43 Powerful Hip Opening Yoga Poses to Build Mobility and Inner Calm

Many of us sit too much. Whether it’s at a desk, in a car, or on the couch, our hips can get tight and immobile, leading to discomfort and even pain. This can impact our stability and balance, making everyday activities more challenging. It can also take a toll on our emotional well-being as we feel less able to move freely and enjoy life. Hip-opening yoga poses can unlock the tension and restore motion to your hips. This article will discuss the best hip openers to help you release deep hip tension, body awareness, improve mobility, and feel more open, relaxed, and at ease—both physically and emotionally.

Pliability’s mobility app is a valuable tool to help you achieve these objectives. With guided routines and progress tracking, Pliability can help you release deep hip tension, improve your mobility, and feel more relaxed and at ease.

What are Hip Opening Yoga Poses and Why are They Important?

It’s said that we store a lot of emotions in our hips (if you’ve ever started crying during Pigeon Pose, you know what that means), and that should come as no surprise; the hips are one of the most critical and complex areas of the body.

Why Tight Hips Hurt Your Back and Knees

As the connection point between your lower limbs and your torso, the hip complex is critical for maintaining balance, mobility, and stability for your entire body. When the psoas (the long muscle that runs from the lumbar spine through the pelvis to the femur) is chronically tight, your lower back starts to feel tight, too.

This tension makes the psoas shorten, and a slight swayback begins to form, making everyday actions, such as walking, sitting, standing, or practicing yoga, feel more difficult. Your hamstrings may then have to overcompensate, and knee pain could begin to arise.

The Emotional and Spiritual Power of the Hips

On a psycho-spiritual level, the hips are also the seat of our sexuality and individuality. Our svadhisthana (root) chakra, located within the pelvis, is the energy center associated with sensuality, creativity, pleasure, and freedom of expression.

This area is deeply enmeshed in our connectivity to ourselves and others, and is often where we hold onto unexpressed emotions.

Why Hip Health Matters More Than You Think

Whether your hips feel tight from sitting too much, your intense running regime, or even your genetics, it’s essential to loosen them up and keep them moving. Even if you can’t feel any tightness in this area of your body, it’s crucial that you proactively prioritize your hip health.

After all, you rarely use body parts in isolation, and your hips help your upper and lower body work harmoniously. As Peloton instructor Denis Morton puts it, “Your hips are what connect your roots to your branches.”

Why Do You Get Tight Hips?

Many people assume tight hips result from doing too much physical activity, and although that can be true, it isn’t always the case. Below, learn more about some of the reasons people experience hip tightness.

Overuse During Exercise

Exercising without proper recovery time can lead to hip tightness. According to Denis, "Athletes have a tendency to overuse their hips." It’s especially common for cyclists and runners to overwork their hips, as they repeat linear movements, or movements in one straight line, rather than rotational movements.

Because the athletes work their hips as they pedal or run, their muscles are typically strong, but Denis points out that there’s “no mechanical benefit to opening the hip on a bike or as you're running,” so they tighten over time.

Underuse

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Denis says that not moving enough throughout the day can tighten your hip muscles. "With a sedentary lifestyle, your hip muscles might be short from a lack of stretching and weak from lack of use,” he explains.

Essentially, sitting keeps these muscles in a shortened position for an extended period, which can, in turn, reduce their range of motion and cause them to tighten.

Compensation for Muscle Imbalances

Your hips might tighten to overcompensate for the muscles and joints surrounding them, particularly if some are stronger than others. So if you have strong quads but weak glutes, your hips might experience compensatory tightness to make up for the imbalance.

Poor Posture

Your hips provide stability and balance for your upper body, so standing or sitting with poor posture can lead to misalignment and place additional strain on your hip muscles.

What Do Hip-Opening Stretches Do?

When you lower into a lunge or practice Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana), you’re doing multiple things at once; yes, opening your hips is one of them. Here are some of the other benefits of doing these poses.

Stretching Your Hip Muscles

When your hip muscles, such as your psoas and iliacus, are tight, they can cause issues like lower back pain and poor posture. Stretching them by doing hip-opening poses helps you maintain proper hip alignment and function.

Lengthening Your Gluteal Muscles

Practicing poses that lengthen the gluteal muscles (gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus) in the back of your hips helps balance your pelvis and alleviate tension in your lower back.

