Hip Openers

Hips can store a lot of information that you are holding. Working with hip openers can help release this information and make that your foundation feels more stable. Use this video to create space and work gently.

Be love,
Dorinda

Transcript

So, To start, What I want us to do is come into. . . Squat. So the easiest way to do that is to take your hands on the ground from your hands and knees and just step the feet a little further apart than hip width if you can. It actually helps to get the heels down if the feet are a little wider. If your heels aren't hitting the ground, That's also fine. Maybe you keep your fingertips on the ground. But we want to try and get the heels towards the ground. If the heels are not hitting the ground, Part of the problem is your calf muscle is stronger than the shin on the front. So a way you can start to work with that is also to start lifting your toes. In all poses, But this might be a little bit too much in this pose, But see what works. But to start to open the hips a little bit, We're just gonna support with the hands, But start to twist. I'm gonna take my left foot back and my right heel back and twist. And then come back to the center. And then we go the other direction. So we're twisting, Open the hips left to right. You can keep support with the fingers. You don't need to release and just rocking back and forth. Keep the back flat as you do this. Finding. Space in the hips. Careful for the knees. Push the knees out gently. By pushing knees out, You also strengthen the outside of the hips. So come to the center. Just see if you can settle down a little more into the heels. Be gentle. Opening the hips a little bit to the side, Strengthening the out. Keep your fingertips on the ground and we're going to come up with the hips into a forward bend. I want you to keep the knees bent and allow the ribs to to hit the thigh. Relax the neck and just hang in a forward bend. And take a few deep breaths here. Get your feet stable, And I want you to just shift your weight, Most of the weight, Onto the right foot, The right heel, And lift the right toe. Left foot can be just resting a little bit on the ground and you're going to feel the right quadriceps start to turn on here. Push the right knee out to the side a little bit more and you'll get even more attention on the outside of the right hip. So strengthening the quadriceps and the front of the thigh. Will also help us to get into our forward bend and squat a little better. And then come back to the center. Keep the neck neutral. Just rest for a moment. Relax the neck. Then bring most of the weight onto the left foot, Lifting the pinky toe side even more. Weight onto the heel lifting the toes. Lighten the right foot as much as you can. You don't need to lift it completely and the hands can stay down for stability. Open the left knee a little bit more so you're going to feel the stretch on the outside. The muscles turn on. Take some breaths. Keep the belly long so the spine is long and more energy flows into the leg. Last breath. Back to the center, And keep the feet wide enough apart so that we can come back down into your squat. Again, Stable with the hands however you need them. And see if you feel any different. We're gonna start to twist again. Left and right. Rocking movement. Opening the hip. The back flat. Again, The further, You can try taking the feet a little further apart. If it's more comfortable. Careful for the knee. Opening the hips one more time. Back to the center, We're gonna come into our forward bend again, Lifting the hips, Taking the head down, Keep the ribs touching the thigh, Relax the neck. You can reach back and grab the heels. Keep the knees bent and pull slightly so that the back gets flatter. It's okay, Stay in a forward bend with the knees bent, Belly touching the thigh. If it's not stable, You can always have your hands on the ground. Do what works for you, But by pulling, You'll get more energy to run. Back will be flat. Relax the neck, Take a few deep breaths here. And exhale hands on the ground let's take your hands and knees and come back to sitting on the heels if that's not possible You can always sit on a block. Or a bolster. Sitting just for a moment in hero pose. Keep the spine long. We're going to shift the weight onto the right hip, Straighten the legs. Actually, I want the legs, Feet, Soles to come together for a moment. If the hips of the knees are up really high, Part of the problem is the muscles on the inside of the thigh are stronger than the muscles on the outside. Outer hip and thigh strengtheners to help get the knees to go down so the hips will open in certain poses. So we're going to lie on your back. So turn so that you can lie flat on your back. And I'm going to roll just a little bit onto my right knee, Actually onto the right hip. My right knee is pushing on the ground. You're going to roll your shoulders a little bit closer together and push down with the right knee into the ground as you lift your hips off of the ground. This will also strengthen lower back. And outside of right hip. Now, To make it even more challenging, If you want, You can assist by pushing elbows into the ground as well, But if you want, You can lift left leg in the air. This is not easy. Be gentle. Attempt to lift left leg in the air, And then you turn the muscles on on the outside of the right hip and thigh, And stay here for a few breaths. You can also shift the hips slightly from left to right. Strengthening the out of the hip. Exhale, Come back down. Rest for a moment. And you don't need to lift the