Hip Openers

Welcome to a nine minute yoga practice with Ali Temple, to release your hips, and possibly move through the most satisfying thing you'll do all day.
This gentle practice targets the front of the hips, the deeper rotators, and the joint's full range of motion, all the places that your body is storing every hour of sitting. Whether you're stepping away from your desk, closing out a long meeting, or winding down at the end of the day, this is the practice that meets you exactly where you are.
Hip openers have a way of offering instant relief like almost nothing else. After one session, you'll be revisiting these simple stretches regularly.

Transcript

I'm Allie Temple, And today we are opening up the hips. If you spend a lot of time sitting in your car, In long meetings, Or at the desk that you swore you would get up from but didn't, By the end of the day, Your hips have tightened in ways most of us don't even notice until we actually try to stretch them. We'll move through some juicy hip openers that will help relieve some of the tension you've been storing in your lower body. This is the best practice after a long day of sitting, But you can practice it any time that works for you, Especially at the end of your workday. If you do have a small cushion or a yoga block, If you have it around, Grab it. You can use that for the practice, But you can also do this without any props. Now, Before we dive in, I want to mention that it's best to take it slowly with hip openers, Especially some of the deeper openings that we get into today. So if you have a hip replacement or sciatica, Or if you're pregnant, Be sure to modify when you need to without forcing a stretch. All right, Let's get started. Lay on your back and I'll meet you there. If you do have a prop you can slide that towards the top of your mat and we'll come to that in a moment. And while you're laying on your back, Let's just start by hugging your thighs into your belly. Wrap your arms around your legs. Take a little rock side to side. You can let your head relax. And maybe start to roll in circles with your hips. Let's go the other direction here. Just warming up your hips. And noticing if you're feeling a little bit stiff today or more open. Now let's come into figure four so you can drop your left foot down and cross your right ankle over your left leg. You can stay right here or catch the back of your left leg. A great hip opener for your outer right hip. Gently pressing your leg and foot together, Not forcing it. But if you add a little bit of pressure as you draw your right knee away from you, You should notice that nice deep stretch in your outer hip. Maybe take a little rock side to side again here. And then switch it up, Take the other side, Left ankle over your right leg. We got a nice short express class, So not holding these poses for too long today. But I know you will feel a difference by the end of our 10 minutes. Little rock side to side. And let that go, Catch the back of your legs, Start to take a little rock forward and back. Couple of times all the way up to a seat and then you'll cross your legs, Plant your hands, Step back to a downward facing dog, However you need to get there. Pressing your hips back and up as you get a sweet little stretch in the back of your legs. Now walk your hands back to your feet and we'll come into a squat here. So your toes turn out and your hips lower down. If you do have a block you could be seated on that block for a little extra support. Bring your hands to your heart and just take another little rock side to side. Really nice hip opener for the front of your hips. I'm sure you are feeling that just like I am. Now plant your hands, Walk them forward again to a downward dog. Now we'll lift the right leg back and up and you'll step all the way through between your hands. However you need to get there is all good. Drop your back knee down for a low lunge. So this is a juicy one. If you have a block, You might place your hands on the block to support you in sinking down into your hip as we get into the left hip flexor and the psoas muscle. Slow, Deep breaths. And soften where you can here. Sometimes we tend to hold some tension in our jaw or in the belly. Or clenching through the toes or the butt muscles. So just try to soften. Take one more deep breath in. Big exhale out. We'll come right into pigeon pose here. So walk your right foot towards your left hand and start to shift your right shin down to the mat. Now if your right hip is lifted, Maybe you take that block or cushion. And prop it up. The hip on the cushion or block. And you can stay upright because we won't be here for too long. So again, Getting into your outer right hip here as you press through your hands, Maybe a gentle lift through your chest. Slow, Deep breaths. If you want more sensation, Bring your front toes closer to the top of your mat. So bringing them forward, You will feel that definitely more. And let's press into your hands. Step back to one more downward dog to flush that out. And just observe how are your hips feeling from side to side. Let's get into the other side, Now left leg lifts behind. Step it through for your low lunge. Same options here, Hands could be on a block. You could also place your hands on your front thigh here. If the knee is uncomfortable on the mat, You could roll your mat up under your knee. So finding a shape that you can kind of relax into a little bit, Even if it does feel a bit more intense in your hips. One more deep breath in. Big exhale out. All right, Let's come to pigeon on the other side. So walking your left foot to the right, Soften your shin and leg down, Getting into your left outer hip. Staying here or use props if you need them. And we'll just take a few slow breaths. Really great pose if you spend a lot of time seated like I do these days. You can probably feel some discomfort in the hip. You want to make sure there's no pinching, No tight throbbing. If so, You're always welcome to modify. But that discomfort in the stretch, That's actually a good thing. We like that. Alright, From here, All you're going to do is take any props out of the way if they're there. Slide onto your left hip. Swing your legs around and lay down on your back. We'll come into a reclined butterfly pose or cobbler's pose, Soles of the feet together. Knees fall open. Rest your hands wherever it's comfortable, Maybe on your belly. One final hip opener as we slow things down. Slow, Deep breaths. As you allow the back of your body to sink down into the floor beneath you. You're welcome to stay here or you can move into a short shavasana, Guiding the legs back together. Extend them out long, Arms by your side. And as you drop into stillness, Just take a moment to notice how you're feeling. Notice if you feel any shift. Especially in the hip area. Give yourself some space here as you move into your day, Because your hips have released what they've been carrying throughout the day, Maybe even the week or longer. So you could even feel this in your lower back, Since most lower back tension is stored in your hips. Feel free to revisit this short practice anytime your body has been still for too long. I'm Allie Temple. I hope to practice with you again soon here on Insight Timer. Namaste.