15 Min Gentle Yoga for Deep Hip & Lower Back Release

Feeling tight through your hips, hamstrings, or lower back?
This 15-minute gentle yoga flow helps you release tension, move with ease, and support your body with mindful movement.

We begin with light core activation to stabilise and support the lower back, then move into slow, deep stretches to create space through the hips, hamstrings, and spine. Guided by the breath, the practice invites softness, ease, and a gradual release of tension.

Perfect for a midday reset, after work, or anytime you need to unwind and reconnect.
Suitable for all levels.
This practice supports:
• Releasing tension in hips, hamstrings, and lower back
• Gentle core activation for spinal support
• Improving flexibility and ease of movement
• Calming the mind and nervous system
Props: 1 block (or thick book) and a strap (or scarf)
Music by Narek Mirzaei - musicofwisdom

Transcript

Hi yogis, I'm Nicole. Thanks for joining me today. I have another super short yoga snack for you. This class has just a hint of core at the beginning and then we'll be moving through some deep stretches, Especially therapeutic for any tension you might be holding in the back, Hamstrings and hips. I have one block for this practice and a yoga strap. If you don't have a block, You can improvise with a really thick book. Even if you don't have a strap, Anything you can loop around the foot, So a scarf or a belt will do the trick. When you're ready, Come on over onto all fours into your tabletop position. Just taking those hands out nice and wide, Pinky fingers to meet the edges of the mat. As you inhale, Gently move into a back bend, Drop the belly, Lift the tailbone and the gaze. As you exhale, Tuck the tailbone under, Lift the palms, Just keep the fingertips on the floor as you sit back towards the heels. Follow the inhalation, Return to tabletop, Move into a back bend. This time, As we exhale, A little bit of core. So you can round the spine, Then press into the palms and the tops of the feet, Hover the knees off the mat. Then return those knees down slowly, Inhale, Drop the belly, Back bend. Exhale, Round the spine, Lift the palms, Sit back for your modified child's pose. Follow the inhalation back to tabletop, Little back bend. Let's exhale with our core, Hover those knees, Round the upper back and shoulders. Lower those knees back down, Last little back bend here. And this time we'll settle into our child's pose. So do tuck the tailbone under, Round the spine as you sit back and make yourself comfortable. You can always use the block underneath the head if you need a little more support. Become aware of the breath here in the back side of the body. Can you feel the back subtly rise and expand as you inhale? Take a moment to pause, Hold the breath before you exhale slowly, Gradually softening, Sinking into the pose. Follow your next inhalation out of the pose. Let's come into a forearm plank. So this is your last little bit of core for this practice. So onto those forearms and if you can, Tucking the toes under, Rounding out the upper back. If you need to lighten the pose, You can alternate with one knee down. If you're looking for a little more heat, We'll do a little bit of strengthening work through the back and hamstrings. Let's bring the top of the left toes to the mat and then we're going to lift the leg. So it's quite rapid movement here. We'll lift and lower, Keep the jaw relaxed and the breath steady. Let's change sides. Slow breath, Quick movement. Well done yogis, Let's lower down into our six pose. Gently broadening the collarbones. A little neck stretch here, You can allow the left ear to fall towards the left shoulder. And change sides. Well done yogis, Let's roll over onto our back. Once on your back, Make sure you can reach your props, Collecting your block and we'll lift straight up into a supported bridge pose. So just keeping the block on the flat side and then take a hold of your strap. Let's take the strap around the ball of the left foot and then extend the left leg up towards the ceiling. Option one, You can keep this right leg as it is. Option two, You can straighten and relax the leg. Breathing into the left leg. And third option, Only if it's comfortable for your body, Knees and hips, We'll take a butterfly variation with this right leg. So you can bend the knee and bring the outer edge of the foot to the mat, Letting the knee fall out to the side. Just a few more breaths. Meeting any tension in the body with the breath, Not with force, Not with judgment. And let's change sides, Lifting up the right foot, Switching with the strap. Lower your left foot down, Either keeping the knee bent or you can straighten and relax the leg. Breathing into the right leg, Where attention goes, Energy flows. Either resting here or if you did so on the other side, Take that butterfly variation with your left leg. Allow the knee to bend and fall out to the side. And let's release, Lower the right leg down, Remove the strap. Just take a moment here in an active bridge, Press down and away through the feet and lift up the hips. Gently broaden the collarbones. And feel the breath moving along the front side of the body. And let's pick up those heels, Remove the block and slowly lower down, One vertebrae at a time. When you touch down to the mat, Take a hold of the knees, Hug them into the chest. Inhale to straighten the arms. Exhale to bend the elbows. Inhale, This time heels up to the ceiling, Arms above the head. And exhale, Bend the knees, Hug it in. Push through the heels, Well done. Last one, Hug it in. And then we'll move into a reclined pigeon, Left ankle to the right knee. So you might rest here or you can place a block underneath the foot, A little bit stronger if you lift that foot up off the floor. We can take a hold of the leg. You might even like to gently rock from side to side. Option to stay here if you would like a little more of a hamstring stretch and your knees and hips permit. Lower the left ankle down a little closer to the right hip crease and then straighten the right leg. Take a hold of the calf. Well done yogis, Let's release. We'll keep a hold of your left knee and we'll move into a twist. Take your left knee over to the right, Positioning the leg on the block. Whatever height is most comfortable for your body. Deepening the breath in the lower body. Option to stay as you are or we'll take a quad stretch here. You might like to roll a little more onto your side, Bend the knee and reach for the foot. Of course, You can cradle the head with your hand. To lighten this pose even more, Prop yourself up. Otherwise, Keep it low. Call the bones starting to face the ceiling. Gently deepen the breath down the right side of the body. Your next exhalation, Release the foot, Return to your back. Well done yogis. We'll take that reclined pigeon on the other side, Right ankle to the left knee. Either resting here or taking a hold of the leg. And try to meet your body where it is today. Try not to attach to what you did last week or where you long to be. But meet your body where it is today. With the breath, With kindness, Not with force or judgment. If you like that hamstring stretch, Just lower the right heel a little as you straighten the left leg. Well done yogis. Let's release that pose. Come into your twist, Right knee over to the left. Pull. Relaxing the outer hip, The buttocks and thighs. Either resting here or if you did so on the other side, You can bend the left leg, Reach for the foot. Of course, Roll onto your side or prop up the head if you need to lighten the pose. And gently deepen the breath to deepen the pose. Take one last deep inhalation here. Finish your exhale, Release the leg, Return to your back. We'll take a brief moment in Shavasana now. Just allowing those legs to straighten and relax. Taking up as much space on the mat as is comfortable. You might like to connect index finger and thumbs to take Chindra. As you close the eyes down, Softening the forehead, The tongue and jaw. And simply taking the next few moments to be a quiet observer. Resting in this newfound space.