Releasing Tension in Your Hip Adductors

Many hip-opening stretches target your adductors, which are located in your inner thighs. Keeping your adductors flexible is essential for overall hip mobility and lower body alignment.

Reducing Injury Risk

Practicing hip-opening poses can reduce the risk of injuries, particularly if you’re doing an activity that involves repetitive, high-impact movements. Plus, strong hips place less compensatory strain on your knees, which can prevent pain and injuries.

Improving Your Posture and Balance

Tight hips can cause misalignment in your pelvis, compromising your posture. By stretching and strengthening your hips, you contribute to healthier alignment of your pelvis, in turn supporting good posture and balance.

Increasing Your Range of Motion

Regularly practicing hip openers can enhance the range of motion in your hip joint, which is essential for activities that require bending and squatting motions.

Strengthening Surrounding Muscles

Many hip openers focus on stretching, and some also strengthen the muscles surrounding the hips (like your core, for example).

Stimulates Synovial Fluid Movement

Practicing hip openers helps circulate synovial fluid, which lubricates your hip joints and promotes healthy cartilage.

Boosting Confidence Levels

According to Denis, hip openers can give you more confidence and self-assuredness in your everyday life. “Most of us aren't going to lift cars off of people and don't need to squat 500 pounds, but we do want to get down the stairs safely, be able to play with our kids, and confidently step off the curb,” he says.

“Knowing that you have done work to strengthen and stretch your hips will make you more confident in your day-to-day life.”

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Related Reading

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• What is Functional Movement
• Functional Strength Training
• Does Yoga Help With Mobility
• How Long Does It Take to Improve Flexibility
• Why is Range of Motion Important
• How to Fix Tight Hamstrings

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40+ Hip Opening Yoga Poses to Unlock Flexibility and Flow

1. Figure Four (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

Perfect for beginners, the Figure Four Stretch is a gentle introduction to hip opening. “It’s reclined and really accessible,” Denis says. “It will get you the benefit of a hip-opening exercise without too much physical challenge.”

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• Lie on your back with the soles of your feet on the ground.
• Cross your right ankle over your left knee.
• If it’s in your practice, clasp your hands behind your left thigh to gently bring it toward your chest, deepening the stretch in your right hip.
• Hold this position before switching sides.

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2. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

After you get comfortable with Figure Four, Denis suggests moving to Lizard Pose for a deeper stretch. Once you’re in the posture, he recommends “angling your foot out at a 45-degree angle and rolling onto the outer edge."

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• Start in a low lunge with your right foot forward and both hands (or elbows) on the ground inside of your right foot. You can also place your hands on yoga blocks.
• Angle your right foot slightly outward and roll onto its outer edge.
• Maintain this pose, leaning into a deeper stretch in your hips.
• Repeat on the other side.

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3. Twisted Monkey

From Lizard Pose, bring your back knee to the floor and bend the knee, so your toes reach up. Extend your opposite arm back and take hold of your outer foot. Begin to twist your spine so your chest opens toward the sky. This pose can be done on the hands or forearms, depending on your level of flexibility. Hold for 10 seconds.

4. Happy Baby Pose (Ananda Balasana)

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• Target: Inner thighs and lower back
• Level: Gentle

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​​The happy baby pose opens the hips and inner thighs and releases the lower back.

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• Lie on your back on your mat, inhale, and pull your knees to your chest.
• Hook your elbows inside your inner knees and reach your hands to the outside of both feet. If that’s not available, place the hands on the back of the knees.
• Guide the knees outside of the ribcage and bring the soles of the feet up to the ceiling. On the exhale, draw the knees wider and closer to the ground.
• Breathe deeply, and consider swaying side to side for a lower back massage.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.

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5. Low Lunge

Low lunges focus on your hip flexors. For a more comprehensive stretch, deepen the bend in your front knee.

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• Start in a standing position. 
• Step your right foot forward into a lunge and lower your left knee to the ground.
• Keep your front knee over your ankle. Place your hands on the ground or lift them above your head.
• Hold this position as you feel the stretch in your left hip flexor. Switch sides.

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6. World's Greatest Stretch

This dynamic stretch combines a lunge and twist, testing your flexibility and mobility. It's excellent for those looking to deepen their hip-opening practice.

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• Begin in a low lunge with your right foot in front of you and your left knee on the ground.
• Place your left hand on the floor beside your right foot for balance.
• Twist your torso to the right, extending your right arm upward. Look toward your raised hand.
• Hold the pose for a few deep breaths. Switch sides.

