Cross-Body Hip Stretches

Cross-body stretches, such as twists and crossed legs, can help release tension in the hips. When the legs or upper body move across the midline of the body, the motion pulls on the muscles of the hips, stretching and lengthening them. When the hips are tight, they can cause tension in the legs, back, knees and sides. Cross-body stretches can help release that tension.

  1. Reclined Twist

    • Reclined twists gently stretch the hips.

      Twists are cross-body stretches that help to release tension along the hips, legs, and spine, by gently stretching the muscles and tissues that attach to these areas. Reclined twists are extra gentle, because the ground is under you for support. In a reclined twist, you can use the support of the ground to relax the muscles and release deeper, since they are not needed to hold you upright. These twists help to stack the hips and open the upper body, which lengthens the muscles of the outer hips. Reclined twists can be done with the knees together or with one of the legs extended.

    Seated Twist

    • Seated twists stretch deeply into the external rotators of the hip.

      Seated twists are cross-body stretches that release deep into the hips by actively drawing the knee across the body to open into the hips. Seated twists involve crossing one leg over the other and pulling that knee in to the chest as you twist. The bottom leg can be extended out of drawn back in. This opens deeply into the outer hip but also into external hip rotators, which often cause tension up the hips and into the lower back.

    Cross-Legged Stretches

    • Cross-legged stretches stretch around the outer hips and back of the hips.

      Crossing the legs and folding forward helps to relieve tension and tightness in the outer hips, as well as into the back of the hips and into the lower back. A few variations of this are the figure-4 stretch, pigeon pose, or double pigeon. You can also sit in a cross-legged position and fold forward over your shins while keeping your hips anchored to the ground. All of these poses work at different intensity levels to stretch into the hips.

    Half Forward Fold

    • Half forward fold helps stretch the side of the hips.

      Half forward folds stretch into the outer hip, into the muscles that pull down the side of the leg into the knee, hips and back. Half forward folds give you a bigger range of motion than most forward folds and, depending on the position of the torso, can also stretch into the side muscles that pull on the hips. Try extending your right leg out to the side, with your foot flexed, and bring the sole of your left foot to your right inner thigh. Fold over your right leg. Then reach your left hand across the the outer edge of your right leg or foot and feel the stretch deepen. Then reach your left arm up and overhead to stretch into the sides of the body and hips.