Your hips are your most powerful muscle group, and they’re also one of the most complex.
Your hips are also connected to other powerful muscles, including the quads, glutes, and hamstrings.
And this is what causes discomfort, stiffness, and in some cases, even persistent pain.
How everyday activities can lead to tight and weak hips.
Unfortunately, this makes you inefficient at all the rest.
How yoga can help ease the pain.
Yoga can be an effective tool in alleviating sore hips because of its holistic approach.
The postures are designed not only toimprove flexibilitybut also to build strength and correct poor alignment.
Incidentally, this explains why yoga can be uncomfortable for people new to the practice.
A sequence to build strong & supple hips.
In order tostay pain- and injury-free, our hips need to be both strong and supple.
This gives us a powerful foundation from which to move with intention, agility, and control.
Wide-Knee Child’s Pose
We’ll begin our sequence in wide-knee child’s pose.
Seal your lips and start to take long, slow breaths, in and out through your nose.
Breathe deep into your pelvisletting go of tension on every exhalation.
Hold the pose for 5 to 10 breaths.
Hip Rotations
Come up to all fours for some hip rotations.
Stack your shoulders directly on top of your wrists and your hips on top of your knees.
Start to draw slow circles with your hips one way, 4 to 8 times.
Repeat 4 to 6 times on each sideconnecting back to your breath.
Low Lunge
Inhale, sweep your right leg up to the sky.
Exhale, step your right foot in between your hands.
Drop your left knee and release your back foot.
Inhale, bring both hands up to rest on your front thigh.
Exhale, relax into the pose.
Hold for 3 to 5 breathsbreathing into the stretch in your left hip flexors.
Draw your ribs in to protect your lower back.
Repeat on the other side.
Downward-Dog Hip Rotations
Inhale, sweep your right leg up again.
you might keep a bend in your left leg.
High Lunge
Inhale, sweep your right leg up again.
Exhale, step your right foot in between your hands.
Check that your feet are hip-width apart and not on a tightrope.
Inhale, sweep your arms out and up into high lunge.
Exhale, relax into the pose.
Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths.
Silver Surfer
Interlace your hands behind your back.
Take a deep breath in.
Relax your neck and look at your back foot.
Bring your hands back to the mat and step back to downward dog.
Repeat downward dog hip rotations, high lunge, and silver surfer on the left side.
Step back to downward dog.
And drop down onto all fours.
Dead Pigeon
Sweep both feet to the right.
Sit back on your mat and bring your feet flat to the mat in front of you.
Inhale, sit up tall.
Exhale, lower slowly down to the mat.
Cross your right ankle on top of your left knee and flex your right foot.
Gently pull your left leg in toward youbreathing deep into your right outer hip.
Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths, and then switch sides.
Hug your knees into your chest.
Bring your feet out over your knees and gently pull them down toward the mat.
Reach both arms overhead and take hold of opposite elbows.
Relax into the pose for 3 to 5 minutes, letting go of tension with every exhalation.
Bring your knees back to center and hug them into your chest.
Now you might move back into your day.