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7. Pigeon Pose (Kapotasana)

Denis describes Pigeon Pose as one of the "most valuable of the hip openers, and the one with the greatest payoff.” He adds that you can place your hands on yoga blocks or use a blanket beneath you to cushion your hips.

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• Start in Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana).
• Shift your weight forward as you bring your right knee toward your right wrist. Bring your right foot toward the left side of the mat and flex your toes. 
• Extend your left leg behind you while keeping your hips forward and square.
• Fold forward over your bent right leg, and hold this position. Then, switch to the other side.

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8. Garland Pose (Malasana)

Ideal for opening your hips and groin, the Garland Pose can be modified for beginners.

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• Stand tall with your feet wider than your hips and your toes pointed outward.
• Squat down, keeping your heels grounded if possible.
• Press your elbows against your inner knees and place your hands in a prayer position.

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9. Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Butterfly Pose is a gentle hip opener that’s perfect for relaxation. 

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• Target: Inner thighs
• Level: Gentle

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Butterfly stretch is a seated hip opener that is gentle enough for all levels.

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• Begin seated on the floor with your spine elongated.
• Bend both knees and bring the soles of your feet together.
• Stay right here, or reach your hands around your feet as you hinge at your hips and fold, bringing your torso over your legs.
• You can also extend your hands toward the front of the room as your hips become more flexible.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

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10. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

This pose targets your hips, hamstrings, and groin. You can use a block under your bottom hand if needed. Stand facing the long side of your mat and step your feet three to four feet apart, with your right foot in front. Point your right toes to the front of the mat and turn your left foot to 45 degrees.  

Extend your arms and reach your right hand down forward and down toward your right foot, keeping your left arm up. Keep your torso facing the long edge of the mat. Look toward your left hand if it feels OK for your neck. Repeat on the other side.

11. Malasana/Yogi Squat

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• Target: Inner thighs
• Level: Moderate

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While standing, turn your toes out about 45 degrees, bringing your heels in towards one another. Bring your hands together at your chest and squat down as you place your elbows inside your inner knees. Press your elbows into your knees to lengthen your spine.

You may sway from side to side or hold still. If this is intense, you can place a block or folded towel beneath your sacrum to prop you up. Hold for 30 seconds.

12. Reclined Bound Angle Pose

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• Target: Inner thighs
• Level: Moderate

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Lie on your mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall to the sides. Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

Hold for at least 30 seconds. If this is too intense on your inner thighs, you can place two blocks or rolled-up towels underneath your knees to bring the ground closer.

13. Frog Pose

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• Target: Inner thighs, lower back, abdominals
• Level: Intense

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If most inner-thigh openers feel too easy (and your ankles and knees are injury-free), try Frog pose. It “opens the hips and inner thighs, releases sciatica and lower back tension, and lengthens the abdominal muscles,” Cope explains. Perform this stretch after a workout or when the body is already warmed up.

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• Get down on all fours, with your palms on the floor and your knees on a blanket or a mat (roll your mat lengthwise, like a tortilla, and place it under your knees for more comfort).
• Slowly widen your knees until you feel a comfortable stretch in your inner thighs, keeping the inside of each calf and foot in contact with the floor.
• Make sure to keep your ankles in line with your knees.
• Lower down to your forearms.
• Stay here for at least 30 seconds.

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14. Half Pigeon

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• Target: Outer thighs
• Level: Moderate

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Start in a runner’s lunge with your right leg forward and your right knee over your right ankle, and your back leg straight. Walk your right foot over towards your left hand, then drop your right shin and thigh to the floor, keeping your right knee in line with your right hip.

Allow your left leg to rest on the floor with the top of your left foot facing down. Take a moment to square your hips to the front of the room. Hold here, or hinge at your hips and lower your torso towards the floor, allowing your head to rest on your forearms. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

15. Double Pigeon

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• Target: Outer thighs
• Level: Intense

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Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your shins stacked with your right leg on top.

Use your hands to position your right ankle on your left knee. Ideally, the right knee will rest on the left thigh, but if your hips are tight, your right knee may point up towards the ceiling (over time, as your hips become more open, your knee will lower).

Keeping your hips squared to the front of the room, hinge at the hips, and slowly walk your hands slightly forward. If this is enough of a stretch, hold here, or fold your torso over your thighs to go deeper. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

16. Low Lunge

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Gentle

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Start in a lunge with your right leg forward and your knee stacked over your ankle.

