8 Yoga Postures for Tight Hips
Written by: Michele Lyman, RYT-500
After teaching yoga for 20 years, in addition to low back pain and head and neck pain, the third most common request I get before class is, “can we stretch our hips? Mine are so tight!” Trust me, I get it - my hips are sore and ache most of the time. And tight hips are not only really uncomfortable, but they also limit your range of motion but may also put you at an increased risk for injury due to the increased demand on tissues that aren’t moving like they should be. The good news is that there is something we can do about it. Today I’m sharing how you improve your hip health with specific yoga postures designed to increase mobility, flexibility and strength.
What Does It Mean to Have Tight Hips?
Before we dive into the postures, let’s first talk about what it means to have “tight hips.”
A sense of tightness across the hips comes from tension around the hip flexors, which are the muscles around the top of your thighs that connect the upper leg to your hip. You use these muscles to bend from the waist and raise your legs.
Sitting for several hours a day is not the only reason you may experience tight hips, but it’s cited as one of the main sources for hip tightness. The reason? Well, because when we sit too long, our muscles become imbalanced.
According to Lee Albert’s book, “Live Pain-Free”, A muscle imbalance:
“... simply means that some muscles are too short and some muscles are too long. Both muscles will feel tight. The short muscle is concentrated and tight, and the long muscle is like an overstretched rubber band - too long and very tight. Since every muscle is attached to a bone, these muscle imbalances pull the bones out of alignment. That’s what makes you crooked.”
When your muscles are imbalanced they become painful, and the joints around these imbalances are compromised which also results in joint pain and limited range of motion. When you sit, the fronts of your thighs (quadriceps) and hip flexors become short and tight and your glutes and back of your legs (hamstrings) become long and tight.
In order to balance out these muscles and improve hip flexibility and mobility, it’s not only important to stretch your hips, but it’s also important to strengthen your hamstrings and glutes as well to support your entire hip joint.
Yoga Postures for Tight Hips
The following yoga postures can be done as often as your body needs. You might want to do these when your hips feel really stiff, before you begin a workout, or after you go for a walk. You don’t have to do all of them - Just pick a few that both stretch the front of your legs (hip flexors & quadriceps) and strengthen the back of your legs (hamstrings and glutes). That way you’ll get a good balance of both to improve your overall hip health.
Low Crescent Lunge
Stretches hip flexors and quads.
Kneel on your right knee. Put your left foot on the floor with your left knee at a 90-degree angle. Draw your belly in and drop your tailbone to neutralize your low back. Shift your hip forward and hold for a few breaths. Gently pulse forward and back breathing into the stretch each time. Then switch legs.
High Crescent Lunge
Stretches hip flexors and quads.
From the top of your space, step your right leg back and stand with your feet hips distance apart. Bend your front knee so that your knee is over the ankle, and keep your back leg straight with your toes curled under. Square your hips to the front of your space. Keep your hands on your hips or extend them overhead. Squeeze your back leg glute and press up through the back of the knee. Hold and breathe for 3-5 breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Lizard Pose
Stretches outer hip abductor muscles including the glutes
From table top position, bring your right leg forward and out to the wide edge of your space, outside the right hand. If that’s enough stretch, stay there and breathe. If you want to go deeper, you can place your forearms on the floor or a block, keeping the spine long. For an even deeper stretch, you can roll onto the outer edge of your right foot, letting your knee open away from your body at the hip. Hold for 5-8 breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Half Pigeon
Stretches outer hip abductor muscles including the glutes
From table top position, bring your right knee forward and behind your right wrist, with your right foot in front of your left hip. Extend your left leg behind you and rest the top of the foot on the floor. Your right shin can be bent a lot or parallel to the top of your space. Lower your right hip toward the floor and feel free to support it with a blanket or cushion if it doesn’t reach. Stay upright for a few breaths and then fold forward, lowering your head to a support (the floor, a block or pillow). Stay and breathe for 5-10 breaths. Repeat on the second side.
Supine Pigeon Pose
Stretches outer hip abductor muscles including the glutes
If half pigeon pose doesn’t feel right, supine pigeon is a wonderful modification. From your back, cross your right foot over to your left quad. Gently stretch your right knee away from your torso. Stay there, or put your left foot on a block or draw your knees in, holding on behind the left hamstring. Hold for 2-5 breaths and then switch sides.
Hero Pose
Stretches the quads
From table top position, bring your knees together and slide your feet apart so they are slightly wider than your hips. Slowly sit down on the mat between your feet. If this is too much on the quads or knees, place as many blocks as you need under your tailbone for support. Let your hands rest on your thighs. Hold and breathe for at least 5 breaths.
Garland Pose / Squat Pose
Stretches inner thighs
From standing, step your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and turn your toes outward. Slowly lower your hips down toward the floor, keeping your heels on the mat. You can sit on a block or use a block in front under your hands for support. Place your palms together at your heart and gently press your elbows into your inner knees and press the knees back into the elbows. Hold for 5-8 breaths.
Locust Pose
Strengthen hamstrings and glutes
From your belly, bring your arms by your side, palms down and fingers reaching toward your feet. Bring your inner thighs together, engage your core and squeeze your glutes. On an inhale, lift your head, shoulders, chest arms and then reach your feet back as they begin to lift. Lengthen the back of your neck. Hold and breathe for 3-5 breaths.
Bridge Pose
Strengthen hamstrings and glutes
Lie on your back, bend your knees hips distance apart and bring your feet flat on the floor, close to your pelvis. Draw your shoulders underneath you and keep your arms by your side. Squeeze your belly and glutes and then scoop your tailbone forward and up, keeping the knees hip-width and feet directly under the knees. Keep squeezing the glutes and hamstrings as you bring your chest closer to your chin. Hold for 3-5 breaths.
And if you are new to yoga, or simply want to start a home-practice, check out our FREE 10 Yoga Postures for Beginners Guide! This 5-minute guide is designed to balance out your physical body, reduce stress and improve your overall health.