by Nadia Sinclair

Be it tight hips from long drives, desk job fatigue or intensive workout regimes; in today’s fast-paced life, most of us experience a degree of stiffness around our hips. But, with some expertly chosen yoga positions and a shift in your daily routine, you could see an improvement in your range of motion and overall body performance.

Staying seated for prolonged periods, high-intensity workouts like Spinning, running without stretching or having poor squatting techniques could cause tightening around the hips. This could lead to reduced running speed and increased stress on your back muscles, heightening the risk of injuries. Research featured in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy suggests that decreased hip-flexor length might force us to rely more on our hamstrings, potentially causing early fatigue and stress.

Getting to Know Your Hips and Their Limitations

Undoubtedly, you’re aware of your hip muscles and their functions; for instance, how they help you bend at the hips, raise your knees and rotate your hips. The hip extensors (glutes and hamstrings) are easy to identify as they stabilize your pelvis and move you forward when you walk or run. The hip adductors, particularly adductor magnus, pull your thighs together, while the tensor fasciae latae, on the outskirts of your hips, move your legs away from the center line and enable you to rotate the thighs inwards.

However, despite this knowledge, an imbalance, lack of strength or excessive tension in these muscles could hamper your performance and increase the chance of injuries.

Therefore, to combat these issues and increase your range of motion, let’s explore hip-opening yoga sequences designed to release hip tension.

Wait, Have You Met the Psoas Major Muscle?

It’s time to discover an often overlooked muscle – Psoas major, connecting your spine to your legs. This muscle originates on the lower spine (attached to all five lumbar vertebrae) and ends inside the upper thigh bone. The psoas major’s main functions are to allow you to raise your knee, rotate the thigh outwards and flex the trunk. It has profound everyday uses, such as walking uphill or climbing stairs, and holds significance in sports, particularly in activities like rock climbing, football and running. However, if this muscle tightens, it could lead to lower back pain.

Best Hip-Opening Yoga Poses to Practice

By incorporating the following yoga poses into your weekly regimen at least two or three times, in no time, you will not only improve your hip flexibility but also enhance your overall fitness. The recommendation is to start with a warm-up of standing arm swings and squats. Follow the instructions under each individual pose, remembering to stretch within your comfort zone to avoid pulling or straining muscles.

1. Bound Angle Pose: Ideal for opening the hips, stretching the inner thighs and increasing groin flexibility
2. Seated Wide Angle Forward Bend: Excellent for opening the hips, loosening the lower back, stretching the thighs and releasing the groin
3. Side Lunge: Great for opening the hips, lengthening hamstrings, strengthening lower body and core while improving balance
4. Lizard Pose: Suitable for opening hips and groin, releasing the hips, and strengthening the inner thighs
5. Half Pigeon Pose: Perfect for releasing tightness around the hips and groin and increasing the range of motion

Remember to breathe deeply and follow your own body’s cues. As you feel your muscles soften and adapt to these stretches, you can gently deepen the stretch to foster further opening within your hips.

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