Your left leg can extend straight back with your back toes untucked and your knee on the ground. Slowly lift your torso and rest your hands lightly on your right thigh.

Lean your hips forward slightly, keeping your right knee behind your toes, and feel the stretch in the left hip flexor. Hold here, or for a deeper stretch, raise your arms overhead with your biceps by your ears. Hold for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

17. Crescent Lunge

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Moderate

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The crescent lunge is great for lengthening hip flexors and the calves, opening the chest, and stretching the shoulders, back, and abdominal wall, Cope says.

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• Start in a long, low lunge.
• Straighten your back leg until the back heel cannot touch the floor.
• Reach your hands high while sliding the shoulder blades down and away from the ears.
• To increase the stretch through the chest, bend your arms so your elbows are parallel to the floor.
• Hold here for at least 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

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18. Camel Pose

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Intense

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For those with sensitive knees, try using two yoga mats.

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• Start kneeling on your mat with your knees hip-width apart and hips directly over your knees. Press your shins and the tops of your feet onto the mat.
• Come to an upright position and bring your hands to your lower back with your fingers pointing toward the hips.
• Inhale and roll the shoulders back, lifting the chest towards the ceiling. Let the head drop back gently, keeping eyes forward.
• To intensify, walk the hands back to the heels (tops of feet remain on the floor), driving the hips forward. If the feet are unavailable, take your hands to a set of blocks placed outside the ankles.
• As you breathe, drive the hips forward and lengthen through your lower back.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• To come out of the pose, bring your hands to your hips, slowly drop the hips back towards the feet, and sit upright for a moment, allowing the sensations to subside before transitioning to another pose.

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19. Dancer’s Pose

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Intense

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This yoga-based move opens your chest and shoulders and improves your balance while stretching your hips.

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• Stand on one foot, then lift and bend the other as high as it will comfortably go.
• Grip the raised foot from the inside (palm facing out) with the same-side hand.
• Hinge forward as you press the top of your foot firmly into your palm and lift. The higher you lift, the deeper the stretch will feel.
• Hold for as long as you can comfortably remain balanced, then repeat on the other side.

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20. Supported Back Bend

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Intense

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This exercise strengthens your lower back as you open your hips. Because the head falls backward, it is not recommended to try this move if you have low blood pressure. (Also note, if you have high blood pressure and take medication, you could experience dizziness coming out of this pose and may want to avoid it.)

A Gentle Backbend to Open Your Hips

This bend does not need to be extremely deep to feel a great stretch in the hips and strength in the lower back.

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• Kneel with a wall or pillar behind you with your knees hip-width apart.
• Lift your legs onto your forearms, bringing the lower half of your body above you until your toes touch the wall.
• Arch your back to lean back while keeping your hips stacked over your knees.
• Take your arms overhead and touch your palms to the wall behind you.

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21. Supported Bridge

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Intense

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This move uses the bones in your forearms to prop your hips up. If you need even more leverage, prop a couple of pillows under your elbows or place a yoga block under your sacrum.

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• Lay supine (belly up) on the ground with your knees bent and feet grounded, about hip-width apart.
• Lift your hips toward the ceiling.
• Place your hands at your lower back, just above your butt, and keep your elbows grounded.
• Relax your body weight onto your hands to sink into this hip stretch while gently strengthening the lower back.

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22. Hip Pry

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• Target: Hip flexors
• Level: Intense

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As the name suggests, this move uses the weight of your body to keep all other parts hunkered down while you pry a tight hip open on one side (then repeat on the other).

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• Lay prone (belly down) on the ground with your arms out at shoulder height, palms facing down. (Keeping your arms out will help to glue your body to the ground as you twist.)
• Lift one leg and bend your knee.
• Reach that foot towards the outside of your hip on the other side.

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23. Hero Pose With Block

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• Target: Internal rotation
• Level: Gentle

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For a moderate modification, simply remove the block.

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• Kneel on your mat with thighs perpendicular to the floor and the tops of your feet facing down.
• Place a yoga block between your feet.
• Bring your inner knees together.
• Slide your feet apart so they are slightly wider than your hips, and press the tops of your feet evenly into the mat.
• Slowly sit down on the yoga block.
• Use your hands to turn the top of your thighs inward. Allow the backs of your hands to rest on your thighs.
• Hold for at least 30 seconds.

