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best hip stretches for tight hips

The Six Best Hip Stretches For Tight Hips

Hip-hip-hooray! This hip-opening sequence has been created specifically for tight hips. It targets all the areas of the hips so you will definitely get the most bang for your stretching buck! Practicing this flow regularly will help loosen up that tightness, helping to relieve the pain and soreness that often comes with tight hips. Because tight hips are often the culprit of other issues like sore legs and lower back pain, the benefits of this practice extend much further than the hips alone. If you find yourself chronically needing TLC for your hips, this flow is for you!

This video will lead you through a flow that delivers the best stretches for tight hips. There are six postures in this flow, which can all be accommodated to any level of practice. The poses in this sequence offer a full range of stretches for the hips, the inner and outer hips, hip flexors and hip adductors. This sequence is also great for a yin practice if you want to take your time and really sink deep into each posture. Whether you’re looking for relief from sore hips, wanting to loosen tight hips, or just maintaining the flexibility you have, this is a perfect practice for you!

childs pose vector

TRAINING TYPE:  FLOW SEQUENCE

CATEGORY:YOGA

SUBCATEGORY:RECOVERY 

 PLANNED TIME:20 MINUTES 

LEVEL:ALL LEVELS  

PROPS:NONE

Best Hip Stretches For Tight Hips

If you haven’t already warmed up, go ahead to do so. Take a few sun salutations or do some mountain climbers. It’s really important to have the blood flowing and circulating well before any stretching, especially when we’re getting into tight spaces like the hips. Often the pain and inflammation we feel in our joints and muscles is hugely related to a lack of blood flow to those areas. So, make sure you’ve warmed up before going further.

Yoga For Neck and Shoulder Pain Infographic

best hip stretches for tight hips_

Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose - Upavishta Konasana

If you’re ready, awesome! Let’s start in a Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Pose for a nice stretch in the groin and inner thigh. We want to loosen up this area a bit before getting deeper into the hips. Inhale the arms above the head and exhale folding forward from the hips, staying grounded in the tailbone. Don’t collapse the back. Take five breaths here. Pay attention that your legs are active, your feet are flexed and you’re rotating the inner thigh outward from the hip joints. Reach the arms forward and up, lift the torso.

Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend - Upavishta Konasana

Lizard Pose - Uttana Pristhasana  

Bring the legs together, crossing them and then coming over the knees using the hands for support and come into plank. Move through plank into downward facing dog. Take a deep inhale and exhale.

Inhale raising the right leg and exhale stepping it forward to the outside of the right palm. Lower the forearms to the ground or blocks. Lower the back knee and press into the top of the back foot. Take five breaths. Hug the front knee towards the midline. Sink the hips down.


Step the right foot back into plank. Press into downward dog. Inhale the left foot up. Exhale, bring the left foot to the outside of the left palm. Lower the forearms, lower the back knee. Take five breaths. Press into the back foot. Hug the front knee in. Sink the hips down.

Lizard Pose


Frog Pose - Mandukasana  

Step the left foot back and press into downward dog. Take a deep inhale and exhale. Lower down into Table Top Position.

Here you may want to turn to face the long side of your mat for Frog Pose.

From our Table Top Position, we’ll begin to move the knees away from each other as we lower the pelvis closer to the mat coming into a Frog Pose. Make sure you keep the knees in line with the hips points. Lower down onto the forearms or bring the forehead all the way down to resting on the backs of the hands. Take five breaths. Adjust the feet to find the best stretch for you today. After five breaths, lift the torso coming back onto the palms and begin to move the knees back towards each other, returning to Table Top Position.

frog pose - Mandukasana

Supine Pigeon Pose - Supta Kapotasana  

Come back to the center of your mat and lower the torso down and keep the knees bent. Raise the right foot and bring it across the left leg, bringing the right ankle to the left knee. Reach the hands around the back of the left thigh and lift the left foot allowing the left knee to come closer to the chest. Take five breaths. Make sure the lower back is flat against the mat throughout the stretch. Adjust the crossed ankle to find the best stretch for you today. After five breaths, lower the left leg, release the right foot back to the mat.

Switch sides, repeating the posture with the left leg crossed over and hold the stretch for five breaths. If the stretch is too difficult with both knees into the chest, leave the foot of the supporting leg on the mat. Release the pose and come into a seated position.

Supine Pigeon Pose - Supta Kapotasana

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose - Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana  

For our next hip-opening pose let’s come into a plank pose and then press back into downward facing dog. Take a full inhale and exhale here.

Inhale the right foot up and exhale bringing the knee to the mat in between the palms. Lower the back leg all the way down, allow the right sit bone to come to the mat. Lower the torso down toward the mat, coming to forearms or forehead. Take five breaths here. Make sure hips are squared and the left hip is tucked under, not rotating out. This is a great stretch for the hip joints, for the hip abductors, for the groin. It’s really the ultimate hip opener.

After five breaths, lift the chest and torso, press into the palms to step back into downward dog.

Inhale and exhale deeply. Inhale, raise the left leg, exhale bring the left knee between palms, lower the back knee, check your alignment, then lower the torso down to the mat. Breathe here for five breaths. Come out of the posture.

One-Legged King Pigeon Pose forward Bend Variation - Eka Pada Kapotasana

Extended Child's Pose - Balasana   

Step the left foot back to meet the right and sink the hips back into  Extended Child’s Pose. Option here to widen the knees or bring them closer together, whatever feels best for you today. Take a few restorative breaths here. Then come up to a seated position.

Camel Pose - Ustrasana  

child's pose balasana hillary


Featured Video: Six Best Hip Stretches For Tight Hips


Conclusion

Hopefully this practice has those hips feeling nice and open now and you’ve felt that tightness loosen up a bit and perhaps that even has you feeling lighter in the whole body. Over time tight hips can cause a lot of issues and discomfort, so really try to practice at least a few of these postures everyday to keep the hips open and avoid pain or injury in the future. Remember to connect your breath to the stretch and really let the muscles expand with each inhale and soften with each exhale.

About

Hillary


Hillary is a natural-born wanderer and wonderer. A digital nomad and pilgrim of the heart, she often feels herself a poster child of the Spiritual Millennial. As a writer, health coach and yoga instructor Read More..

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