While not all of these exercises directly stretch the IT Band, they do work the muscles surrounding it, allowing them to work together like a well-oiled machine.
IT Band
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Lie on your right side and place a foam roller perpendicular under your hip. Using your hands or forearms for support, cross your left leg over your right and put your left foot flat on the floor. Roll from your hip down to just above your knee. Switch legs and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonQuads
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Lie facedown on the floor and place the foam roller perpendicular to your leg to target the quads. Roll from the top of your quad to just above the knee. Switch legs and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonHamstrings
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Sit on the floor with the foam roller under your right leg. Place your hands behind you to support your weight. Starting with the roller under your knee, slowly roll up to your hip and back down. Switch sides and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonGlutes
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Sit on the foam roller with it perpendicular to your body. Cross your right ankle over your left knee. Slowly roll from just below your lower back to the top of your leg, across the glute. Switch legs and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonBridge March
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Lying on your back, lift your hips to a full bridge position. Lift one foot off the floor while maintaining the bridging position. Do not allow your hips to drop. Return to the starting position. Lift your other foot. Continue repeating the exercise.
30 seconds, switching sides
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Your Next TriathlonSide-Lying Clam
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Lie on your side with an elastic band around your thighs just above your knee. Keeping your feet together, lift the upper leg off the lower. Lift only as high as is comfortable and do not allow your back to rotate. You should keep your spine stable throughout the exercise and isolate the motion to the hip.
30 seconds on each side
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Your Next TriathlonSide-Lying Hip Abduction
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Lying on your side, lift the upper leg again, isolating motion to the hip. Don't lift too high and keep the spine stable. You want to focus on keeping your leg in line with your trunk and your foot parallel to the ground.
30 seconds on each side
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Your Next TriathlonIT Band Stretch
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Stand with your right leg crossed over your left. Lean to the right (toward your front leg) until you feel the stretch along the outside of your right leg. Switch sides and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonCross-Body Stretch
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Grab a strap or band and lie flat on your back. Bring your right leg up and place the strap around the ball of your foot. Keeping your foot flexed, slowly straighten your leg and move it over toward your left side, across your body. Both legs should stay straight the whole time and your hips should remain on the floor. Once you start feeling the stretch, hold. Switch sides and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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Your Next TriathlonFigure-4 Stretch
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Lie on your back with your legs bend and shoulder width apart. Place your left ankle over your right knee. Reach between your legs with your left hand and on the outside of your right leg with your right arm to clasp around your right leg. Pull toward your chest, making sure your hips stay on the floor, until you feel a stretch. Switch sides and repeat.
30 seconds to two minutes on each side
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