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24. Reclining Hero Pose

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• Target: Internal rotation
• Level: Intense

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Kneel on your mat with your thighs perpendicular to the floor and tops of your feet facing down.

Bring your inner knees together. Slide your feet apart so they are slightly wider than your hips and press the tops of your feet evenly into the mat.

Slowly sit down between your feet. Use your hands to turn the top of your thighs inward. Lean back onto your forearms and slowly lower your torso to the floor. Hold for at least 30 seconds.

25. Goddess Pose

Goddess Pose stretches the hips, inner thighs, and groin while strengthening the legs and improving posture. It’s perfect for those who stand or walk a lot throughout the day.

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• Stand with your feet wide apart and toes turned out at a 45-degree angle.
• Lower your hips into a deep squat, keeping your knees aligned with your toes.
• Extend your arms at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
• Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

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26. Child’s Pose

This pose gently stretches the hips and lower back, making it perfect for relaxing tight muscles after long periods of sitting or intense workouts.

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• Start in a kneeling position.
• Lower your hips back toward your heels and stretch your arms forward on the mat.
• Rest your forehead on the floor and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

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Practice Daily Because

This restorative pose is simple, accessible, and easy to include in any hip-opening sequence. It’s a great way to begin!

Tip

Keep this pose active by actively drawing your inner thighs towards your midline and pulling your chest forward rather than the crown of your head.

Modification

Put a block or pillow under your seat for support. Your knees can be closer together for less sensation in the hip flexors.

27. Downward Facing Dog - Hip Circles

From a downward-facing position, lift one leg up and back behind you. Bend your knee and gently spin your hips towards the side of your lifted leg. Feel a stretch down the front of your lifted leg in your hip flexors and quadriceps.

Tip

Move your knee in a circular motion as if you’re drawing circles on the wall for increased hip mobility and gentle opening.

28. Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog

Begin in Downward-Facing Dog Pose with the tops of your thighs back, heels pressing toward the floor, back flat, and your palms out in front of you, shoulder-width apart. Firm your outer arms and push actively through your index fingers. On an inhalation, begin to raise one leg toward the ceiling as your other heel stays planted.

Ensure your lifted leg is in line with your back, forming a straight line from the top of your shoulder to your heel. Hold this posture for 10 seconds. This pose will begin to stretch out the backs of the calves and the hamstrings while warming up the hips.

Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog, Variation

On an exhalation, from Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog, open up the hip by bending the lifted knee and bringing the heel toward your opposite glute. Hold this posture for 10 seconds, then place the foot back on the ground, aligned with your grounded foot.

Repeat Three-Legged Downward-Facing Dog and this variation on the other side. This variation will begin to open the hip flexor to prepare it for some of the deeper postures.

29. Crescent Moon

From a low lunge, drop your back knee onto the ground and reach your arms overhead. Keep your front knee stacked over your ankle and gently pull your hips forward.

Tip

Draw your hips and belly into your midline to avoid dumping into your hip. Practice daily to combat long periods of sitting. The gentle extension through your back leg makes this one of the best yoga poses for hip opening.

Modification

For a deeper stretch, walk your front foot slightly more forward. For less sensation, walk your front foot slightly back, but keep your torso upright and your knee stacked over your ankle.

30. Crescent Moon with Backbend

From your crescent moon, cactus your arms out to the sides, press your hips gently forward, and lean your chest back. Draw your shoulder blades together and hug your belly up and in.

Tip

Even a gentle backbend here can give you great extension in your hips! Keep your chin tucked in slightly to strengthen the muscles in your backline and avoid dumping.

31. Crescent Lunge

Lift your back knee off the ground and extend your arms skyward. Tighten your feet towards one another (even though your legs are apart) to strengthen your inner thighs and front glute.

Modification

Stay in a crescent moon with your back knee grounded. You can add on a backbend here as well!

32.  Runner’s Lunge

From a low lunge, walk your front foot slightly out towards the corresponding hand. Drop your back knee down, and make sure your front knee does not come forward past your toes. 

You should feel a deep stretch along the front side of your back leg, the hip flexor of your front leg, and your front outer hip.

Tip

You can either hug your knee into your body or roll to the outside edge of your foot for a slight external rotation.

Modification

Drop to your elbows or take blocks under your hands/forearms.

