They say if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. This adage holds true for many things in life, and flexibility is one of them. We’re born to move and move well—including in our hips.
The hips are densely constructed with muscles, ligaments and tendons. These stable yet mobile joints allow us to generate power, move fast, lift heavy objects and jump high. Because they're made up of so many moving parts, tightness is inevitable. With tightness comes restriction, and when there’s restriction, our movement patterns change.
Stretching is a great way to release the tension that builds up in the hip joint, but sitting in a stretch for a given amount of time isn’t enough. When we combine it with rhythmic and slow breathing, the stretch becomes a yoga posture.
Yoga goes beyond just flexibility by way of alignment, mindfulness and movement. It provides you with a deeper and more effective stretch, and that’s exactly what we want for the hips.
Yoga Squat
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1. Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly out.
2. Drop your hips to the bottom of a squat while you keep your heels down.
3. Press your palms together and lift your chest up.
4. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
Lizard
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1. Start by stepping your right foot to the outside of your right hand.
2. Keep your right toes pointing forward.
3. As you sink your hips down, keep your chest extending forward.
4. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
5. Repeat on opposite side.
Note: To deepen the stretch, drop down onto your forearms.
Twisted Monkey
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1. Start by stepping your right foot to the outside of your right hand.
2. Drop your back knee down and turn your right toes out.
3. Bend your back knee and grab your foot with the right hand.
4. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
5. Repeat on opposite side.
Note: Use a strap around your opposite ankle if needed.
Low-Lunge Quad Stretch
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1. Place your right knee on a padded surface as you come into a lunge.
2. Stack your hips over the right knee.
3. Bend and grab your right foot with your right hand.
4. Draw your tailbone down as you lift your chest up.
5. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
6. Repeat on opposite side.
Pigeon
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1. Start with your right foot forward in a lunge and your hands on either side.
2. Walk your right foot about 6 inches to the left.
3. As you roll onto the outer edge of your right foot, keep it flexed.
4. Reach your chest towards your front foot and walk your hands in front of your body.
5. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
6. Repeat on opposite side.
Note: Try to keep your right shin off the ground as your reach forward.
Super Pigeon
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1. Start by stepping your right foot forward between your hands.
2. Walk your right foot over to the left and drop your shin down.
3. Extend your left leg behind you as you roll towards the front of your left thigh. Fold forward from here.
4. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
5. Repeat on opposite side.
Extended Butterfly
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1. Start seated with the soles of your feet together.
2. Extend your feet away from you to create a diamond shape with the legs.
3. Wrap your hands around the outer edges of your feet.
4. Round your spine as you fold forward.
5. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
Frog
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1. Start on your hands and knees.
2. Walk your knees away from each other until they reach their maximum width.
3. Flex your feet and place the inner edges of your feet on the ground.
4. Shift your hips back slightly so they're in line with the knees.
5. Hold for at least 5 long breaths, or about 30 seconds.
Additional Tips
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Note: This sequence of postures is by no means a substitute for a yoga class, but it is a great way to stretch after workouts, in the morning before you start your day or before bed to cool down. Go slow and ease in.
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