Standing IT Band Stretch
oec:standing-it-band-stretch
A standing lateral hip stretch targeting the tensor fasciae latae and gluteal complex by crossing the legs and shifting the pelvis sideways.
Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.
Also called: Standing Iliotibial Band Stretch, Standing Cross-Legged ITB Stretch, Standing TFL Stretch
How to do it
Setup
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, optionally placing one hand on a wall or sturdy object for balance.
- Cross the target leg behind your front leg, resting its foot flat or slightly on its outer edge.
Movement
- Push your target hip outward away from the front foot, driving your pelvis into lateral adduction.
- Reach the arm on the target side up and over your head toward the opposite side, gently curving your torso.
- Hold the position for the prescribed duration while maintaining a steady stretch along the outer hip and thigh.
- Carefully return to an upright standing position and repeat on the opposite side.
Breathing
Breathe smoothly and deeply, relaxing deeper into the hip adduction on each exhale.
Cues
- Push the back hip out
- Keep both feet grounded
- Reach tall and bend sideways
Common faults
- Rotating the hips or shoulders forward rather than staying in the frontal plane.
- Keep your pelvis and chest facing squarely forward throughout the stretch.
- Bending forward at the waist instead of side-bending.
- Focus on driving the hip out laterally and laterally flexing the spine rather than flexing forward.
Safety
- Use a wall for balance if you feel unsteady while your feet are crossed.
Muscles
Joints
- Hip: Adduction
- Lumbar spine: Lateral flexion
Details
- Movement
- Stretch
- Modality
- Flexibility, Mobility
- Mechanics
- isolation
- Force
- static
- Laterality
- unilateral
- Kinetic chain
- closed
- Level
- beginner
- Equipment
- None
- Record
- Duration
- Load
- none
Sources
- wger: Standing IT Band Stretch, by Davidgj32 (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.