This is a 30-minute hip mobility flow designed to help you open your hips,
Release tension,
And improve your range of motion.
So grab your mat.
And get comfortable.
And let's begin.
Start by lying down on your back.
Knees are bent,
Soles of the feet are on the floor.
Take your feet wide,
Let your knees drop in if you'd like.
Bring your hands to your belly.
And begin to lengthen your breath.
Feel the breath move into the nostrils,
Down into the belly.
Let it rise.
And then as you exhale,
Watch the belly fall.
Really tune into your body.
Giving yourself time to settle in.
And connect.
On your next inhale,
Sip in a little bit more air.
Hold at the top.
And steady,
Smooth breath out.
One more round just like that.
Keeping full breath in.
Hold at the top.
And as you let it out,
Allow your body to get even heavier.
If the eyes have closed,
Go ahead and blink them to open.
Take a big full breath in through the nose.
And exhale,
Sigh of the mouth.
Bring your arms into a cactus shape,
Elbows bent,
Fingertips pointed behind you as you slowly let your knees drop over to the right.
And then all the way through center to the left and back again.
Like windshield wipers with your shins,
Just move side to side and feel your low back release.
Make your way back to center and hug your knees into your chest,
Giving yourself a squeeze.
Circle the knees in one direction.
And then stir the pot in the opposite direction.
Start to hug your thigh bones into your side ribs.
Coming into happy baby,
But instead of grabbing the outer edges of the feet,
Grab the backs of the thighs as you hug your thighs into your chest.
Feel free to rock side to side or point and flex through the feet.
Feel those hamstrings begin to.
.
.
Stretch.
As you gently tug on the backs of the legs.
Feel your ribs heavy on the floor.
Let your head relax.
As you bring your feet back to the floor go ahead and roll to one side.
And make your way up into a tabletop position on all fours,
Hands and knees.
Once there,
Ground into the big knuckle of your first finger.
Spread your fingers wide and inhale to lower the belly,
Lift the gaze.
Exhale,
Push into the floor and round the spine.
Move through cat cow as you link the inhale and exhale to the movement come back to tabletop.
And then lift and circle your right knee out to the right.
Making as big of circles as you can.
And move directions.
After three rounds,
Set that right knee back down and move to the left side.
Three big circles in one direction.
And three big circles in the opposite direction.
You'll both hands plant into the earth evenly.
And come back into tabletop.
Take the knees wide,
Big toes together,
And sit your hips back for child's pose.
Make this an active child's pose where you reach the fingertips forward,
Crawl them a little further forward.
So that the forearms lift up and away from the mat.
And as you reach from the bottom ribs through the fingertips.
Continue to try to pull those hip creases further back.
Sitting your sit bones a little heavier toward the heels.
Fill the back body with the inhale.
And exhale,
Release.
As you activate.
The arm.
Just lift up enough so that you can tuck your toes under and realign your knees under your hips.
Before sitting the hip creases back once again.
Strong,
Straight arms.
Push the floor away from you until you are ready to start to straighten the legs.
Making your way into your first downward facing dog.
When you get there,
Bend one knee.
And then the other.
Stretching that opposite heel toward the earth.
See if you can keep a little bit of a lock on the pelvis rather than swing side to side just really isolate the hamstring slowing down.
And feeling that sensation of stretch in the back of the leg.
Come high onto the toes and then drop heavy on the heels,
Taking your feet just a little wider than hips distance.
Come high onto the toes and swivel the heels over to the right.
Pulling that right hip crease back.
Come back high onto the toes and swivel the heels to the other side.
This time pulling the left hip a little further back,
Grounding into both hands evenly.
Come high onto the toes once again and as you exhale get heavy in the heels.
Lift the right leg up on the inhale,
Bend the knees,
Stack the right hip over the left.
Take a full round of breath here.
And then come back through center,
Kick that leg back.
As you inhale and exhale,
Draw the knee toward the nose,
Stepping the foot between the hands.
Lower to the back knee,
And then walk your right foot outside the hands.
And start to circle the hips in one direction.
And then circle the hips in the opposite direction.
Let the hips drop toward the floor as you come into a low lunge.
Continue to lengthen your heart forward even as that right hip pulls back.
And gets heavy.
Straighten that front leg,
Peeling the toes back towards your face.
Lead with the heart,
Lengthen the back of the neck.
And without changing anything else,
Simply start to point and flex through that front foot.
Notice the difference in sensation of stretch as you make this minor movement.
And the next time you point the foot,
Go ahead and bend into that front knee once again.
As you stack the knee over the ankle,
Tuck the back toe,
Lift the back knee.
Let that right thigh bone get heavy toward the floor as you lift the left thigh bone even higher to the sky.
Step that right foot back.
Come to plank.
Hold in plank,
Push the floor away from you.
Lengthen from the crown of the head through the heels.
And then press slowly back to downward facing dog.
Lift the left leg up on the inhale.
Bend the knee and stack the hips.
Take a full round of breath right here.
And then on the next inhale,
Extend that left leg straight back behind you before exhaling to draw the knee toward the nose,
Stepping the foot through,
Lowering to the back knee.
