7 Best Yoga Poses For Tight Hips - Mpora

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Yoga & Pilates

7 Best Yoga Poses For Tight Hips

Got tight hips? These yoga poses will help loosen your hips and ease hip pain

Looking for yoga poses to loosen your tight hips? Photo: iStock

Looking for yoga poses to help your tight hips? You might not even realise that you have tight hips until you start practicing yoga.

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Many of us spend a lot of time sitting down, whether that is at a desk or in the car. As a result, our hip flexors tend to tighten and reduce your range of motion as well as weakening glutes and tilting the pelvis often causing lower back pain. If you love running, that also might be a reason you have tight hips.

So what can you do? Well yoga is here to help. These yoga poses will help loosen your hip flexors and possibly reduce pain in your lower back. Having open flexible hips means you are less likely to incur injury, especially if you are a runner, cyclist or snowboarder.

Take a look at our yoga poses for back pain here.

YOGA POSE: LOW LUNGE

 

Photo: iStock

Low lunge is one of the best gentle hip stretching yoga poses. Start with your right knee bent at the front of the mat – make sure knee is stacked directly on top of ankle – and keep the left knee on the floor. Inhale and as you exhale, lean forward slightly until you feel the right in your left hip flexor. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.

YOGA POSE: LIZARD

Photo: iStock

Lizard is a slightly more intense version of low lunge. From low lunge, walk your right front foot to the outer edge of your mat. Bring your right hand into the centre of your mat. You can rest your back knee on the floor. If this is very tight for you, just stay on the palms of your hands or even use two blocks under your hands. If you want to go a little deeper into the posture, you can rest on your forearms.

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YOGA POSE: HALF PIGEON

Photo: iStock

Half pigeon tackles the psoas muscle which is found deep in the buttocks and the outer thigh. Start in low lunge with right foot forward and walk your right foot across to the left-hand side of the mat. Drop the shin and thigh to the floor. Allow left leg to rest on floor with sole of foot facing upwards. Make sure hips are squared to the front of the room. If this pose creates pain in your knee or is too uncomfortable, come out of it. Hold for 30 seconds then repeat on other side.

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YOGA POSE: SEATED FORWARD FOLD

Photo: iStock

In seated forward fold, you will really feel the stretch on the back of your thighs. Sit on the floor with a block underneath your sitting bones. Stretch your legs out to the sides. Bring your hands in front. Inhale and as you exhale, start to walk the fingertips away from your body. Stop when you feel the stretch. Try not to round your back – draw the shoulder blades together and the rib cage inwards. Hold for 30 seconds at least.

YOGA POSE: HAPPY BABY

Photo: iStock

Happy baby is one of my favourite yoga poses. It is a great gentle stretch for the inner thighs. Lie on your back, take your knees wide out to the side and soles of feet facing towards the ceiling. If you can reach take your hands to the inside or outside of the feet. If you can’t reach, just hold onto the ankles or shins.

On the next exhale, gentle pull your feet down towards your armpits. Lengthen your back along the mat, try and get the lower back flush with the mat. If you fancy it, rock and roll up and down the spine – it’s a great massage for the back.

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YOGA POSE: FROG POSE

Photo: Yoga Basics

If most of these yoga poses feel too easy, then try Frog Pose. It’s intense so don’t worry if you’re not quite ready for it yet. Start on your hands and knees, slowly widen your knees until you feel a comfortable stretch on the inside of your thighs. You can rest on your hands or forearms. Keep inside of calf and foot in contact with the floor. Hold for 30 seconds before gently coming out of the pose.

YOGA POSE: RECLINED COBBLERS POSE

Photo: iStock

Reclined cobblers pose is a great yoga pose to finish on before transitioning into savasana. Lie flat on your back. Bring the soles of your feet together and allow your knees to butterfly out to the side. You can rest your hands on your belly and close your eyes here. Allow gravity to gently open the hips. Breathe deeply. Stay here for at least 30 seconds or as long as you like.

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