If your hips feel stiff, your hamstrings are sore, or your glutes just won’t relax, there’s a good chance your body is asking for myofascial release.
Foam rolling is one of the most effective ways to address this tension—but I constantly see people mess it up.
In this guide, I’ll show you the best techniques and positions for targeting these key muscles of the hips and legs.
You’ll learn:
- Why foam rolling matters
- How to use a foam roller on your glutes
- How to use a foam roller on your hamstrings
- How to use a foam roller on your hip flexors
- And how to avoid common mistakes.
Let’s go!
Why Foam Rolling Your Glutes, Hips, and Hamstrings Matters
The glutes, hips, and hamstrings work together as part of your posterior chain—the muscles on the back side of your body responsible for power, balance, and stability.
Tightness in one muscle can lead to dysfunction which will cause a chain reactions throughout the legs, lower back, and even knees.
Foam rolling helps by
- Breaking up adhesions (trigger points and knots)
- Improving circulation and oxygen delivery
- Enhancing flexibility and joint mobility
- Reducing soreness and muscular fatigue
- Supporting recovery after workouts or long periods of sitting
What Type of Foam Roller Should You Use?
You don’t need a fancy roller to get results, but the right firmness and size can make a difference.
- Soft or smooth rollers are ideal for beginners or very sore muscles
- Firm or textured rollers are better for deeper release and more targeted pressure
- A peanut-shaped roller or massage ball can work well for small areas like the piriformis or hamstring attachments
These styles of rollers lead to trigger point therapy techniques.
I did a deep dive on all the different rollers in this quad article here!
Stick to a roller that feels like it’s doing work—but not causing sharp pain.
Soreness and tenderness are normal during the rolling, but you should still be able to breathe and stay relaxed.
Foam Roller Exercises for Glutes
1. Gluteus Maximus
Step 1: Set Your Position
- Sit on the foam roller with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands behind you for balance.
- Lean slightly to the side you’re working on.
Step 2: Roll the Muscle
- Angle your body so the roller moves from the crest of your hip down toward the upper femur.
- Use short, controlled rolls—avoid rushing through this large muscle.
Step 3: Release Hot Spots
- When you find a tender spot, stop and hold pressure for 20–30 seconds.
- Breathe deeply and let the muscle relax into the roller.
For a closer look at Gluteus Maximus stretches check out this article.
2. Gluteus Medius
Step 1: Set Your Position
- Start seated on the roller.
- Rotate your body so the outside of your hip bone (the lateral edge) rests on the roller.
Step 2: Roll the Muscle
- Keep the roller angled straight ahead.
- Shift side to side across the lateral hip, keeping the motion small since the glute medius is a smaller muscle compared to the glute max.
Step 3: Release Hot Spots
- Pause on any tight or tender areas.
- Hold pressure for 20–30 seconds before continuing.
For More on Medius Trigger Points check out this article.
3. Gluteus Minimus
Step 1: Set Your Position
- Sit on the roller as before, but shift your weight slightly closer to the midline of your body.
- The glute minimus lies just below and inside the glute medius.
Step 2: Roll the Muscle
- Use very short rolls since this muscle covers less space.
- Keep the motion gentle and precise—this muscle doesn’t need wide sweeping rolls.
Step 3: Release Hot Spots
- Hold on any tight spots for 20–30 seconds.
- Focus on relaxing the hip as you breathe.
4. Deep Hip Rotators (Piriformis & Friends)
Step 1: Set Your Position
- Sit on the foam roller so it rests just to the side of your tailbone.
- Cross your working leg over the opposite knee (optional) to open up the hip.
Step 2: Roll the Muscle
- Shift side to side between your coccyx (tailbone) and the top of your femur.
- These muscles run deep between those two bones, so small side-to-side movements are effective.
- Pro Tip: Try sitting more upright or leaning back—different angles help you hit different rotators.
Step 3: Release Hot Spots
- Stop when you feel a tender point.
