Many people who sit for long periods of time or do the same movements over and over again have tight hips. When your hips get stiff they can hurt and make you stand up straight. They can also hurt your lower back. Yoga is a great way to relieve this tension and improve your hip area’s flexibility and movement. These 14 yoga poses are all about opening up your hips and stretching the muscles around them to make you more flexible overall.
Pose for Kids (Balasana)
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Child’s Pose stretches your lower back and hips and relaxes tight thigh muscles. This is a good pose for beginners to do to help their hips move better.
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How to do it: Kneel down with your hands flat on the floor to begin. Slowly sit back until your bottom is close to your heels and then stretch your arms out in front of you. Put your forehead on the mat and take slow, deep breaths.
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, or Pigeon Pose
Why it works to open the hips Pigeon Pose is one of the best stretches for loosening the hip flexors and relieving tension in the lower back and glutes. How to do it: Get down on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Put one knee in front of the other and behind the wrist that goes with it Straighten the other leg behind you and slowly lower your hips toward the ground. Take a few breaths in this position before turning to the other side. Benefits This pose opens up the hips deeply and stretches the lower back glutes and hip flexors.
Utthan Pristhasana, or Lizard Pose
Why it works to open the hips Lizard Pose is a very deep stretch that loosens tight hips by focusing on the hip flexors and groin area. How to do it: Start in a high plank position and move one foot forward so that it lands outside of your hands. Keep your back leg straight and drop your hips down. You can make the stretch deeper by lowering your forearms to the floor. Benefits This pose stretches the groin hamstrings and hip flexors while also making you more flexible.
Baddha Konasana, or Butterfly Pose
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Butterfly Pose opens up your hip joints and makes your inner thighs and groin area less tight. How to do it: To begin sit down with the bottoms of your feet pressed together. Let your knees fall apart to the sides. Hold onto your feet with both hands and push down lightly to bring your knees closer to the ground You can hinge forward from your hips to get a deeper stretch. Benefits It makes the hips more flexible and mobile while working the inner thigh muscles and groin area.
Supta Baddha Konasana, or reclining bound angle pose
Why it works to open the hips This version of Butterfly Pose helps your body relax and unwind while gently stretching your hips. How to do it: First lie flat on your back. Put the bottoms of your feet together and let your knees fall naturally toward the floor on each side. Put your arms next to your body with your palms facing up and breathe deeply and slowly. Benefits Stretches the hips and groin while relaxing the rest of your lower body.
The Ananda Balasana or Happy Baby Pose
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Happy Baby Pose stretches your groin and inner thighs while opening up your hip joints. It also helps your lower back muscles relax. How to do it: First lie flat on your back. Bring both knees up to your chest. While keeping your knees bent reach up and grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands. Your hips should stay far apart. Push your knees down toward the ground with light pressure. What you get: This pose opens up your hip flexors and inner thigh muscles and loosens up your lower back.
Anjaneyasana, or Low Lunge
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Low Lunge is a great way to stretch the hip flexors and make your legs stronger. This mix is great for relieving tension in tight hips. How to do it: Start by standing up straight. Put one foot in front of the other and bend your knee so that it makes a right angle. Put your back knee down on the floor. Push your hips gently toward the front of your mat while keeping them facing forward. You can get a deeper stretch by raising both arms above your head. What it does: This pose stretches the quadriceps and hamstrings and lengthens the hip flexors. It also makes the legs stronger.
Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Why it works well to make your hips more flexible: Crescent Lunge adds more stretch to the hip flexor muscles on top of the basic Low Lunge position. This pose also helps you get better at balancing and keeping your core stable while you practise. How to do it: Start by standing up straight with your feet together With one foot take a big step forward and bend your front knee to lower yourself into a lunge Your back leg should stay straight with the heel off the ground Raise both arms straight up to the ceiling and then slowly push your hips forward to make the stretch deeper. Benefits This pose makes your hips more flexible and mobile. It makes the tight hip flexor muscles longer and strengthens all the leg muscles.
Pose of the Squat (Malasana)
Why it works well to make your hips more flexible Crescent Lunge is a variation of the basic Low Lunge that gives your hip flexor muscles a deeper stretch. While you hold the pose it also helps you balance and strengthens your core. # How to do it Stand up straight and take a big step forward with one foot. Keep your back leg straight and lift your heel off the floor while bending your front knee. Put both arms above your head and gently push your hips forward. # What you get This pose stretches your hip flexors and makes your leg muscles stronger while also making your hips more flexible.
Paschimottanasana, or the seated forward bend
Why it helps with hip flexibility: This pose works mostly on the hamstrings but it also loosens up tight spots in your lower back and hips. How to do it: To begin sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you While sitting up straight and stretching your spine take a deep breath As you breathe out bend forward at the hips and reach for your feet with your hands. As you go deeper into the position try to keep your back straight. Benefits This stretch works your hip and hamstring muscles and helps relieve tension in your lower back. It helps make these areas more flexible overall.
Lunge with a Twist (Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)
Why it helps with hip flexibility: This position works your hips and groin while also stretching your lower back The twisting motion makes it easier for your spine to move. How to do it: Begin in a low lunge. Put your hand on the ground next to your front leg Turn your upper body toward your bent leg and stretch your other arm straight up to the ceiling As you twist deeper try to keep your hips facing forward. What you get: Your hips get more flexible and open. Your groin muscles get a good workout. Your spine can move more freely.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Warrior II strengthens your legs while also making your hips and chest more flexible This pose is a great way to improve your flexibility and balance. How to do it: Stand with your feet spread apart and turn one foot so that it points out Bend your front knee until it makes a right angle and keep your back leg straight. Stretch both arms out to the sides until they are level with the floor and look straight ahead. What you get: Better balance stronger leg muscles and more flexible hips.
Pose for frogs (Mandukasana)
Why it helps with hip flexibility: Warrior II works your legs and opens up your hips and chest at the same time. This pose makes you more flexible and helps you keep your balance. How to do it: Put your feet together and turn one foot out to the side. Keep your back leg straight and bend your front knee to make a right angle Put both arms out to the sides at shoulder height and look straight ahead. What you get: more flexible hips stronger legs and better balance.
Baddha Konasana, or Bound Angle Pose
Butterfly Pose to Make Your Hips More Flexible This sitting position is a great way to stretch your hips and groin area and make your inner thighs more flexible. To begin sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you Put the bottoms of your feet together so they touch. Let your knees fall to the sides on their own. Put both hands on your feet and gently press down to bring your knees closer to the ground. This pose opens up tight hips and stretches the muscles in the groin. It also helps make the muscles in your inner thighs more flexible.
