Overly tight or weak hip flexors can be a common problem, even amongst the fittest of us. In fact this major muscle group gets neglected on a daily basis.
Whether you are sitting at a desk, sitting down to eat, relaxing on the sofa or driving the car, your hip muscles rarely explore their full range of motion. Over time this can cause problems such as lower back pain and will also affect flexibility, posture and spine stability.
In yoga philosophy, the pelvis is home to the second chakra ‘Svadhisthana’. Largely associated with emotions and the unconscious, this is where stress is stored in the body. This correlation can be difficult to quantify in scientific terms. Yet, we do know that the body can have a physiological response to our emotions. The perceived experience of danger, acute stress or fear will trigger our muscles to contract in defence. The hips are also physically and emotionally central to a well-functioning body. They are the spiritual centre of our sexuality and the body’s centre of gravity and alignment.
There is no end to the benefits of supple and happy hips so let’s release some locked up tension, de-stress, and give those hips a little extra love!
Try these 8 post-yoga stretches for happy & healthy hips…
Lizard Pose – Utthan Pristhasana
Lizard pose is a really great stretch for tight hip flexors, hamstrings and quadriceps. With both forearms in front of you, bring your left leg to the outside edge of your hand. Keep your knee bent at 90 degrees stacked directly over your ankle. With your right knee resting on the floor, gently sink your hips down. To deepen this pose curl your back toes and engage your back leg as your raise your knee off the floor.
Low Lunge Pose – Anjaneyasana
Starting in a High Runner’s Lunge Pose, bring your back knee down to the floor. Sink your hips forward, ensuring your front knee doesn’t go over your ankle. If you find it difficult to balance here, bring your hands to the floor or use a couple of yoga blocks to support your weight and lift your chest.
Garland Pose – Malasana
Placing your feet a bit wider than hips’ width apart, slowly squat down. Balancing your weight evenly across your feet and with the hands in prayer position, press your elbows against your shins. The idea here is to keep gently pushing your knees apart as you sink your sacrum to the floor. If you are quite comfortable in this pose try to bring your feet closer together.
Pigeon Pose – Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (Variation)
Considered the king of hip-openers, Pigeon specifically targets the largest hip flexor muscle (psoas major). The psoas muscles are deep core muscles connecting the torso and leg which affect posture and help to stabilise the spine. Once you are warmed up, come on to all fours with your hands shoulder distance apart. Bring your right knee in front and place it down onto the floor behind your right hand. Your back leg should be facing down with no rotation. In order to achieve this, ensure both hips are straight and facing forward. Modify this pose for a deep stretch in the front hips, piriformis and glutes by lowering your torso and elbows to the floor.
Three-Legged Down Dog Pose – Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana
Strengthen your hamstrings and hip flexors with this variation of Downward Dog. Keeping the hips square and facing straight down, raise one leg up. Try to maintain a straight line through the back and shoulders. Holding this posture is a great way to stabilise the muscles of the hip joint. For a great hip-opener, lift your raised leg high bending at the knee and let your pelvis tilt open and back.
Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose – Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
This deep hip-opener stretches the gluteal muscles, adductors and hamstrings. Starting in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), shift your weight onto your left foot and raise the right knee towards the armpit. Keeping your standing leg strong, hook your index finger and thumb around your big toe as you begin to straighten the right leg. Allow the right knee to bend if needed, stoping where you can feel a stretch and continue to grow tall through the entire length of your spine.
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend – Upavistha Konasana
Leg straddle postures are a great adductor stretch for the inner thighs. Beginning in staff pose move your legs out into a v shape, 90 degrees or wider. With your feet flexed, slowly reach your hands onto the floor in front of you. Breathing through this stretch try to keep your back straight and belly in as you relax deeper forward and closer towards the floor.
Half Front Splits Pose – Ardha Hanumanasana
Lengthen your muscles with the half splits stretch. A preparatory posture for full front splits or Monkey Pose, Ardha Hanumanasana increases awareness through the pelvic region. Keep the hips square and stacked over the knee and as you exhale, bring your nose to your front knee. Flex the front foot to feel the stretch in your hamstrings, calves, achilles, hips and back. Targeting the erector spinea muscles, and gluteus maximus, Half Splits are especially great for runners and cyclists who can more easily develop tightness in this region.
Very useful .
Very essential yoga tips for life.