If you sit at a desk most of the day, there’s a very high likelihood that your hips are tight. Sitting puts pressure on the lower back, which can cause pain extending to the hips. Lack of movement also causes decreased blood flow to the hip joint, which can also lead to stiffness.
It’s not just people who sit a lot who are prone to having tight hips. Cyclists and runners get them from overuse. Regardless of the reason, virtually everyone can benefit from moving through some hip-opening stretches every day.
We asked yoga instructors to share some of their favorite hip-opening yoga poses. Spend a few minutes moving through a few of these poses and you’ll feel less stiff.
“Most everyone can benefit from hip openers,” says Cator Shachoy, a yoga instructor with more than 20 years of experience.
In particular, if you have back pain, neck and shoulder stiffness or pain, sit a lot for work or are sedentary, she says hip-opening exercises are a good idea.
Steph Armijo, an instructor at Yoga 42, agrees: “Whether you’re an athlete or sedentary, mindful movement and stretching with breath are key to releasing tension in the hips and improving mobility.”
Here are 10 hip-opening stretches to try:
Supine figure four
Shachoy explains that this hip-opening stretch targets the outer hip muscles and fascia. When you’re doing it, she says to be sure to flex your foot and not twist your ankle. To deepen the stretch, she says to press your elbow onto the thigh of your bent leg.
“If it’s difficult to clasp your hands behind your thigh, you can use a yoga strap which effectively lengthens your arms. This might also help you to keep your head and shoulders on the floor when doing this pose,” she says, offering a modification.
■ Lie down on your back, lift your legs in the air and bend your knees.
■ Cross one ankle over the opposite knee.
■ Gently pull the leg toward your chest. Hold for 30 seconds.
Low lunge
“Low lunge is a great psoas stretch, as well as outer hip opener,” Shachoy says. (The psoas muscle connects your spine to lower body.)
When doing a low lunge, Shachoy says, keep your torso as upright as possible. If you are having trouble balancing, she recommends placing your hands on your hips or a block for support.
■ Start standing. Step your right foot forward and drop your left knee to the floor. Place both hands on your front thigh.
■ Keep your torso upright as you lean into the stretch, feeling it in your hips.
■ Hold for 30 seconds and then switch legs.
Crescent lunge
This move is similar to low lunge, but there are a few key differences. In crescent lunge, the back heel is lifted off the floor. Unlike in low lunge, the knee is not placed on the floor.
“This pose requires more effort to hold, so it’s both stretching the psoas, outer and inner hips and strengthening the thighs. The upright posture makes accessing the pelvic floor easier,” Shachoy says.
■ Start standing. Step your right leg forward, bending your knee.
■ Lift your back heel off the ground.
■ Keep your torso upright while lifting your arms overhead. Hold for 30 seconds and then switch legs.
Camel pose
Armijo says camel pose is an effective hip opener as it stretches the hip flexors and strengthens the lower back. But it isn’t accessible for everyone, she notes. If you feel pain, gently back out of the pose.
■ Start by kneeling, making fists with your hands and placing them on your lower back.
■ As you inhale, open your chest toward the ceiling, sending your quads forward. If it feels good, you can curl your toes under and place your hands on your feet. For a deeper variation, place the tops of your feet on the ground, pressing your chest forward and lifting your chin.
■ Hold for five deep breaths.
Dancer’s pose
Another popular yoga move for the hips move is dancer’s pose.
“It stretches the hip flexors while challenging balance. Once you find your balance, you can modify the pose to target different areas,” Armijo says.
For example, she says to stretch the quads, bring your foot closer to your glutes, keeping your knee aligned with your body’s midline.
If you want to deepen the hip stretch, Armijo says, slightly open your hip toward the ceiling, transitioning into a hybrid half-moon version of the pose.
■ Start standing. Bring your left leg behind you, so that you are balancing on your right leg.
■ Reach your left hand back and grab your leg.
■ Create a soft “U” shape with your chest as you continue to balance on one leg, with your left hand holding your left leg.
■ Hold for 30 seconds. Gently come out of the pose and repeat with the other leg.
Half pigeon
“Half pigeon opens the outer hips and can also stretch the inner groin,” Shachoy says.
If your hips are tight and this pose is causing you discomfort, Shachoy recommends using a folded blanket or a yoga block to support the hip of the bent leg.
■ Start in a tabletop position. Bring one knee forward and bend it 90 degrees, placing it near your wrist.
■ Extend the other leg behind you.
■ Gently lower your body down, placing your forehead on the floor. Hold for several breaths before slowly coming out of the stretch.
Yogi squat
Yoga instructor Veronique Ory says the yogi squat is one of the most functional hip openers because it mirrors a natural resting position used in many cultures.
“It deeply stretches the hips and groin while also strengthening the lower body and core,” she says.
Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
Bend your knees and lower down as if you are going to sit in a chair.
Keep your chest lifted and bring your hands to heart center. Hold for several breaths.
Lizard pose
According to certified yoga instructor and WhitFit founder Whitney Berger, lizard pose deeply stretches the hip flexors, hamstrings and groin.
“It also targets the psoas muscle, which gets tight from sitting too much,” she says, adding that this stretch helps improve flexibility and mobility.
■ Start in a lunge position, with the right knee forward and the left leg extended behind you, with your left knee on the floor.
■ Bring your right hand by your right foot on the side closest to your body. Heel-toe your right foot out as far as you can comfortably.
■ Lower down onto your forearms, engaging your core to stabilize your body. Hold for several breaths.
Eagle pose
Berger says eagle pose is one of her favorite yoga poses.
“It might not seem like a hip opener at first compared to lizard or other poses, but the leg-twisting movement stretches the outer hips, glutes and IT band,” she says.
She adds that the compression followed by release also helps improve circulation in the hip area.
■ Start standing. Lift your right leg over your left leg.
■ Wrap your right foot behind your left calf.
■ Bring your right arm under your left arm.
■ Lean back slightly and hold the pose for several breaths. Come out of the pose and repeat, switching sides.
Butterfly stretch
“Butterfly stretch is a simple yet powerful way to gently open the hips and inner thighs while also encouraging relaxation. It helps improve flexibility in the hip joints and can counteract tightness caused by prolonged sitting,” Ory says.
When doing this pose, she says to sit tall and avoid rounding your back.
■ Sit down with your legs extended out in front of you.
■ Bring the soles of your feet to touch each other, as close to your groin as you can comfortably get.
■ Hold your feet with your hands. Sit tall and gently move your knees up and down. Continue for several breaths.
