Iliotibial Tract-SMR

How to do the Iliotibial Tract-SMR

1. Lay on your side, with the bottom leg placed onto a foam roller between the hip and the knee. The other leg can be crossed in front of you.
2. Place as much of your weight as is tolerable onto your bottom leg; there is no need to keep your bottom leg in contact with the ground. Be sure to relax the muscles of the leg you are stretching.
3. Roll your leg over the foam from you hip to your knee, pausing for 10-30 seconds at points of tension. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abductors
Equipment	foam roller
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	isolation

No foam roller? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Lying Crossover Bodyweight Hip Circles (prone) Bodyweight Standing Hip Circles Bodyweight Windmills Bodyweight Monster Walk Resistance Bands IT Band and Glute Stretch Other Equipment

Harder than the Iliotibial Tract-SMR

Lying Crossover expert · Bodyweight

Common questions

What muscles does the Iliotibial Tract-SMR work?

The Iliotibial Tract-SMR primarily works the abductors. IT Band and Glute Stretch, Lying Crossover, and Hip Circles (prone) train the same muscle, across 4 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Iliotibial Tract-SMR?

A Foam Roller. Without a foam roller, Lying Crossover, Hip Circles (prone), and Standing Hip Circles train the same muscle, and 4 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Iliotibial Tract-SMR suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. No easier variation of this pattern is catalogued; build the abductors with a different movement first.

Where should the Iliotibial Tract-SMR go in a workout?

Late — the Iliotibial Tract-SMR is isolation work, so it follows your compounds.

Similar exercises

IT Band and Glute Stretch Other Equipment Lying Crossover Bodyweight Hip Circles (prone) Bodyweight Standing Hip Circles Bodyweight Thigh Abductor Machine Windmills Bodyweight