Stretching your hips is one of the key ways to maintain and improve your overall mobility and flexibility. After sitting all day at a desk, your hips can become very tight, so it's critical to maintain a stretch routine at some point during the day. Because your hips can store emotions and energy, hip opening yoga poses can be beneficial for release and overall balance.
The following hip opening yoga poses massage, open, and lubricate the hips, which can relieve pain, improve posture, increase range of motion, and even help you release whatever you're holding onto.
Hip Opening Yoga Poses to Help Stretch Tight Hips
1. Butterfly Pose
Butterfly pose is a gentle seated hip opening yoga suitable for all levels. It is a seated pose that is beneficial if you slouch while working or spend a lot of time sitting.
How to do it:
- Sit on the floor with your spine straight.
- Get the soles of your feet together by bending both knees.
- Stay in this position, or wrap your hands should be around your feet as you hinge at your glutes and fold, bringing your torso right over your legs.
- As your hips become more flexible, you can also extend your hands long.
- Hold the position for 30 seconds.
2. Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog
This pose will begin to stretch the calves and hamstrings while also warming up the hips.
How to do it:
- Find a comfortable downward-facing dog position and ground yourself with both feet hip width apart.
- Spread your fingers evenly and press them into the ground while relaxing your upper back.
- Once you're comfortable in this position, slowly raise one leg to the sky while keeping both hips pointed down.
- Bend the knee slowly and gently across the body until you feel a slight hip stretch.
- Once you're comfortable with this movement, start making circles with your leg to add mobility to your practice.
3. Camel Pose
Camel pose is a great way to open up the front body and stretch the hip flexors.
How to do it:
- Kneel down and place your hands behind your lower back.
- Begin by arching your back and leaning slightly backwards.
- Next, push the hips forward and slowly bend the head back while relaxing the neck and back muscles.
- Make sure not to strain your neck or back, and come back up if it becomes too difficult.
- This pose's natural curve will also help strengthen the back.
4. Yogi Squat
The yogi squat strengthens the feet and legs while opening the hips.
How to do it:
- Turn your feet outwards at a 45-degree angle from a standing position.
- Squat as you normally would until your tailbone is between your ankles.
- To feel the stretch, press your palms all the way together in front of you, making your elbows wide against your inner thighs, and hold the pose while breathing deeply.
5. Crescent Pose
This pose is the best hip opening yoga stretches you can do. There are numerous variations depending on the difficulty level you seek.
How to do it:
- Extend your arms and lift your back knee off the ground.
- Pull your feet together to strengthen your inner quads and front glute.
- Repeat the same lunge on the opposite side to maintain balance in both hips.
6. Dancer Pose
The dancer pose is a standing yoga pose that provides a deep hip opener and numerous other benefits. It takes some balance, but there are many variations to try as you practice.
How to do it:
- Lift one leg into a quad stretch and reach behind to wrap your hand over around the outside of your foot from a standing position.
- Begin by balancing here, and gradually try to lift the leg as you lean your heart forward.
- Raise your leg to the sky until you feel a deep hip stretch.
- Focusing on a point directly in front of you and continuing to stare at it as you move your body is one way to stay balanced in this pose.
7. Happy Baby Pose
Happy Baby is an excellent beginner stretch to do before going to bed, especially if you've been sitting all day. Happy Baby is a yoga pose that can help you improve your flexibility and movement. It opens the hips and stretches the hamstrings and inner thighs.
How to do it:
- Lift your legs up so that the bottom of your feet face the ceiling while lying on your back with your head straight on the ground.
- Grab the outsides of your feet and spread your knees apart towards the ground.
- To get the best results out of the stretch, rock back and forth.
8. Lizard Pose
Lizard pose is one of the most effective hip openers in yoga. It is also beneficial to your quads and hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Begin in the downward dog position.
- Raise your right leg and place it between your hands.
- Stack your knee directly over the angle and straighten your back leg into a lunge position.
- Bring your foot closer to your right hand and the right edge of your yoga mat.
- Maintain equal balance by keeping your hips square and down.
- Place your right arm inside your right foot and both forearms on the mat in line with the foot.
- The back leg will feel a deep stretch as you slowly lower into the forearms.
9. Cow Face Pose
This pose provides a deep stretch of hips, ankles, shoulders, armpit, chest and triceps.
How to do it:
- Sit on the ground; your legs bent in front of you.
- Bend one leg and step the other leg over your bent knee in a crossed-leg position.
- Stack your knees and draw your heels towards your hips.
- Lean forward if you feel comfortable for a deeper stretch.
10. Bridge Pose
Lastly, the bridge pose is excellent if you want to open your hips. It completely stretches and strengthens your tight hips.
How to do it:
- Lie down flat with your back on the floor with your knees-bent.
- Lift your hips away from the ground while keeping your feet hip-width apart.
- You will feel your hips stretching during the pose.
As these poses require deep stretches, you need to wear yoga activewear so that you can perform your yoga well.
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