Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Roller Hip Stretch: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The roller hip stretch is a flexibility and mobility exercise that targets the glutes and also stretches the hamstrings and quadriceps. It uses a foam roller to help release tension and improve range of motion in the hip area.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Quads
Equipment
Roller
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the roller hip stretch
Front view: muscles worked by the roller hip stretch. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Back view: muscles worked by the roller hip stretch. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings and quads.
Primary Secondary

How to do the roller hip stretch

  1. Step 1: Start by sitting on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Place the roller under your glutes, just above your knees.
  3. Step 3: Lean back and place your hands on the ground behind you for support.
  4. Step 4: Engage your glutes and slowly roll the roller forward, bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, feeling a stretch in your glutes.
  6. Step 6: Slowly roll the roller back to the starting position, extending your legs.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the roller hip stretch by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Roller Hip Stretch alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.