Legs

Bretzel stretch

A comprehensive total-body rotational stretch designed to unlock hip mobility and thoracic spine flexibility.

01

How to perform.

Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.

01

Lie on your right side and bring your left knee up toward your chest until your hip is flexed at about 90 degrees.

02

Place your right hand on your left knee and apply gentle pressure to keep the knee pinned against the floor.

03

Reach back with your left hand and grab your right foot or ankle, pulling your right heel toward your glute.

04

Slowly rotate your left shoulder toward the floor while exhaling to deepen the stretch through your torso and hips.

05

Keep your head neutral or look over your left shoulder to complete the spiral through your spine.

06

Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds while maintaining deep, diaphragmatic breathing before switching to the opposite side.

02

Common mistakes.

Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.

  • Allowing the lead knee to lift off the ground during the rotation
  • Holding your breath or taking shallow chest breaths
  • Forcing the shoulder to the floor rather than letting gravity guide it
  • Arching the lower back excessively to compensate for tight quads
03

Muscles worked.

The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.

GlutesPrimary
QuadricepsSupport
Hip FlexorsSupport
Thoracic SpineSupport
ObliquesSupport

Source

Exercise data from wger.de · Licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0.

Track every set.