Yoga poses to open hips
Hip and pelvis problems are increasingly common among the world's population. And for good reason, most Westerners spend at least 8 hours a day sitting at a desk, in a car or on a couch. We don't realize that sitting for so long every day without stretching our hips affects our musculature considerably.
The bone structure of your hips stabilizes and supports your body weight. They allow you to walk, sit, run, dance and move because they connect your trunk to your legs. Your hips are anatomically composed of three main components: the hip flexors, adductors and abductors.
In very simplified terms, the hip flexors draw your leg towards your torso. The adductors draw the legs together and stabilize the femur in the pelvic bone. The abductors spread the legs apart and also stabilize the femur in the pelvis. We sit for long periods of time without stretching daily, and in this way we tighten all the muscles in our hips. Beyond that, we generally under-utilize these muscles, resulting in weakness that is accompanied by tightening.
Here are 9 hip stretches to help you relax them.
Yoga includes a multitude of hip stretches that specifically target the hips for increased mobility and flexibility.
Benefits of opening the hips
A better opening and flexibility of the hips generate several benefits on the human body. Here are four main ones:
1. Stress reduction: One of the main benefits of opening the hips is the stretching and strengthening of muscles that are directly related to our response to stress. One muscle in particular, the psoas, which attaches the lumbar spine to the femur bone, is particularly tightened when we feel stress. A good flexibility of the hips will allow it to be stretched more easily.
2. Lower back support: Tight hips cause tension on the lower back by putting too much strain on the spine. When the hips are open, there is a greater range of motion, better circulation and better support for the muscles of the back and spine.
3. Body alignment: Opening the hips can help the joints of the lower back, hips and legs to be better aligned. When the hips are tight or cause misalignment, it can have a big effect on the back and knees, and even the feet. Working with strength and flexibility in the hips can help realign this support space for greater and stronger mobility.
4. Increase creativity: Energetically, the hips are associated with the sacred chakra, or creative center. If you think about it, the hips are what supports the reproductive organs - the organs of creation. So when we focus on this area of the body, we help unlock and support this creative center.
Yoga exercises to open up your hips
Low Fente (Anjaneyasana)
Simple, yet very effective, this posture targets the iliac and psoas muscles to stretch and flex these powerful hip flexors. In this posture, the hip muscles can relax and release accumulated stress.
Try it :
• Put yourself in the dog's position, head down.
• Put your right foot in your hands, placing your right ankle under your right knee, and release your back knee to the ground.
• Gently extend your coccyx towards the ground and bring your head upwards.
• Put your arms above your head, bringing the weight of your hips to the ground.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute on each side.
Bridge posture with right leg (Setu Bandhasana variant)
The installation of the bridge is particularly efficient. Take a yoga block (or an appropriate substitute) and be prepared to release all the tension trapped in the flexors of your hips.
Let's give it a try:
• Start lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor.
• Press firmly on your shoulders and feet to lift your hips off the floor.
• Slide your block under your sacrum (about the bottom of your belt) and rest the weight of your hips on the block.
• Comfortably relax your arms and extend your right leg forward.
• Possibility to extend the left leg forward at the same time, or to alternate the sides.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute (legs together or one leg at a time).
Laying the lizard (Utthan Pristhasana)
This position can be intense, so keep your yoga block handy to place underneath you if needed.
Let's give it a try:
• Place in the dog's head down position.
• Move your right foot forward, outside of your right hand, and lower your back knee to the ground.
• Move forward and lengthen your spine.
• Bring your hands inside your right foot, either on the ground or on a block.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute on each side.
Installation of the fire log (Agnistambhasana)
This posture can be quite intense for those with external hip blocks. The fire log posture targets the external hip muscles on both the right and left sides, and there are many benefits.
Let's try this posture:
• Start sitting with legs stretched forward, and bend both feet at the ankles.
• Slide your right shin towards you so that it is parallel to the top of your mat.
• Lift your left leg and place your shin over your right leg, with your left ankle hanging just off the edge of your right knee.
• Extend your spine and stay that way or slowly bend your legs forward.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute on each side.
Laying of the lying pigeon
The pigeon pose is a common hip opening, but it tends to place the knee in a vulnerable position. The laying pigeon pose gives you the same hip stretch as its variant, but with much more security for your knees. If you have really tight hips, this is the variant for you!
• Start lying on your back with your feet hip width apart.
• Lift the right leg, bend the knee and flex the ankle.
• Cross your right ankle over your left knee.
• Wrap a strap or wrap your fingers around the back of your left thigh by lifting your left foot off the ground and gently pulling your knees toward your chest.
• As you pull your left leg towards you, press your right knee away from your body.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute on each side.
Posture of the goddess of sleep (Supta Baddha Konasana)
This posture is so pleasant and comfortable that you could fall asleep like this.
Let's try this:
• Start lying on your back with your feet hip width apart.
• Relax your knees towards the outside edges of your mat while you place your soles so that they are touching each other.
• Slide your heels as close as possible to your groin.
• Relax your arms.
• Breathe and hold for 2 minutes.
Installation of the frog
The pose that everyone loves to hate, this intense opening of the hips and thighs will make you realize how tight they can be.
Let's give it a try:
• Start on all fours.
• Keep your hips in line with your knees by slowly moving them apart (you need to feel comfortable).
• Turn your toes towards the outer edges of your mat (so that the arch of the foot rests on the mat).
• Keep your trunk as straight as possible to protect your lower back and gently release the weight of your hips on the floor.
• Possibility to stay as is or to lower the forearms on blocks or on the ground.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute.
Posture of the garland (Malasana)
This position stretches the inner and outer hips, making it a great addition to any practice. Although it requires some flexibility, you can always modify it by sitting on one or two blocks to distribute some of your weight.
Let's give it a try:
• Stand with your feet apart the width of your mat, with your toes slightly turned.
• Keep your knees in line with your ankles, bend them and lower your hips as low as possible.
• Stretch your spine upwards.
• Relax the weight of your hips towards the ground.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute.
Side slot (Skandasana)
The side slit works the main parts of your hips. Just like the previous posture, you can always lean your hips on a block to help you.
Let's try this:
• Face the long edge of your mat, and place your feet as far away from the rest of your body as possible, with your toes facing slightly outward.
• Keep your left leg straight and bend your right knee, then place your hands on the floor.
• Keep your right knee pointing in the same direction as your right toes.
• Bend your left foot, with the toes pointing upwards.
• Breathe and hold for 1 minute on each side.
Conclusion on yoga postures to open your hips
Thus, an efficient opening of the hips is essential for a good stability and flexibility of the whole body. These few Yoga exercises will help you gradually stretch your muscles, and you will quickly see benefits.
Do you sometimes practice these types of exercises? Did you know that a good opening of the hips is essential for the human body?
