Exercises / Piriformi stretch

Piriformi stretch GIF

Figure

Male figure; the female figure follows.

Muscles

Background

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Worked muscles

GlutesMusculus gluteus maximus
Side glutesMusculus gluteus medius
Hip flexorsMusculus iliopsoas
Lower backMusculus erector spinae

Equipment: chair
Level: beginner
Loop: One repetition, 1.33 seconds

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Part of the stretch pack, all 16 stretch variations: male figure (the female figure follows), GIF, WebP and MP4 at 480 and 720 px, commercial license.

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From the API

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curl https://api.exercisegif.com/v1/exercises/piriformi-stretch \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $EXERCISEGIF_KEY"

Returns the exercise with GIF, WebP and MP4 links for both figures. Docs

How to do a piriformi stretch

Sit tall on a chair with both feet flat.
Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
Keep your back straight and hinge forward from the hips.
Lean until you feel a stretch deep in the buttock.
Hold 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Form tips

Hinge from the hips instead of rounding the spine.
Press the crossed knee gently down for a deeper stretch.
Stop if you feel numbness or tingling in the leg.