leg. If you can just lift the hips, That's fine, But eventually go towards lifting the left leg as well. We're going to repeat it one more time. So find your safe edge. If you need support with the elbows, If you want it to be more advanced, Take the arms up over the head. It's your choice. Push down with the right knee, Lift the hips. If that is feeling okay for you, You can have a little more. Lift the left leg. Take a few breaths, Strengthening lower back and outside of the right hip. And exhale back down. Let the feet, Soles touch, Hands on the belly. Just take a breath or two here before we go to the other side. Gently roll to the left. Letting the left knee hit the ground. You can take the option of arms down beside you. Right foot can also be on top of left if it makes it a little more comfortable. Push down with left knee in the ground. Lift the hip. Calm the breath. If you want more of a challenge, You take the arms up over the head and you can also lift right leg. Can shift back and forth slightly to strengthen. And exhale, Come back down, Rest for a moment. We'll repeat the pose. Take a few breaths. And then back again, Left knee hits the ground. Arms beside you or over the head. Lift left hip from the ground. Stay for five breaths. And exhale, Back down. Let's take the feet a little wider. With the feet soles on the ground. Just for a little stretch in the front, We're gonna take the right knee in, The left knee out. I feel the stretch across the front of the right thigh. Inhale, Come back up, Left knee in, Right knee out. The belly long, Protect the back. Take some deep breaths. And then back up with the knees. Bring the knees closer to the buttocks, Right behind the hips. We're gonna take the right side ankle and place it on the left knee. Try and keep the foot active and pulled back so you don't overstretch the outside of the ankle. Push the right knee gently away and you're gonna start to feel it in the front of the right hip. Take some breaths here. And we're gonna take it a little further by lifting the left foot from the ground, Taking the hands through or on top of, If it feels better, To hold the left knee. Keep the neck and the head neutral on the ground. And pull gently. The foot towards the chest. Feeling the stretch on the outside of the right hip. Take some breaths here. Active right ankle so to protect and soften slowly. Letting go, Relax the face. This can also relieve lower back issues. One more breath. Slowly release, Straightening both legs. Place them on the ground. Just close the eyes for a moment and notice the difference between your right and left leg. That's also what we're trying to do is energetically notice the difference. Right leg is a little warmer. Feel more energy going, Might even feel a little longer. We're going to bend the knees again, Bring the feet close to the buttocks. And then take left side ankle, But keep the foot active to protect the ankle and push left knee slightly away. So you feel the stretch on the front of the hip. Again here. Take a few breaths and then we're going to reach through with the arms lifting the right foot from the ground. You can grab on top or underneath or just the thigh, Wherever you are, But you're pulling the legs towards your chest. Keep the neck flat and neutral. Relax. Opening stretching the outside of the left hip. Take some deep breaths. Last breath. And exhale, Release, Slowly letting both legs straighten down on the mat. Hands beside, Just relax for a few moments. Feeling warmth in the legs. Let's strengthen the lower back a little bit here. Be gentle with yourself. We're going to straighten the legs and I actually want you to cross right ankle over left. Right ankle over left. And we're going to roll the shoulders a little bit closer together and just push down with left heel, Lift hips off of the ground. Strengthening lower back, Take a few breaths here. Exhale, Relax, Come back down. Uncross the ankles. And left heel goes over right. Rolling shoulders closer together, Push down gently, Lift the hips from the ground, Just for a few breaths. If this is too heavy, You can also do it on a mattress. It'll still affect you, But it'll be a little bit more supportive. And a few more breaths. Exhale coming back down. Nice. We're actually just going to stay down right now. If you need anything to stay warm, Maybe just put on. A blanket. But just let the arms open up, Hand palms towards the ceiling, Close the eyes. Take a deep breath, Exhale, Let it go. Relax the face from inside out. Feel the eyes sink deeper into the head area. And imagine the bones in the arms getting longer. Imagine the bones in the hands float apart. Feel the spine from the neck all the way down to the tailbone as if it floats apart. Feel the bones in the hips. Separate just opening slightly softening so you sink deeper into the ground. Feel the bones in the legs getting longer. Bones in the feet float apart. And just relax as much as you can into any sensation you feel. Energy just floating. The more you relax the better. Energy flow. Slowly bring your attention back. Take a deeper breath, Allowing some movement in the fingers or the toes. Eventually moving the arms, The legs, Possibly bending the knees. Rolling off to one side, Rest there for a moment. And allowing yourself to come up sideways to sitting again. Spine lifted, Crown of the head up, Shifted back slightly, The chin. Bring your hand palms to your heart. Take a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale, Let it go. One more time, Inhale deeply. And exit. Thank you for your time and energy. Namaste.