Stretching · Level 1
Piriformis stretch (figure 4)
On your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and pull your legs toward your chest.
- Suggested dose
- 1 × 30 s per side · 5s rest
- Equipment
- No equipment · or · Mat
- Works
- Glutes
- Pattern
- Mobility
How to do it
- On your back, cross your right ankle over your left knee.
- Hold your left thigh and pull it toward your chest.
- Hold and switch sides.
Key points
- Head down
- Breathe deeply
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the crossed knee
Why it helps your tennis
Releases the hip rotators that work on every turn.
Source: Complete Conditioning for Tennis, ch. 5 (figure-4 stretch)
Related exercises
- Knee hug + lungePull one knee to your chest while balancing, then flow into a forward lunge.
- Straight-leg kick (Frankenstein)Straight-leg raise toward the opposite hand, under control.
- Hamstring pendulumSingle-leg hinge reaching the other leg back, body in a straight line.
- Lunge with rotationForward lunge and trunk rotation toward the front leg.