33. Twisted Runner’s Lunge (Quad stretch)

Yoga poses for hip opening should also target supportive muscles like quads! In your runner’s lunge, bend your back knee. Reach your opposite hand for your back foot, draw your hips forward, and gently pull your heel towards your glute. You should feel a deep opening through your hip flexors and back quads.

Tip

It can help to have extra padding under your back knee. Fold a towel for additional cushioning and more comfort.

Modification

Wrap a strap or towel around your back foot if you can’t reach it with your hand. You can also place a block under your front hand for more lift in your chest.

34.  King Pigeon

Some stretches for flexible hips require a certain amount of flexibility to find proper alignment. If your hips are very tight, modify! From a half pigeon, bend your back knee. Use your hand (on the same side as your back leg) to reach around for your back foot.

Tip

Traditionally, the king pigeon is an overhead grip, but it can be simplified as a simple quad stretch. Do what feels good in your body!

Modification

Use a strap or towel to help yourself reach your back foot if it’s hard to find a grip.

35. Humble Warrior

Find Warrior One pose, with one foot at the front of your mat and one foot at the back of your mat. Drop your back heel down at about 45 degrees, and walk your front foot slightly out so that you have a wider stance, allowing your hips to face forward.

Add a chest expansion grip behind your lower back by interlacing your fingers. Slowly lean your chest forward, so that your shoulder comes towards your corresponding front thigh.

Tip

In a humble warrior, your hips will want to press over to the side. To feel the stretch in your outer hip, re-square your hips by rotating your back hip forward, and your front hip back.

Modification

Shorten your stance by walking your front foot slightly back if your back foot does not reach the floor. For less sensation, allow your fingertips to come to the ground for support.

36. Flamingo Pose

From a humble warrior, bring your fingertips to the ground on the inside of your front foot. Keep your hips where they are, but walk your hands and upper body about 45 degrees to the side.

Tip

Use your hands for leverage to traction your spine forward and deepen the stretch.

Modification

Take a block underneath your hands for less intensity in your hip flexors.

37. Horse Pose

Great for beginners, this low-impact pose is gentle, but can be made deeper as you lower your body.

Stand with your legs out wide, with your toes pointing slightly out. Bend your knees and sit your hips back. Draw your palms together over your heart.

Tip

Adding movement to the horse pose makes it an excellent exercise for flexible hips! Sway your hips side to side, flow between horse pose and star pose, or use your hands to encourage your knees to press open gently.

38. Wide-legged forward fold

Stand with your legs in a wide stance. Slowly bend at your hips, keeping your spine straight by leading with your chest. Bring your hands to the ground and shift your weight into your toes. Relax the backline of your body.

Tip

Bend your knees as much as you need to in this pose! Bending your knees allows your spine to lengthen.

39.  Side Lunge (Skandasana)

From a wide-legged forward fold, drop your hips towards your right foot, allowing your right heel to lift if needed. Flex your left toes back towards your face, keeping your left leg extended long. You can keep your fingertips on the earth for stability, or press your palms together over your heart. Repeat on both sides.

Yogi Tip

Use your elbow to gently press your bent knee further open.

40. Cow Face Pose

Have a seat on the ground with your legs bent in front of you. Bend one leg in a crossed-leg position, and step the other leg over your bent knee. Stack your knees on top of each other and draw your heels towards your hips. If you feel comfortable, lean your body forward for a deeper stretch.

Tip

If your knees don’t stack directly on top of each other, that’s okay! Protect your knees by listening to your body - there is no need to push here.

41. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

From Cow Face Pose, unwind your ankles and place both feet out in front of you, soles of both feet touching, heels drawing in toward your pubis. Open the feet like a book, and hinge at the hips to fold forward any amount. Stay here for as long as feels comfortable.

42. Supine Figure Four

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent. Bring your right ankle to your opposite thigh and allow your right knee to fall gently forward. You can stay here if you feel a stretch, or reach around for the back of your left knee and draw both knees into your chest. Repeat on both sides.

Tip

This should be a relaxing pose, so make sure your head and neck are fully grounded the whole time!

43. Knee to Chest

Lie flat on your back with your knees extended out long in front of you. Draw one knee into your chest to feel the stretch in your hip flexors.

Tip

Hug your knee out to the side of your body for a bonus variation of the stretch. 

