If you are looking for a routine you can do regularly to increase flexibility and ease tightness in your hips, look no further.
The 7 poses outlined below can be done with just a few minutes each day to improve your range of motion in this joint, and the areas of the lower body supporting them.
No props are required for this gentle hip opening sequence. Hold each one for 5-10 deep, slow intentional breaths.
1. Hamstring Stretch – Lower down on to the back, with knees bent. Hug the right knee in, holding somewhere on the back of the right leg and extend it up towards the sky. Flex and point the right foot a few times. Keep a little bend in the right knee as needed. Keep the head and shoulders grounded down to the floor.
2. Half Happy Baby – Bend into the right knee. Hold the big toe with the two peace fingers. Let the left knee flop to the side as counter weight. Bring the right elbow to the inside of the knee. Keeping both hips and shoulders evenly distributing the weight.
3. Reclined Pigeon – Guide the right ankle over top of the left knee, finding figure four shape. Reach through with the hands and draw the left thigh into the belly. Rocking a little bit side to side.
Repeat 1 through 3 on the other side.
4. Butterfly Fold – Rock up to a seat. Bring the soles of the feet together and knees out to the sides. Choose how close you bring the heels towards you. Crawl the hands out folding down. Walk the hands over to the right. Extend a bit more with the left arm. After a few breaths, walk over to the left, reaching farther with the right hand. Then come back to center for a few more breaths.
5. Downward Dog – Come up to hands and knees. Walk the hands a bit ahead of the shoulders. Tuck the toes and lift the hips up and back. Alternately paddling the legs out, bending into one knee and pressing into the opposite heel.
6. Lizard Lunge – Kick the right foot up, then step it to the outer edge of the right hand. Lower the left knee down. Curl the right toes up and roll to the outer edge of the right foot for deep external rotation of the hip. Stay on palms or lower to the forearms.
7. Pigeon Pose – Lift up to hands. Heel toe the right foot towards the left side of the mat. Lowering the right knee behind the right wrist. Square off the hips. Inhale to lift and lengthen. Exhale to fold down to forearms or forehead.
Repeat 5 through 7 on the other side.
These 7 poses come from a 15 minute Gentle Slow Flow yoga class on my channel.
Kassandra
