Yoga Poses for Hips

Many adults, especially office workers, spend most of their days sitting in a chair. This causes the muscles around the hips to tighten from disuse. Attending yoga classes will help loosen the hips. But if you want to make more progress, spend a few minutes each day doing hip-opening poses at home.

  1. Lunges

    • Lunges help open the hips and groin.

      Get down on your hands and knees, and step your right foot forward between your hands. Scoot your left knee back until you feel the stretch in your left hip. Make sure your right knee is directly over your ankle, or a little behind. Try to relax your face, neck, back and arms. Spend three minutes on the first side, then reverse.

    Baddha Konasana

    • For more intensity in baddha konasana, you can peel the soles of the feet apart.

      Also known as the butterfly, the baddha konasana position stretches the groin. Sitting on the floor, bend your knees and join the soles of your feet. If you pull them in close, you'll stretch your groin. Farther away, you'll feel it more in the hips. Bend forward to increase the stretch. You can place your hands on the floor in front of you. If you come down far enough, place a block under your head to help relax the neck.

    Malasana

    • Malasana, also known as a squat or garland pose, will open the hips and groin. It also relieves compression in the lower back. If you have knee difficulties, be careful going into this pose, and only go as far as you can without pain. Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips. Bend your knees and slowly lower down until you are squatting. Bring your hands together in front of your heart and use your elbows to gently press the knees apart. Keep your back straight. Start with just a few breaths here, and slowly work you way up to a minute or more.

    Shoelace

    • Shoelace pose comes from the yin yoga tradition. Sit on the floor with your legs out straight. Bend the left leg so that the outer leg is on the floor, with the left foot close to the right buttock. Then cross the right leg over the left, ideally lining up the right knee on top of the left. Move the feet out just wide enough so you can sit evenly between them. Bring your hands in front of you and walk them forward until you feel a good stretch in your hips. Stay for a minute or two, then switch sides. This pose may be too intense for new students. If so, substitute a forward bend from a simple cross-legged position.