After an intense lower-body workout, I find my hips begin to feel stiff and the muscles tighten if I forget to stretch, restricting my range of motion. While sore muscles can be somewhat satisfying at first—particularly after a heavy weight lifting session—it soon wears thin when you experience aches and pains every time you sit down and stand up.
Thankfully, there are some really easy stretching exercises you can use to loosen your stiff muscles and alleviate your post-workout aches. I asked physical therapist Stephanie Clark what she does when she's feeling the effects of a lower-body workout the next day. You can run through these stretches in under five minutes and repeat if necessary. Your hips, glutes and thighs will thank you for it.
Stephanie Clark competed in elite-level competitive gymnastics which sparked her interest in pursuing physiotherapy as a career. After studying kinesiology at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Canada, she went on to complete her masters degree in Science of Physiotherapy at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.
The stretches
1. Pigeon pose
Physiotherapist Stephanie Clark demonstrates pigeon pose
- Start on your hands and knees. Bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist and bring your right foot towards your left hand. Your right foot doesn't have to meet your left hand, move it as far as is comfortable.
- Extend your left leg behind you.
- Lower your hips towards the floor.
- Hold for 30-60 seconds on each side, perform 2-3 times in total.
What it does: Deeply stretches the hip rotators, especially the piriformis, which can become tight after lower-body workouts.
2. Lying butterfly stretch
Physiotherapist Stephanie Clark demonstrates lying butterfly stretch
- Sit with the soles of your feet together.
- Holding this position, lie down on your back.
- Keeping the soles of your feet together, gently bring your knees closer to the floor.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds, perform 2-3 times in total.
What it does: Opens up the hips and stretches the groin muscles, which can tighten after exercises like squats and lunges.
3. Lizard pose
Physiotherapist Stephanie Clark demonstrates lizard pose
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Take a step forward and bend both knees to lower into a lunge.
- Slide your rear leg backward.
- Lower your forearms to the floor inside your front foot, if possible. If not possible, place your hands flat on the floor and bend your elbows as far as is comfortable.
- Hold for 30-60 seconds on each side, perform 2-3 times in total.
What it does: Stretches the hip flexors and inner thighs.
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