Relieve Tight Hip Flexors with These Effective Yoga Poses

Do you feel tight and pain in your hip flexors? You're not alone! This is especially common with people who experience long periods of sitting, sedentary lifestyles or engaging in high volume/high intensity exercise. Thankfully, yoga can provide a kinder and more powerful solution to these problem areas. So we brought here a few yoga poses to stretch out the muscles, so that you can get some relief.

Understanding Hip Flexors

The hip flexors are the group of muscles on the front of your hips that play a major part in many movements–such as walking, running and sitting. When these muscles tighten, you can have hip pain, low back discomfort and can even start developing knee issues. Squeezing some asana into your workout can extend and support these muscles — meaning less tightness, more flexibility when you need it most.

Best Yoga Hip Flexor Stretches & Poses

Top Yoga Poses for Hip Flexors Tight Hips Circut Training For Lifeguards – Three Exercise Ideas Designed to Improve Physical Abilities

1. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

• Begin standing then take one foot back into a lunge position, making sure your front knee is above or behind your ankle
• Lightly put your back knee on the ground and shift down in to them.
• Stay here and breathe deeply, you will notice a stretch in the hip flexors.
• Switch sides and repeat.

2. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana — The Double Legged King Of the jungle Pose

• Start in a plank, then bring one knee forward to meet its corresponding hand and set the other leg back straight.
• Lower your torso down to deepen the stretch while still squaring off hips with mat.
• Take a full breath in, keep it for few more inhales and exhale (then change sides).

3. Butterfly Pose or Baddha Konasana

• Cross your legs up on the mat with knees falling out to adductors.
• Grab your feet with hands, relaxing and pressing knees toward the mat.
• Lengthen your spine and breathe, we want to feel a stretch in the inner thighs & hips.

4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)

• Back flat on the floor, bend your knees (feet as wide apart as hip-width),
• Pressing into your feet, lift hips toward the ceiling while squeezing glutes and abs.
• Keep in this position for a few breaths then lower back down. This preparation helps to open the hips while building strength in the muscles of your lower body.

5. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

• From low lunge with one foot forward, both hands inside the front foot.
• Bring your hips to the ground and push them back as much as possible for a deep stretch in your hip flexors.
• If this is comfortable, drop your back knee or remain lifted to create a deeper stretch.

Conclusion

Try to incorporate these yoga poses into you regular exercise, not only will they help for tight hip flexors but overall flexibility and comfort as well. Always remember to listen to your body and not push into any pose too quickly. With persistent training, one can develop more flexibility and reduce discomfort. Grab your mat, and try out these hip opening stretches —your outer hips will thank you!