People who sit a lot or do the same things over and over again often have tight hips and stiffness that makes it hard for them to move. When your hips get stiff, they can hurt your lower back make you uncomfortable, and make your posture worse Yoga is a great way to relax and make your hips more flexible and easier to move. These 14 yoga poses will help you become more flexible by opening up your hips and stretching the muscles around them.
Child’s Pose, or Balasana
Child’s Pose is good for hip flexibility because it stretches your lower back and hips and relaxes your tight thigh muscles. If you’re new to yoga and want to work on your hip flexibility this is a good pose for you.
How to do it: Kneel down and put your hands flat on the floor. Sit back slowly 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 breathe slowly and deeply.
What you get: This pose opens up your hips and thighs and eases tension in your lower back It also helps you calm your mind and body.
Pigeon Pose, or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Pigeon Pose is one of the best stretches for relaxing your hip flexors and relieving stress in your lower back and glutes. How to do it: Put your hands on the floor and get down on your hands and knees. Place 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 to the ground. Stay in this position for a few breaths before moving to the other side. Benefits This pose really opens up the hips and stretches the lower back, glutes, and hip flexors.
Lizard Pose, or Utthan Pristhasana
Lizard Pose is a very deep stretch that focuses on the hip flexors and groin area to help your hips relax. How to do it: Get into a high plank position and move one foot forward until it is outside of your hands. Let your hips drop while keeping your back leg straight. Lowering your forearms to the floor will help you stretch more deeply. Pros This pose stretches the hamstrings, groin, and hip flexors, and it also makes you more flexible.
Baddha Konasana, which means “butterfly pose”
Why it makes your hips more flexible: Butterfly Pose loosens up your hips and makes the area around your inner thighs and groin less tight. How to do it: First, sit down and put the bottoms of your feet together. Let your knees drop to the sides. To get your knees closer to the ground, hold on to your feet with both hands and push down lightly. You can get a deeper stretch by bending forward at your hips. Pros It makes the hips more flexible and mobile while also working the groin and inner thigh muscles.
Supta Baddha Konasana is also called the reclining bound angle pose.
Why opening your hips works: This version of Butterfly Pose helps your body relax and stretch your hips at the same time How to do it: First, lie down on your back. Put the bottoms of your feet together and let your knees fall to the ground on either side. Breathe in slowly and deeply, and rest your arms at your sides with your palms up. Pros It relaxes the lower body and stretches the hips and groin.
Happy Baby Pose, or Ananda Balasana
How it helps your hips move more easily: Happy Baby Pose opens up your hip joints and stretches your inner thighs and groin area. It also helps to relax the muscles in your lower back. How to do it: To begin, lie on your back. Bring your knees up to your chest. Bend your knees and reach up to grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands. Your hips should stay far apart. Put light pressure on your knees and push them down toward the ground. You get This pose opens up your lower back and stretches the muscles in your inner thighs and hip flexors.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Low Lunge is a great way to stretch your hip flexors and make your legs stronger at the same time This mix is great for loosening up tight hips. How to do it: First, stand up straight. Put one foot in front of the other and bend your knee so that it makes a 90-degree angle. Rest your back knee on the floor. Keep your hips facing forward and gently push them toward the front of your mat. If you raise both arms over your head, you can stretch more deeply. This pose stretches the quadriceps and hamstrings and makes the hip flexors longer. It also strengthens the legs.
Crescent Lunge (Anjaneyasana)
Crescent Lunge is a more difficult version of the Low Lunge position that stretches the hip flexor muscles even more. This pose also helps you get better at balancing and keeping your core steady while you practise. How to do it: First, stand up straight with your feet together. Step forward with one foot and bend your front knee to lower yourself into a lunge. Keep your back leg straight and your heel off the ground. To make the stretch deeper, raise both arms straight up toward the ceiling and slowly push your hips forward. Benefits This pose helps your hips move and bend more easily. It makes the hip flexor muscles longer and stronger all the way down the legs.
Malasana, or the squat pose
The Crescent Lunge is a different version of the Low Lunge that stretches your hip flexor muscles even more. It also helps you balance and strengthens your core while you hold the pose. How to do it: Stand up straight and take a big step forward with one foot. Lift your heel off the floor while keeping your back leg straight and your front knee bent. Put both of your arms over your head and gently push your hips forward. What you get: This pose stretches your hip flexors and strengthens your leg muscles, which makes your hips more flexible.
Paschimottanasana, or Seated Forward Bend
This pose is great for your hamstrings, but it also helps your lower back and hips feel better. How to do it: First, sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Take a deep breath while sitting up straight and stretching your spine. As you breathe out, bend forward at the hips and reach for your feet with your hands. Try to keep your back straight as you go deeper into the pose. Pros This stretch works the muscles in your hips and hamstrings and also relaxes your lower back. It makes these areas more flexible in general.
Lunge with a Twist, or Parivrtta Anjaneyasana
Why it makes your hips more flexible: This position stretches your lower back and works on your hips and groin. The twisting motion helps your spine move more easily. How to do it: Get into a low lunge. Put your hand on the ground on the other side of your front leg. Turn your upper body toward your bent leg and reach your other arm straight up to the ceiling. As you twist more, try to keep your hips facing the front. What you get: Your hips become more open and flexible. Your groin muscles get a good workout. Your spine can move more easily.
Warrior II, also known as Virabhadrasana II
Warrior II strengthens your legs and makes your hips and chest more flexible at the same time. This pose is great for improving your flexibility and balance. How to do it: Stand with your feet 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. This will make your body go down. Put both arms out to the sides so they are level with the floor and look straight ahead. What you get: better balance, stronger leg muscles, and more movement in your hips.
Frog Pose, or Mandukasana
Warrior II strengthens your legs and opens up your hips and chest at the same time. This pose helps you stay balanced and makes you more flexible. How to do it: Stand with your feet apart and turn one of them out. Make a right angle with your front knee by bending it and keeping your back leg straight. Put your arms out to the sides at shoulder height and look straight ahead. More flexible hips, stronger legs, and better balance are what you get.
Bound Angle Pose, or Baddha Konasana
This sitting position is a great way to stretch your hips and groin and make your inner thighs more flexible. First, 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 push down to bring your knees closer to the ground. This pose helps loosen up tight muscles in the hips and groin and makes you more flexible overall.
