for as long as possible, breathing easily.
  • Bring your torso back up gently, returning to the starting position.
  • Now slide your left knee forward and repeat the pose.

Glute Foam Roll

This exercise massages your glutes due to the foam roller used underneath them. It’s a great way to loosen the tightness in your buttocks by increasing their range of motion and making them more flexible over time.

Here’s a demonstration by Mayo Clinic on how to correctly perform the Glute Foam Roll.

  • Sit with a foam roller underneath your buttocks with your knees bent (facing upwards), feet flat on the floor.
  • Your torso should be bent slightly back, supported by your left hand.
  • Bring your left foot up, resting the ankle over your right knee. Hold your left calf with your right hand.
  • With your right foot planted firmly on the floor in front of you and your left hand stretched behind you touching the ground for support, gently move back and forth over the roller by giving it about a quarter turn.
  • Keep moving for 30 to 60 seconds, then change sides.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

This is a lunging type of stretch to strengthen your hip flexor muscles.

Here’s a video by My Doctor showing the correct kneeling hip flexor stretch.

  • Stand with your back straight. Take a big step forwards with your right leg.
  • Bend your right leg at the knee so that your tight thigh is parallel to the floor, your right foot planted firmly on the ground.
  • Lower your left thigh so that your left calf rests on the floor behind you, your left toe touching the floor.
  • Maintain the stretch for a while, then switch legs and repeat.

Figure Four Glute Stretch

This one is another relaxing exercise for tight bums. It can especially help with sore buttocks when you need relief from the pain.

Here’s the perfect glute stretch by Livestrong.com.

  • Lie down on your back with a relaxed body, then fold your left leg with your left knee facing upwards.
  • Bring your right foot across your body, making your right ankle rest over your left knee.
  • Hold the back of your left thigh with both your hands, bringing your left knee (and your right ankle over it) close to your chest. Your torso and hips should lie flat on the floor throughout.
  • You may now relax after holding the position for a while and switch sides, or you may continue to make the stretch deeper with the following steps.
  • For a deeper stretch, place one hand over your right knee and apply outward pressure while simultaneously pulling in your left hamstring with the other hand.
  • Take it up a notch by raising your own shoulders and bringing your face closer to your right ankle.
  • Gently go back to your starting position and switch sides.

Butterfly Stretch

This is a good exercise for your inner thigh as well as tight hip muscles. It’s another yoga pose and is said to benefit fertility as well.

Here’s a visual guide to performing the butterfly stretch, courtesy of Howcast.

  • Sit with your back straight.
  • Bend both your legs at the knees outwards, so that the feet point inwards towards each other.
  • Bring both your feet in contact.
  • Hold your feet with your hands and try to push them towards your groin; the closer, the better.
  • Bring your knees as close to the floor as possible.
  • Hold the pose for about 30 seconds.
  • Release, and then repeat.

Twisted Glute Stretch

The twisted glute stretch is often effective in relaxing buttock muscles. It’s a simple maneuver with soothing results.

Here’s a short tutorial clip by Bupa Health UK on how to correctly perform a twisted glute stretch.

  • Sit on the floor with your back straight.
  • Keep your left leg flat on the floor in front if you, and bend your right leg upwards at the knee.
  • Bring your right foot over your left thigh, making it rest on the floor just beside your left knee.
  • Apply gentle pressure with both your hands over your right thigh, aiming to bring your right knee closer to your left shoulder.
  • Hold the position for about 30 seconds, then relax and switch sides.

All these exercises are gentle enough to be done daily without an issue. Make sure to warm up properly, and remember to push yourself but while setting realistic limits to avoid injury. Always take a break or change sides after you’ve exhausted each pose.

Conclusion

Now that you know everything essential about loosening your tight glutes to increase their strength and function, you must also know that both ends of the spectrum – inactivity as well as excessive activity – can harm your glutes.

The good news is, it’s quite treatable even at home through buttocks massage and stretching exercises.