Again,
Walk that front foot as far out to the edge of the mat as you can.
Both hands to the inside and circle the hips in one direction a few times.
And then reverse your circles.
And the next time you pass through center,
Go ahead and let those hips hang heavy toward the floor.
As the pelvis drops.
Lengthen the heart forward through the gateway of the arms.
Keep the back of the neck nice and long.
Breathe fully into the back body.
And hug your belly up towards your spine.
Go ahead and walk the hands back as you straighten that front leg.
Keep the left hip dropped toward the earth as you peel the toes back towards your face.
And keep everything else in alignment.
Begin to point and flex through that front foot.
You Then you'll bend into that front knee.
Walk your hands back under the shoulders.
Back toe tucks,
Back knee lifts.
Find length in the body.
Let the hips get heavy even as that right thigh bone lifts to the sky.
And return to the inhale and the exhale.
Feel your ribcage expand as you inhale.
Gather everything to the midline as you exhale.
Step that left foot back,
Coming back into that high plank position.
Check back in with your hands.
Make sure you're grounding into the big knuckle of that first finger.
And imagine dragging the heel of your hand back towards your toes and notice how that engages your core system.
Slowly lower all the way down onto your belly.
Release the tops of the feet to the floor.
As you inhale,
Lift the heart.
Exhale,
Lower back down.
Every inhale you get a little higher in your cobra pose.
And exhale lower.
Next time you inhale,
You come to the full expression of your cobra today.
And exhale,
Lower back down.
Of the toes.
Press yourself back up into tabletop or to high playing.
And all the way back to downward facing dog.
Come high under the toes on an inhale.
Tiptoe one step forward.
Press into the hands.
Bend the knees as much as you need to,
And then tiptoe another step forward.
Stay heavy in the hands.
And upper body.
As you tiptoe and take a breath.
Go slower than you want to go.
Take another step forward.
Again,
Soften the backs of the knees and the sitting bones up to the sky.
Stay high on the toes.
And then tiptoe forward.
Forward forward.
Until you reach the top of your mat.
When you do,
Set your feet down on the ground and release,
Hang over the legs.
Grab the elbows and allow yourself to sway side to side.
And come back to center.
And release your fingertips down to the floor.
Inhale,
Flat back,
Hands can come to shin.
Exhale,
Fold a bit deeper over the leg.
Let your head drop.
And then inhale,
Rise,
Reach the hands overhead,
Palms come to touch.
Exhale hands gather at the heart.
Take one hand to your heart,
One hand to your belly.
Let your tailbone get heavy as you lift your heart to the sky.
And connect with your breath.
Release your hands,
Inhale the arms overhead.
Exhale,
Fold over the legs.
Inhale flat back,
Half lift.
Exhale,
Step to your high plank and then lower to your belly.
Inhale,
Cobra or up dog.
Exhale,
Downward facing dog.
Take three slow,
Steady,
Even rounds of breath here.
Come high under the toes as you inhale.
Exhale,
Bend the knees,
Pull the hips back and step or hop forward.
Inhale,
Half lift and exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Rise to stand.
Palms touch.
Gather your hands at your heart as you exhale.
Start again.
Inhale,
Arms reach up.
Exhale,
Fold over the leg.
Inhale flat back.
Exhale,
Opposite footsteps back as you lower.
Inhale into the back bend.
Exhale,
Hips pull up and back for downward facing dog.
Come back to that steady flow of breath.
Feeling the breath move through the nostrils.
Inhale and exhale.
Step or hop to the front of the mat.
Inhale,
Flat back.
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale,
Rise to stand.
Gather your hands at your heart.
Exhale.
Straight into the next round.
Inhale,
Arms lift.
Exhale,
Fold over the leg.
Inhale flat back.
Exhale,
Step or hop back,
Lowering to your belly or chaturanga.
Inhale heart lift.
Reach your right leg straight up and back.
Exhale,
Step between the hands.
Back heel spins down as you bring the arms up into warrior two.
Gaze over the front fingertips.
And sit low in the front thigh.
Ground in that front heel as you scrub it back,
Engage the lower body.
Reach your rib cage forward bring your fingertips to the floor and the left arm sweeps all the way up overhead,
Palm spins to the floor.
From side angle pose,
Focus on rolling your rib cage to the sky.
Hugging your right hip toward the left edge of your mat.
Stay this low in the legs.
Reverse your warrior.
Reach the right arm overhead.
And then windmill the hands to frame the front foot.
Step back to plank.
Lower down Lift the heart as you inhale.
And exhale,
Downward facing dog.
Straight into the second side,
Left leg lifts and steps through.
Back heel spins down,
Hands come up.
And we sit low in that front thigh once again.
Draw the left hip to the long right edge of the mat.
Hugging the outer glute to the midline.
Find your breath.
Slow it down.
And then you'll reach the ribcage forward,
Fingertips come to the floor.
As that other arm reaches all the way overhead.
We're looking up underneath that top arm.
Staying balanced and steady in the legs.
Grounding into the back foot just as much as the right.
Reach up and back with the inhale.
