Knee to Chest Stretch
The Knee to Chest Stretch is a gentle supine mobility exercise designed to release tension in the glutes, hips, and lower back. By pulling one knee toward your chest while keeping your spine neutral, this movement helps improve flexibility and alleviate stiffness from prolonged sitting.
Because this is a restorative movement, the AI focuses on recovery optimization rather than intensity. It analyzes your sleep quality, HRV, and recent training load to prescribe the optimal hold duration to down-regulate your nervous system. If you have logged lower back pain historically, the app recognizes this as a safe therapeutic option and can adjust the frequency of this stretch in your routine to aid recovery without aggravating injury.
Form Cues
- Lie flat on your back with your spine neutral
- Grasp your shin or hamstring with both hands
- Gently pull your knee toward your shoulder
- Keep your opposite leg straight and grounded
- Breathe deeply into your belly to relax tension
- Don't lift your head or neck off the floor
- Don't let your hips twist or rotate sideways
- Don't force the stretch through sharp pain
- Don't hold your breath while pulling
- Don't let the opposite leg float up off the ground
Common Mistakes
- Lifting the head off the mat
- Rounding the lower back excessively
- Tensing the shoulders and neck
- Pulling too aggressively
- Holding the breath
Muscles Worked
This stretch primarily targets the gluteus maximus and hamstrings, helping to restore length to the posterior chain. It also offers significant relief to the erector spinae in the lower back, making it an excellent movement for spinal decompression and hip mobility.
Primary
Secondary
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