These 38 Leg, Hip, and Glute Stretches (Plus 1 Video!) Will Open Up Your Entire Lower Body

The small movements in this stretch help you shake out the tightness in the backs of your legs.

This stretch is good for your hamstrings and also loosens tight shoulders.

Easy to do anywhere and safe for injured backs, this hamstring stretch is great if you're really tight.

If the previous stretch isn't deep enough for you, then try this variation. It's perfect for doing on a bench after a run in the park.

If you can't reach all the way to your toes, set your hands on your knees or shins. Crawl them as far down your legs as you can until you start to feel a stretch.

This basic stretch is perfect for targeting one leg at a time and is great for those with really tight hamstrings.

Here's a relaxing way to stretch one hamstring at a time.

This is a great stretch if you have knee issues or if you'd rather recline than stand up.

This yoga pose is challenging but great for stretching your quads, opening your hips, and giving you a great spinal twist.

This pose stretches out the front of your thighs, but it will also give you a nice stretch in your chest and shoulders. It's advanced, so take it slow and don't push your body to the point of pain.

For a slightly different effect from the standing and reclined stretches, this kneeling quad stretch loosens the muscles right above your knee especially well.

This basic quad stretch can be done anytime, anywhere.

Your IT band, which runs along the outside of your thigh, helps you to propel forward when you're walking or running. Give this muscle a much-needed break with this simple, do-anywhere stretch.

This yoga-inspired low lunge opens up your hips and hits your quads and hamstrings, too. Sink down, and let it simmer.

This calming hip opener also stretches your lower back.

This relaxing stretch targets both hips at once while opening up your lower back.

Stretch both hips at the same time with Butterfly pose.

The hip flexors, the muscles at the front of the hip, can become extremely tight just from sitting. This intense stretch targets that area as well as the outer hips.

A popular stretch for runners, Head to Knee targets the hips and hamstrings while giving the back a nice stretch, too.

A basic yoga pose, Pigeon is one of the most effective hip openers because you can focus on one hip at a time.

Double Pigeon offers a very intense stretch for your deep glutes.

To stretch your hips, hamstrings, and inner thighs, do a Wide-Legged Split.

This classic glute stretch is a modification of the Seated Twist yoga pose. With less emphasis on twisting the spine, you can really focus on lengthening the glute muscles.

This stretch is great for TV time and can really loosen up tight hips, too.

This stretch feels great for the low back, but the configuration of the legs intensifies the stretch for the glutes.

This stretch targets the piriformis, which technically isn't part of the muscle group known as the glutes, but it's in the area and it gets tight.

If your hips are tight, this stretch will start to loosen up your glutes and smaller muscles around the back of your hip.

This stretch is a modified version of a seated yoga pose known as Cow Face. When lying on your back, you can better control the amount of pressure and stretch you want.

If your glutes are super tight and sore, this position will feel like a big stretch. On an average day, though, it might just feel like a gentle release for your lower back and butt.

This is a classic calf stretch that you can do just about anywhere.

This is one of the easiest stretches to do as soon as you finish a run. If you have weak Achilles tendons, do the variation using a wall instead of a ledge.

This is a simple way to stretch your calves while sitting.

This basic yoga pose is a great calf stretch.

This stretch is a great multitasking stretch that opens your shoulders as well as your calves.

This is an active stretch for the calves and works well as a warmup.

It's important to keep the soleus — the deep calf muscle — loose to prevent problems with the sole of your foot, like plantar fasciitis.

This stretches the lower part of the soleus and feels great on the sole of your foot, too.

You can also massage tight calves with a foam roller; it's intense but effective.

This five-minute video will lead you through some basic leg stretches that your hips and knees will appreciate, too. Do a bit of cardio to get your blood flowing, then grab a towel to help deepen the stretches.