8-Minute Morning Hip Opener

Wake up your body gently with this simple 8-minute hip-opening practice done entirely on your back. You can even practice it in bed before starting your day.

In yoga, the hips are often considered a place where we hold tension and emotion, as well as the energetic center of creativity and movement. Giving the hips a little attention in the morning can help create a sense of ease, flow, and openness as you step into your day.

Sometimes the hardest part of yoga is simply getting started — so today, you don’t even have to get out of bed.

Just lie back, breathe, and begin.

Transcript

Hi everyone, I'm Alicia Bliss and in this segment we're going to work on stretching the hips. I'm going to show you a couple of variations of my favorite postures to flex and stretch the hips so that you can get out of discomfort in your low back. The safest way for everyone to practice opening their hips is on their back. Join me as I roll onto the mat with my feet to the top of the mat, Knees up, And just rolling the spine down. And when you're there, Placing the feet about a hand's distance away from your buttocks, Knees up towards the sky, We're going to start with what we call the sleeping pigeon pose. So taking your right ankle on top of your left thigh and flexing that foot so you support a healthy knee alignment with your right knee. So the right leg is our focus here and you may already feel just enough hip stretch in this posture. If you want just a little more, You can take your right hand and press the knee away a little more. And then if you want a lot more, You can draw the knees in towards the chest with your strong core. Take your right hand and thread it through the center of your legs and meet the left hand behind your left leg to interlace both hands at your left leg. Now this is the full expression of the posture. If you can relax your shoulders here and keep your legs in a safe and comfortable position, Then stay here for a few breaths. If this is too much, Please just come back down with your left foot to the floor and breathe with us here. Wherever you are, Close your eyes and breathe deeply in through your nostrils and exhale out of the mouth. Soften through the shoulders, Neck and face. Let's take a few more breaths together. Beautiful. Inhale and exhale here. And when you exhale, Take that left foot back to the floor if it's not already there. And then release that right foot to the floor. Great. And before we go to the other side, Let's release any tension in our lower backs by bringing the feet a mat distance apart. Windshield wipe your legs to the right, So both knees pointing to the right. And then pick your knees up and take them to the left as you exhale. Okay, Good. Now let's inhale to the right, Windshield wiper legs, Arms open and exhale to the left. Great. Now bring the knees back up towards the sky and work the feet about a hand's distance apart again to take the left side pigeon pose. So your left ankle comes on top of your right thigh, Your foot is flexed and your knee is pressing away from the body. Now you can assist it with your left hand there. And if you feel plenty here, Please stay. If you want to come to the full expression of the posture, Use your strong core to draw the knees in. Take your left hand to the inside of the legs to meet the right hand behind the right thigh. Lots of rights and lefts in yoga here, But you'll find your position. And if your shoulders can relax and you feel nice and easeful to be here, Great. If not, Please come to the first phase of the posture. You'll work up to this at no time, I promise. Remember, This is a practice. Consistency is everything. So we're staying here with our breath in through the nostrils, Exhale out of the mouth. Releasing tension out of the hips is incredible for lower back health. And another antidote to sitting. Alright, Release. If you're in the full expression of sleeping pigeon posture, Release the feet to the floor. And go ahead and straighten the legs all the way out. Now bring your right knee into your chest and hug your knee into the chest with both hands in front of the knee or behind the knee if you have any knee issues. And we're just going to take circles with the knee, Getting a little range of motion in the hips. So just circle in one direction, The knee coming in towards the upper body and then away. Small circles, Big circles, Does not matter. Just make it feel good. Alright, Good. Now change directions. Excellent. Breathing while we're moving. Alright, Now draw that knee in towards your chest. Give it a hug and a squeeze. And then place that right foot to the left thigh. Now cup your left hand to your right knee and allow your right arm to come out away from the body. And we're just going to let them, We're going to draw that right knee down towards the left side of the body until your right hip comes off of the ground. Now this looks like a spinal twist, But I just want you to really feel the outer edge of the hip, The IT band stretching here. So you don't want to come all the way down to the floor with your knee. So let's breathe together, Feeling an outer hip stretch. Another breath in and out. And then bring that knee back to center and straighten that right leg. Alright, Center your body onto your mat and then draw your left knee in towards your chest, Grabbing in front of the knee or behind the knee. You choose. And we're just going to take those circles, Those hip circles, Around to one direction while we breathe in and out, Creating a nice loosening and range of motion for the hips. The hips respond really well to range of motion exercises. So now change directions. Breathing here. Good. And now bring the knee in towards the chest and place that left foot on top of the right thigh, Your right hand to cup the knee, The left hand out away from the body. And just slowly press that knee towards the right side of the body until you feel a hip stretch and, Of course, You'll be feeling a lower back stretch. But you want to stay here and breathe with me. You're doing great. Loosening up these hips. Your body will thank you. Alright, Now bring it back to center. Draw this knee in and then draw both knees into your chest. Give yourself a little rock from side to side and then place your hands behind the legs and take a little rocking motion along the spine until you come up to seated. And just give yourself a big thanks for showing up to this healthy hip stretcher practice with me today. Thank you so much. See you next time.