Trainer, author and fitness model Kirk Charles, NASM-CPT CESYou know that as you get older, life can get more complicated. But that shouldn’t stop you from staying on top of your game. He’ll help you answer the tough training questions that come with age so you can be, too. Fit beyond 40.
A few years ago I was in a stretching class led by a yoga teacher. He helped everyone individually and even though he had been working out a lot, he was having trouble with the hip stretches. That experience made me realize that you can be in excellent physical condition in some way, but tight hips can still limit your activities and performance. The yoga teacher suggested that he work on the half pigeon stretch to help unlock my hips. Since then, it has been one of my favorite stretches.
To do the stretch, get down on your hands and knees, with your hands below your shoulders and your feet hip-width apart. Bend your right knee and bring it forward to position it next to your right wrist, then lower your hips to the ground. Your right shin should also be on the ground, with the bottom of your foot facing out. Extend your left leg fully behind you and, if you can, place the top of your left foot on the ground. From there, extend your hands and lower your torso to the ground as low as you can.
As you descend, you will feel a stretch in your right hip. Ideally, your left quad and his knee should be flat on the floor. Your right leg should be flat on the floor (sideways because your knee is bent under you) and you should be able to lower your chest to your knee. After taking a few controlled breaths, change your position to repeat the same steps using the other side of your body.
Getting to this position can be difficult to start with. The tightness in the hips makes it difficult to lower your torso to the ground, or even sit with your legs flat against the ground. In that case, you can use an implement like a yoga block or even a sofa cushion to support your weight. You can simply place the block under the buttocks of your front leg and sit on it. That raises your hips so you don’t have to go down as deeply into the stretch. This makes it easier to move your right leg under and across your body and keep your left leg straight behind you in perfect alignment.
Half Pigeon Pose is a great stretch before or after any activity. I especially use it a lot to help loosen up my hips before I run. Try 3 sets on each side of your body and hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
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