- Apply steady pressure for 20–30 seconds, letting the muscle soften.
For all muscle groups, remember to move slowly. These muscles take time to adjust to the stimulus.
So just focus on pressure and release, not speed.
Learn more about foam rolling your glutes here.
Foam Roller Exercises for Hips
I recommend the peanut roller a thera-cane or a large massage ball to work on the hip flexors.
If all you have is a normal foam roller, that’s okay, but you may have trouble getting deep enough into some of the hip muscles.
Hip Flexor Roll
No Massage ball or peanut roller?
- Lie face-down and place the edge of the foam roller just to the inside of the front hip bone
- Support your upper body with forearms and outer leg and shift side to side
When you feel tension, pause for a moment on that spot and breathe for 20-30 seconds.
Then do a hip flexor stretch like the one leg up one leg down stretch shown here.
For more hip flexor information check out my ultimate stretching guide.
Massage ball or Peanut Roller
These tools allow us to get deeper into the hip crest in order to target the iliacus and psoas muscles much better.
Use the curve of the ball/roller to get deeper into the hip crest and follow the same steps as above!
- Lie face-down and place the roller just to the inside of the front hip bone.
- Support your upper body with forearms and outer leg and shift side to side or roll slightly up and down.
When you feel tension, take a moment to pause on that spot and breathe for 20-30 seconds.
Then do a hip flexor stretch like the one leg up one leg down stretch shown here.
If you need to target the muscle even more check out my theracane guide for a targeted release for the hip flexors.
Theracane
Lay on your back with your target side leg foot flat on the ground and the other leg extended out
pin your hip flexor with the knob end of the thera cane by palpating the inside of your pelvis.
once pinned, extend your leg slowly to stretch the muscle while it is under pressure.
Then release the muscle and reset.
Pro tip – sometimes, pinning is more than enough to massage out the deep hip flexors, extending the leg is not mandatory!
TFL (Tensor Fasciae Latae) Roll
Most people have never heard of the TFL, but if you’ve ever had IT band issues, this muscle was likely the culprit.
Here’s how to foam roll it:
Lie on your side with the roller or peanut roller right around the front pocket area
The TFL is the muscle that pops out when you lift your leg up. That’s why it’s easier to roll if you bend at the hip like the picture shows.
You can also watch the full video to see how I do it.
Gently roll back and forth to hit the TFL or pause right on top of it (it isn’t big so there isn’t much to roll over)
I recommend using a softball or massage ball to target this muscle better. Learn more here (coming soon).
Foam Roller Exercises for Hamstrings
Straight Hamstring Roll
- Sit on the floor with your leg extended and foam roller under one of your hamstrings
- Use your same side hands to lift your hips and roll from the bottom of your hip bone to slightly above the back of the knee.
Pro tip: for added pressure, use your opposite side hand to press your leg into the roller.
If you’ve already released trigger points in your upper calf, you’ll often find that hamstring tension melts away faster.
Everything is connected through fascia, so releasing nearby areas can improve overall mobility.
Learn more about fixing your calves here.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Foam rolling is simple in concept but easy to get wrong. Keep these in mind:
- Don’t roll too fast — You’re not trying to speed through a workout. Slow, deliberate rolling is way better. Most of the time, I just apply pressure in one area without rolling at all!
- Avoid rolling on joints, bones or nerves — Stay on the muscle tissue.
- Don’t hold your breath — Deep breathing helps your nervous system relax and lets your muscles release more fully.
- Don’t push through sharp pain — Soreness is fine. Sharp or shooting pain is not. Back off and adjust your position.
Bonus Tip: Pair Rolling With Stretching and Trigger Point Work
Foam rolling works even better when combined with targeted stretches and pressure point release. Try adding some of these after your rolling session:
What’s Next?
Even a few minutes a day can keep you mobile and better prepared for what life throws your way.
We all need it.
We have to teach our body to relax again.
As always, let me know if you have any questions below. Good Luck!
-Nick