Related Reading

‍

• How to Get a Crook Out Your Neck
• Loss of Mobility
• How Does Flexibility Work
• Flexibility Gymnastics
• Are Women More Flexible Than Men
• What is the Impact of Age on Flexibility
• What is Passive Stretching

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Tips to Make Hip Openers Safe and Effective

Before you start practicing hip-opening yoga poses, prepare your body with a warm-up. A good warm-up increases blood flow to the hip area, making the muscles and connective tissues more pliable. Consider doing a few rounds of Cat-Cow to gently awaken the spine and pelvis, Low Lunge to start lengthening the front of the hip, and Cobra Pose to warm up the hip flexors.

Listen To Your Body

While it's normal to feel a mild stretch when practicing hip openers, sharp or shooting pain is a sign to avoid pushing yourself too hard, especially if you’re a beginner. Always listen to your body and honor its limits.

Use Props for Better Support

Props like blocks, blankets, and bolsters can make hip openers more accessible and comfortable, allowing you to better focus on alignment and reduce strain on your joints. If you’re a beginner, have limited flexibility, injuries, or age-related mobility issues, using props can help you ease into poses safely.

Conditions Requiring Caution

Certain conditions may require modifications or even the avoidance of certain hip openers. These include:

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• Sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction
• Herniated disc or sciatica
• Osteoarthritis
• Tailbone injuries

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Work With a Coach

A yoga coach can provide personalized guidance and modifications. They can help you deepen your practice safely and effectively, especially if you have any injuries or limitations.

Preventing Tight Hips

Preventing tight hips involves a multifaceted approach, one that extends beyond doing a one-off stretch every couple of weeks. Start with hip-opening poses that feel comfortable and avoid overstretching.

Activities like walking, stretching, yoga, and Pilates can also improve your hip health and flexibility. And even when you’re not stretching or exercising, pay attention to your posture, particularly if you have a desk job.

Your Daily Exercises for Flexible Hips Should

Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint, which means it can move in a wide variety of ways. Your knee, on the other hand, is a hinge joint. It can only move forward and back. That’s why any rotation in hip-opening yoga poses needs to come from your hip joint, not your knee.

Protect Your Knees in Hip-Opening Poses

Some of the most common yoga poses for hip opening, like Half Pigeon Pose, can put undue pressure on your knee joint if you have fairly tight hips. Keep your knee joint safe by making sure you never twist your ankle or twist your foot.

Instead, flex your toes back towards your shin and keep your toes in line with your knee. If you feel any pain or stretching in your knee joint, slowly back out of the pose and try a modification to make the pose more accessible.

Strengthen the Muscles That Support the Hips

A hip opening sequence should always start by warming up the body with a variety of yoga poses. For hip opening to be effective, you also need to concentrate on the muscles that support the hips.

In addition to stretches that open your hips, practice poses that strengthen the muscles that support the hips, like your hamstrings and glutes. You’ll also want to open the inner thighs and quads to support increased mobility in the hip joint.

Open the Frontline of the Body in Hip Extension

If you practice yoga often, you might associate hip openers with poses like supine figure four and Half Pigeon, where the front leg works in external rotation. But equally important is lengthening the hip flexors that run across the front of your body. Poses like Bridge Pose and Crescent Lunge are great for hip extension, which is what you need if you spend hours a day sitting.

As always, your breath, a key indicator of your stretching threshold, is not to be overlooked. Focus less on the physical stretch and a little more on the depth of your breath. Because when you go just beyond your limits, the first thing to stop is your breath. If you stop breathing, it doesn't matter how mobile your hips are.

Breathe Into the Hips, Listen to Your Body

Stay in a place where you can breathe deeply and use your breath as a guide to tell you when it's time to go deeper. If hip tightness persists, seek medical advice, as prolonged discomfort could signal a deeper issue. Good hip health is about more than just touching your toes. It contributes to overall physical and mental well-being.

How to Add Hip Opening Stretches to Your Routine

Practice hip opening stretches every day. How you do that is up to you. One option is to incorporate them into your existing workout or yoga routine, either as a warm-up or cooldown. Eager as you may be to feel the benefits, start slow and pay attention to your body's signals to avoid overdoing it.

When it comes to hip opening stretches, consistency is more important than intensity. There’s no substitute for practice. Pushing yourself gently five times a week is a whole lot better than pushing yourself to exhaustion once a week. 

Related Reading

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• What is Static Exercise
• Dynamic Movement
• Why Does Stretching Hurt
• Yoga Poses for Flexibility
• Proprioception Exercises
• Neck Mobility Exercises
• Flexibility Goals Examples

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