Stretch Your Hips With These 6 Exercises

Starting with one of the most basic hip stretches, the low lunge is easy to perform and accessible to almost everyone, regardless of their flexibility level. Start with a runner’s lunge and place your back knee on the ground. Bring your hands to your front knee and straighten your spine.

Take a deep inhalation and as you exhale, slowly push your hips forward, stretching the hip and hamstring of your front leg and the hip flexor of your back leg. With each inhalation, straighten your spine a little more, and with each exhalation try to stretch a little more.

Focus on relaxing your glutes and avoid any pinching or tightness in your lower back muscles. Stay here for three to five long inhalations and exhalations before switching to the other leg.

Once again, start with your runner’s lunge. Establish a good base, and then swing your front leg out to the side, opening your hips. Stay here for a moment and then lower your back knee. You will notice that this will cause a stronger stretching sensation in the front hip, so be gentle and take it easy. You can keep your palms flat on the floor or lower to your forearms to further intensify the stretch.

One of the best passive stretches for your hips, pigeon pose is one of those poses that just feels uncomfortable until your flexibility level feels right. Discomfort is not pain and it is important to differentiate the two. Some level of discomfort is completely normal, but if you’re stretching and feel pain, you’re doing something wrong.

Begin in downward facing dog, lifting your right leg off the floor and placing your knee between your palms. Your front shin should be diagonal or parallel to the front of your mat (if your flexibility allows). Most people will have a diagonal shin, so try to get your left hip over your right heel.

Square your hips and make sure they are in a neutral position. Place your palms close to your seat and inhale, opening your heart and rounding your back, preparing for full pose. Exhale and begin to bend forward onto your shin.

Find a comfortable seat and bend your knees. Hug them tight to stretch your spine, and then place your palms a foot behind your sit bones, fingers facing forward. Lift your right leg and place your foot above your left knee, forming a figure four. You can adjust the placement of your left foot depending on the mobility and flexibility of your hips and have it close to your sit bones or further away.

Also known as the yogic squat, malasana is another amazing hip opener that works for your body and respects its limits. Start standing up and open your feet. Spread them a little more than hip-width apart and slowly go into your deepest squat. Bring your palms together and bring your elbows to the inside of your shins.

Take a deep inhalation and straighten your spine, exhale and drive your elbows toward your legs, opening your hips and stretching your lower back at the same time. With each inhalation, lengthen your spine a little more, and with each exhalation, try to go deeper into the hips. Stay for five long breath cycles.

A variation of the archer yoga pose, this hip opener helps treat each hip individually, using the power of the elbows and lower back to both deepen your stretch and also protect you from injury. He starts in a malasana squat and places his hands on the floor. He extends one leg out to the side, flexing the foot and driving the heel into the ground.

Place one palm behind your sit bones and the other in front, using your elbow to push through your shin and open your hips. The exact placement of your palms will depend on your range of motion, so feel free to adjust as much as you need to feel comfortable and relaxed. Stay for five long inhalations and exhalations and repeat on the other side.