Yoga for hips: the Hip Opening sequence

20 min Intermediate 13 poses

Deep work for the hip joints

This whole program is about the hip joints, opening them from different angles: standing, squatting, seated and lying down. It's useful if you sit for long stretches or find it hard to sit cross-legged. The level is intermediate: Pigeon Pose prep, Cow Face Pose and Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold require flexibility, and you stay in them for more than a minute.

Keep an eye on your knees. If you feel the stretch in the knee instead of the hip, slide a prop under your pelvis or thighs. With knee or groin injuries, check with your doctor before you begin.

  1. Hip Circles Hip Circles 1
  2. Cat-Cow Cat-Cow 2
  3. Downward-Facing Dog Downward-Facing Dog 3
  4. Warrior II Warrior II 4
  5. Side Angle Pose Side Angle Pose 5
  6. Garland Pose Garland Pose 6
  7. Butterfly Pose Butterfly Pose 7
  8. Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold 8
  9. Pigeon Pose (Prep) Pigeon Pose (Prep) 9
  10. Cow Face Pose Cow Face Pose 10
  11. Happy Baby Pose Happy Baby Pose 11
  12. Reclining Butterfly Pose Reclining Butterfly Pose 12
  13. Relaxation Pose Relaxation Pose 13

Why this order

Hip Circles, Cat-Cow and Downward-Facing Dog warm up the lower back and hips. Warrior II and Side Angle Pose open the hips while they bear your weight. From standing you sink into a deep squat, Malasana, which makes it natural to sit down on the mat.

The seated series goes from symmetrical to one-sided shapes: Butterfly, wide legs, then Pigeon prep and Cow Face Pose on each side. Happy Baby and Reclining Butterfly open the hips passively, with no muscle effort, and lead you into Savasana.

Cautions

  • Acute back pain (Cat-Cow)
  • Wrist injuries — practice on your fists (Cat-Cow)
  • Wrist and shoulder injuries (Downward-Facing Dog)
  • High blood pressure — don't stay in the pose long (Downward-Facing Dog)
  • Glaucoma (Downward-Facing Dog)
  • Knee injuries (Warrior II, Side Angle Pose, Garland Pose)
  • If your heels don't reach the floor, place a blanket under them (Garland Pose)
  • Groin and knee injuries — place supports under your thighs (Butterfly Pose)
  • Inner thigh injuries (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold)
  • Herniated discs in the lower back (Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold)
  • Knee injuries — do a Supine Twist with your knee to your chest instead (Pigeon Pose (Prep))
  • Shoulder injuries — use a strap (Cow Face Pose)
  • Knee injuries — sit on a prop (Cow Face Pose)
  • Late pregnancy (Happy Baby Pose)
  • Groin discomfort — place supports under your knees (Reclining Butterfly Pose)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.