Ankle On The Knee

Also called figure four stretch, supine figure 4 and lying piriformis stretch.

Works

Glutes

Equipment

Bodyweight

Level

Beginner

Type

Isolation

How to do it

Setup. From a lying position, bend your knees and keep your feet on the floor.

1. Place your ankle of one foot on your opposite knee.
2. Grasp the thigh or knee of the bottom leg and pull both of your legs into the chest. Relax your neck and shoulders. Hold for 10-20 seconds and then switch sides.

Cues

• Ankle on the opposite knee.
• Pull the bottom thigh toward you.
• Push the top knee away gently.
• Relax the neck and shoulders.

Common mistakes

• Lifting the head off the floor.
• Holding the breath.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have sore knees. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Swap for