March 4th, 2016
5 Stretches for Your Hips
This week I spent more time relaxing than I usually do thanks to a healthy dose of laryngitis. Due to my newly found down time, I spent more time thinking and practicing more stretching- particularly my hips that got so tight from sitting in bed (relaxing). So to kick this weekend off (a time when you hopefully have some relaxing activities (or non-activities) planned), I want to share 5 stretches for your hips that may help to release some tension and built up tightness from the week.
5 stretches for your hips that will help to open them and release tension:
Stretch #1: Pigeon. This one feels oh-so-delicious. I frequently have tight glutes and hamstrings (you probably do too thanks to all the sitting you do), so this one feels extra good.
Stretch notes: If you’re not flexible enough to get your butt-cheek to the ground (THAT’S OK!) – stick a yoga block or a rolled up towel under your elevated glute for support. Additionally, experts recommend trying to get your calf parallel to what would be the top of a yoga mat if you were on one- I frankly can’t do this either, so just make sure that your knee is in line with your hip (code: straight forward).
Stretch #2: High lunge. This one also feel so yummy for all us desk sitters, but instead of stretching the glute, we’re instead stretching the hip flexor – another area that gets majorly tight with all of the sitting we do. This one is a little simpler to follow, so enjoy!
Stretch #3: Standing knee hugs. There are only a few standing poses that I love for my hips, but this is one of them and feels really good. This one too is sort of self-explanatory!
Stretch #4: Up-dog. My puppy dogs love this one and so do it. It also stretches the hip flexors but also gets into the obliques, abdominals and side-body- areas that also get tight from all this damn sitting.
Stretch notes: You can try keeping your (as pictured below) knees off the ground and flex your glutes when you do this- or you can also put your knees on the ground but be gentle with yourself and by all means keep your shoulders out of your ears- make sure your neck is long and extended and shoulders are down.
Stretch #5: Low-lunge knee-pull. This one is a little more advanced and also one that someone who’s just a little more flexible may want to tackle (relax, you’ll get there!). This one is intense but feels GREAT on the front of the quad and all through the hip flexor.
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