And exhale,
Windmill the hands to plant,
Step back to plank,
Lower down.
The inhale lifts the heart.
And the exhale lifts the hips.
Take a couple of deep breaths right here.
Settle in.
Release the crown of your head to the floor.
High under the toes as you inhale.
Exhale,
Bend the knees,
Pull the hips back,
Step or hop.
Inhale is half lift.
Exhale forward.
And then inhale to rise,
Hence gather at your heart.
Inhale into chair pose.
Sit so low the fingertips sweep the floor.
As you reach the arms overhead,
Sit a little heavier in the heels.
Pulling the thigh bones back and lifting the heart just a bit higher.
Stay with it.
Continue to breathe.
And then exhale release fold in half.
Inhale,
Half lift,
Long spine.
Exhale,
Step or hop back,
Lowering down.
The inhale will lift the heart.
Exhale into downward facing dog.
Before stepping through without lifting that right leg.
Come into Warrior One.
Difference in warrior one is that back foot is steering forward so that the pelvis can be pointed like two headlights in front of you.
Reach up on the inhale.
Exhale,
Spin onto the back toes.
Step back and lower down.
Inhale,
Upward Dog.
Exhale,
Downward dog.
Straight into the second side,
Left leg steps forward.
Back heel spins down,
Reach the hands overhead.
Widen the stance as needed.
So you can get that right hip rolling forward.
On your next inhale lift the heart even higher.
And then exhale,
Lower down,
Spin onto the back toes.
Chaturanga.
Inhale upward dog and then exhale downward facing dog.
Take a couple of deep breaths here.
Backs of the knees are soft.
Hip creases are pulling back.
Steady your breath.
Inhale,
High under the toes.
Exhale,
Bend the knees,
Hips pull back,
Step or hop.
Inhale,
Half lift.
Exhale,
Fold.
Inhale into your teeny tiny chair.
And then press your heels into the earth to stand tall.
One hand to your heart,
One hand to your belly.
Feel your sense of center.
Feel your feet on the earth.
Slow the breath down by extending the exhale to be longer than the inhale.
Feel your heart rate.
And choose to be here with your body.
As we slow down sometimes the mind begins to wander.
So simply bring it back to this round of breath.
Go ahead and release your hands by your sides.
Take a look around.
Notice where you are.
Come to sit down on your mat.
Toward the center of their mat,
Bend the knees,
Feet come to the floor.
You'll hold onto the backs of the legs.
Start to lift your heart.
And press your thighs into the backs of your hands as you lean back and lift your feet up off the mat.
Bringing your shins parallel with the floor.
Continue to lift the heart.
And then maybe you let the hands get a little lighter.
Hug the lowest part of your belly in.
Maybe you reach the hands forward.
And another layer would be to begin to straighten the leg.
Check in with your breathing.
Slow and steady breaths as you hold this shape.
Just one more breath.
Before curling in and giving your knees a hug into your chest.
Round your spine.
And soften your belly.
Uncurl.
Extend your feet back out in front of you.
Bring your hands to the backs of the thighs once again,
But this time we'll roll down vertebrae by vertebrae.
Sliding your hands down your legs keeping your feet grounded And when your body wants to plop,
We're not going to let it plop.
We're going to hold steady and roll and roll.
And roll slowly until you make your way all the way down onto your back.
When you get there you'll hug those knees into your chest.
And circle the knees in one direction.
And the other.
Feel free to rock side to side here if you'd like.
But just notice the difference.
In your hips and hip flexors.
The end of your practice.
Cross your right.
Ankle over your left knee.
Press that right thigh bone forward before lifting the left foot off the mat,
Interlacing the fingers behind the left thigh.
And as that left thigh hugs in towards your chest,
Continue to press the right knee away from you.
Let your rib cage get heavy.
Plug your shoulders in.
Stay with that outer hip stretch for another moment or two.
You Then release that left foot back to the floor,
Uncrossing the legs to switch sides.
Left ankle over the right thigh,
Press that left thigh forward.
And then lift the right foot off the mat as you interlace the fingers behind that thigh and hug that thigh bone in towards your ribs.
As the right thigh hugs in,
The left knee presses away from you.
Feel free to roll the ankle joint.
Point and flex through the feet.
Connect with the sensation of that outer hip stretch.
And keep your mind practicing being present with the body.
Slowly release the feet back to the floor.
Take a full happy baby pose.
Grabbing the outer edges of the feet with the hand.
Stacking the ankles over the knees.
Knees are wide and yet they're hugging in towards your side ribs.
Uncurl your tailbone forward and toward the front of your mat Notice how that shifts that sensation of stretch.
You can grab your big toes with your peace sign fingers and stretch out the backs of your legs if you'd like.
And then one last big squeeze.
Hug your knees into your chest.
Thank your body for showing up.
And then release yourself into a final resting posture.
Feel free to grab any props at this point or set yourself up into a shape that you can easily rest in.
Give yourself one more body scan.
And then let go.
Enjoy your Shavasana and take plenty of time to allow this practice to integrate into and through your body.
Thank you for showing up.
Have a wonderful day.
Take good care of yourself.
Namaste.
