Hip Openers – Your Yoga Questions Answered!

The intensity of these poses will depend on where you hold tightness in your hips. Because of that, it’s important to listen to your body and move away from or adjust a pose that feels too intense. But otherwise, these poses can be practiced as a sequence!

Start by holding each of these poses for 30 seconds. In time, you might like to increase the hold time to 2-3 minutes, allowing your body to sink deeper into the pose as your hips start to open.

Come into butterfly pose (or bound angle pose) by sitting with the soles of your feet together and knees out to the sides.

Add a cushion or folded blanket beneath the sit bones to make this pose more comfortable. You can also add a yoga block beneath each knee to reduce the intensity of the pose.

Let your knees get closer to the ground with each exhale. To increase the intensity of this pose, practice in a supine position by laying on your mat.

Bring your right ankle to rest just below your left knee and keep your foot flexed. It might be enough of a stretch for you to stay in this position, focusing on pushing your right knee away from you using the strength of your hip.

If you want to increase the stretch, interlace your fingers around your left hamstring and gently pull your leg towards you. Make sure that your shoulders maintain contact with the ground.

To move even deeper into the pose, interlace your fingers around your left shin and p

Take the top leg, and place your foot on the bottom leg to rest just above your knee. If this is too intense, stay in a cross-legged position that feels comfortable.

If you’re struggling to sit up straight in a cross-legged position, bring a folded blanket or cushion beneath the sit bones. Add as many cushions/blankets as you need to bring your hips higher than your knees.

From here, place your hands on the floor in front of your shins and gently walk your fingers forward – focusing on keeping a straight spine.

Spend a few breaths here before switching the cross of your legs and repeating on the other side.

ull your leg towards you while gently pushing your right knee away with your right elbow.

Start in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart. On an exhale, come into a forward fold, bringing your hands to the ground and bending your knees as much as you need.

Step back with your right leg to come into a lunge before dropping your right knee to the ground and finding a low lunge. Place blocks beneath your hands if this feels more comfortable or makes the pose more accessible.

To increase the stretch in the front of your hips, lift through the torso and bring your hands to rest gently on your front thigh.

Allow your hips to sink closer to the ground with each exhale.

To perform Garland pose, start in a standing position with your feet shoulder distance apart and toes facing slightly away from each other.

On an exhale, bring your hands to a prayer position at your heart center and sink your hips towards the ground as you bend your knees.

To make this position more accessible, bring a block or cushion beneath your sit bones.

Start on all fours with your wrist directly below your shoulder and knees below your hips. From here, slide your right knee towards your right wrist, then bring your right foot out to the left. Bring your hips to the ground as you straighten through your back knee and bring your left leg to the mat.

Push into your hands to stay tall through the spine and open through the chest. To rest in pigeon pose, walk your hands forward and bring your head to rest on a block, a cushion, or the ground.

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