Stretch & Strength: Glutes – Mobility That Lasts

Stretching your glutes can release tension in the hips, improve movement comfort, and help with everything from walking to squatting. Strong, mobile glutes also play a big role in supporting your lower back—when they’re weak or tight, back pain is more prevalent.

What helps? Follow your stretch with activation (waking up the muscles) and integration (training them to work in coordination with the rest of your body).

Choose one of each, stay consistent, and your hips will stay strong and mobile.

Activation: Clamshells

Purpose: Activates the glute medius and other hip stabilizers to support pelvic alignment and hip stability.

How: Lie on your side with knees bent and feet together. Keeping your feet touching, lift your top knee while keeping your hips stacked. Lower with control.

Why It Works: Strengthens smaller stabilizing muscles that help maintain hip mobility after stretching.

Add on: Use a small, loop resistance band to add a. challenge to this exercise.

Integration: Walking Lunge with Arm Reach

Purpose: Trains the glutes, quads, and core together in a functional, full-body movement.

How: Step forward into a lunge, reaching both arms overhead as you lower. Push through your front heel to step forward into the next lunge.

Why It Works: Combines lower body strength with hip mobility, improving movement patterns you use daily.

How to Use This

After your stretching session (or at home), do:

• Clamshells: 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps per side

• Walking Lunge with Arm Reach: 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps per leg

These exercises can be scaled back to make them easier or progressed to give your body a bigger challenge. Reach out to me to learn how.

Consistently pairing your stretches with these moves helps you turn short-term relief into lasting hip mobility and strength.

Have questions or want to schedule your next stretch or strengthening session? Reach out—I'm happy to help.