Do you want strong glutes? You need these 9 strengthening exercises.

In Yoga diaryIn the Archives series, we share a curated collection of articles originally published in back issues dating back to 1975. These stories offer a glimpse into how yoga has been interpreted, written about, and practiced over the years. This article first appeared in Yoga diary in 2016. Find more of our archives here.

Although the glutes play a crucial role in almost every movement you make, these muscles also experience a… lot from standstill.

Your glutes support you whether you are sitting, standing, walking, running or moving in any other way. Conversely, prolonged lack of exercise—such as sitting in the car, at your desk, or on the couch—can contract and tighten these muscles, which over time can lead to lower back pain, limited range of motion of the hip flexors, and stiff knee joints. Of course, this does not mean that sitting is “bad”; Holding the body in one position for too long can cause discomfort.

But you can balance inactivity with glute exercises to strengthen and stretch these muscles and, in turn, better support your entire body.

9 Yoga-Based Exercises for Strong Glutes

Before doing these glute exercises, warm up your body with your favorite stretches or more dynamic movements such as Sun Salutations A.

1. Airplane kicks

Get on your hands and knees and tuck your toes for more stability. Hug your outer shins inward and draw your belly button toward your spine. Extend your right arm forward at shoulder height with your palm facing inward and your fingers spread wide. Reach your left heel toward the back wall and flex your foot. Take 3-5 breaths here. Then reach your right arm out to the right side with your palm facing the floor while simultaneously reaching your left heel to the left with your toes pointing toward the front of the mat. Stay here for 3-5 breaths.

To get out, return to your hands and knees. Switch sides.

2. Twisting Chair Pose to Twisting High Lunge

Stand with your feet together at the top of the mat. Bend your knees and lower your hips as if you were about to sit in a chair. Press your feet into the mat and shift your weight back to your heels. Gently pull your belly button towards your spine. Pull your hands together on your chest in chair pose.

As you exhale, twist to the right and reach your right elbow toward your outer left thigh. Hook your elbow to your thigh if comfortable, while also lengthening through your spine. Keeping the twist in your body, shift your weight to your left foot, lift your right foot off the mat and reach your right heel toward your butt. Then step your right foot back 2-3 feet into the Revolved High Lunge. Take 5 breaths here.

To come out, step your right foot back to meet your left foot and lower your arms to your sides as you return to standing. Switch sides.

3. Leg lifts with big toe pose

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward from your hips, bend your knees as much as you need, and lower your chest toward your legs in the standing forward bend. Wrap your big toes with your index and middle fingers. Press your feet into the mat and inhale as you lift your chest slightly and lengthen your spine in Halfway Lift. From here, shift your weight to your left foot and stack your left hip over your heel. Pull your belly button towards your spine. Lift your right foot a few inches off the mat. Take five breaths here and then lower your right foot back to the mat. Repeat twice on each side.

4. Extended posture from hand to big toe

Stand at the top of the mat with your hands on your hips. Press your feet into the mat and pull your belly button toward your spine. Lift your right knee and flex your foot. Grab your big toe with your right hand or wrap a strap or strap around your foot and hold both ends of it. Flex your foot and straighten your right leg, or keep it slightly bent. Draw your shoulders down, away from your ears, and lengthen your spine into the extended hand-to-big-toe position. Take 5 breaths here. While still holding your right foot, reach it toward the right side. Reach your left arm to the left. Keep your gaze forward or look at your left thumb. Take 5 breaths here.

To get out, release your grip on your right foot and lower it back down to an upright position. Switch sides.

For a less intense stretch, bend your right leg, grab your right knee from the outside and keep your leg bent the entire time.

5. Lord of the dance position

From standing, shift your weight to your right foot. Bend your left knee, reach your left hand behind you with your palm facing outward, and grasp your inner left ankle or foot with your hand or wrap a strap or strap around your foot and grasp the end of it. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling. Lengthen your spine and imagine your tailbone pointing straight down toward the mat. Keep your eyes ahead. As you inhale, lift your left foot behind you. Press your lifted foot into your hand as you press your supporting foot into the mat. Stay here or lean your chest forward while pressing your raised foot against the wall behind you. Take 5-10 breaths here.

To get out, release your grip on your left foot and gently lower it onto the mat until it is upright. Pause for a few breaths and then switch sides. Repeat up to 2 times on each side.

6. High dropout variation

From standing, step forward 2-3 feet with your right foot. Bend your right knee and lower your hands to the mat or blocks on either side of your right foot. Lower your left knee to the mat and release your toes into Low Lunge. Press the top of your left foot into the mat, lift your chest upright and place your hands on your hips. As you inhale, press your right foot into the mat and lift your left knee off the mat. Squeeze your inner thighs, point your tailbone straight down toward the mat, and pull your belly button toward your spine. Take ten breaths here.

To come out, lower your left knee back to the mat. Get on your hands and knees and switch sides.

7. Bridge pose with one leg raised

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart. Rest your arms at your sides with your palms facing down. Inhale and lift your hips. Move your shoulder blades toward your spine and interlace your fingers beneath you in Bridge Pose. Take 5 breaths here. Stay here or, for a more intensive glute exercise, press your left foot into the mat, bend your right knee toward your chest and extend your right heel toward the ceiling. Take 5 breaths here.

To come out, lower your raised leg once you’ve straightened it, then lower your hips back to the mat. Switch sides. Repeat twice on each side.

8. Thread the needle (lying half pigeon)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh. Reach your right arm through the gap between your legs and grasp your left thigh or shin with both hands. Flex both feet and gently pull your left knee toward your chest as you lean your right knee away from you in the lying half pigeon pose. Stay here or press your right elbow against your right leg for a deeper stretch. Take ten breaths here.

To get out, release your grip and lower your legs back to the starting position. Switch sides.

9. Cow Face Pose

Sit at the top of the mat. Extend your left leg straight in front of you and cross your right foot over your left leg, resting the side of your foot next to your outer left thigh. Bend your left knee and flex both feet. Adjust the placement of your feet, moving them closer or further away from your body until you feel a comfortable stretch in Cow Face Pose. Lengthen your spine and grind your sit bones into the mat. As you exhale, bend forward at your hips and walk your hands forward on the mat. Stay here or, if comfortable, lower your forearms to the mat or blocks. Take ten breaths here.

To get out, walk your hands toward your body and lift your chest back to return to a sitting position. Extend both legs straight in front of you and shake them out. Switch sides.

This article has been updated. Originally published on January 20, 2016.