Most people suffer from tight hips because they spend a lot of hours sitting in a chair at a desk. This is not just a simple or annoying issue. It can lead to more severe health problems such as lower back pain, spine misalignments, and injuries. The following yoga poses will improve your hips’ mobility.
Top 3 Deep Yoga Hip Openers
1. Downward Dog Split
Start from a standing position and lower your torso until your palms reach the floor. Support your body weight only on your hands and feet. Make sure all your limbs are straight. Try not to bend your knees or elbows. Keep your spine straight and look down towards the mat. Tighten your core area and lift your right leg up with its sole flexed, so that your heel faces the ceiling.
Maintain this position for a couple of breaths, and then switch to the other leg. For best results, you should repeat the Downward Dog Split a couple of times. This is a great asana that warms up your hips.
2. Low Lunge Pose
The Low Lunge is one of the most effective yoga poses when it comes to opening the front part of your hips. It basically reverses the position that your hips take by default from all those long hours spent in a chair. Begin this asana from a normal lunge. Then, keep your left knee bent while your right leg extends in the back.
Bring your right knee even lower as close to the mat as possible. This deepens the pose. You can even put a little pressure on your hips by pushing them a bit forward. Make sure not to overdo it because you should avoid doing poses in a way that makes your body feel uncomfortable. Breathe deeply and extend both arms up while spreading your fingers apart.
Hold this pose for a couple breaths, and then perform it on your other leg.
3. Half King Pigeon
This is a more complicated and complex hip opening asana. I developed a love-hate type of relationship with it. You must be extra cautious when doing it because it can be risky for your knee if you don’t align your body properly. If you perform it correctly, it will work your muscles intensely.
First, you should come into the Downward Facing Dog asana. Then, bring one leg as low as you can into a deep lunge and bend the front leg on the mat by bringing its sole to the opposite hip. That part of your foot should face outwards while remaining on the mat. Now, bend your back leg’s knee and reach your opposite arm to your toes. Remember to always keep both legs tense during this pose.
Putting It All Together
You can easily find relief from your hip and back pain and tension with the yoga poses mentioned above. Try to practice on a regular basis. Once your hips’ tension is relieved, your back pain will also become less intense. So, don’t waste any more time and avoid injuries with these hip openers.
