Stretching for tight hips

Physical Activities Stretching for tight hips

This sequence is designed for those that have tight hips. Tight hips can cause pain or discomfort in the low back, groin, and legs. By gently stretching the hips regularly, you may begin to alleviate some of this discomfort and improve your overall range of motion.

Be mindful not to push yourself too hard in each stretch. Take each pose slowly, move only until you feel a gentle stretch, and remember to breathe deeply throughout each stretch. Time is your friend here. The longer you can hold each position, the more your body will benefit. Take it at your own pace, aiming for 20-60 seconds in each pose and slowly building up to 2-3 minutes if you feel comfortable.

Workouts Beginner

Workout sequence

This workout can help you work towards meeting the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, which recommend being physically active on most days and including muscle-strengthening activities on at least 2 days per week, and functional activities on at least 3 days per week.

Disclaimer: If you have been inactive for a while, have heart disease, or a close relative with heart disease or if you have other major health problems, or are pregnant, please check with your doctor before following these workouts.

1. Warm up

Demonstration of the cat-cow yoga movement on hands and knees

Cat and cow stretch

Gently mobilises the spine with alternating arching and rounding. Inhale to arch your spine, exhale to round your spine. Aim for 5 breaths, moving and breathing slowly.

2. Child’s pose

Recommended repetitions: 2-3 times

1. Kneel on the mat with your big toes touching and knees slightly apart.
2. Sit your hips back towards your heels.
3. Reach your arms forward and lower your chest towards the floor.
4. Relax your forehead down and breathe slowly through your nose.
5. Gently walk your hands further forward to deepen the stretch if comfortable. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Exercise notes:
● Place a folded towel under your knees if kneeling feels uncomfortable.
● Keep your knees wider apart for more space through your hips and stomach.
● To increase the shoulder stretch, actively reach your fingertips forward.

Disclaimer:
Avoid this exercise if you have had a recent knee injury or severe hip pain that limits kneeling.

3. Low lunge

1. From a kneeling position, step one foot forward.
2. Bend into your front knee, stacking it over your ankle.
2. Curl the toes of your back foot under for stability.
3. Place your hands on your hips for balance, or raise them overhead with shoulders relaxed.
4. Keep your chest lifted and hips facing forward. Breathe deeply and hold the pose for 20-30 seconds.
5. Return to kneeling, then repeat on the opposite side.

Exercise notes:
● For added comfort, place a folded towel or blanket under your back knee.
● Keep hands on hips if shoulder mobility is limited.
● For an added stretch of your side body, raise your arms overhead and reach toward the sky with your fingers.
● To make the movement more challenging, gently lift the back knee up and down off the mat.

Disclaimer: Use caution if you experience knee pain or dizziness.

4. Downward Dog

Recommended repetitions: 5 breaths

Kneeling on your hands and knees, open your fingers wide and grip them down into your mat.
Shuffle your knees back a couple of centimetres, with your toes tucked under. Engage your core.
Push into your hands, lift your knees off the ground, and float your hips into the air. Bend your knees to facilitate pushing your weight back towards your feet. Press down into your hands and fingers evenly, as if you were pushing the ground away from you.
Point your sit bones (your bottom) toward the sky, while hugging in your low belly.
Keep your head in line with your arms, looking down at the ground or at the level of your knees.
Without moving your hips or hands, see if you can slowly start to straighten your legs and lower your heels toward the ground. It’s OK if they can’t touch the floor – it’s more important to have length in your spine.
Your whole body should feel active in Downward Dog. Stay for 5 breaths.

Suggestion: For the first Downward Dog of your sequence, it may feel nice to lift your heels up and down off the mat to warm up. Bend your right knee and lift your right heel up off the ground as you straighten your left leg and press your left heel down toward the ground. Then change sides. Continue this walking/peddling action for a few breaths to warm up your legs.

5. Butterfly pose

Recommended repetitions: 2-4 times

1. Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together.
2. Allow your knees to fall outward comfortably.
3. Sit tall through your spine and relax your shoulders.
4. Gently hinge forward from your hips if comfortable.
5. Breathe slowly and relax into the stretch for 30-60 seconds.

Exercise notes:

Sit on a folded towel if your hips feel tight.
Allow your knees to remain higher if flexibility is limited. You can place folded towels or books underneath them for support.
Avoid bouncing your knees.

Disclaimer:
Use caution if you have groin or hip injuries or experience any discomfort in this pose.

6. Seated forward fold

1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
2. Keep your left leg extended with a slight bend in the knee, place the sole of your right foot against your inner left thigh, while the outside of your right leg rests towards/against the ground.
3. Reach towards your left shin, ankle or foot, as far as feels comfortable.
4. Relax your neck and shoulders while breathing steadily.
5. Keep your knee bent as much as needed and gradually straighten your leg without lifting your chest away from your thigh. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
6. Come back up to seated slowly and then swap sides, holding the stretch on your right side for 30-60 seconds.

Seated forward fold with one leg extended out in front

7. Come back up to seated and then extend both of your legs in front of you with a slight bend in the knees. Sit tall and hinge forward from your hips.
8. Reach towards your shins, ankles or feet, as far as feels comfortable.
9. Relax your neck and shoulders while breathing steadily.
10. Keep your knees bent as much as needed and gradually straighten your legs without lifting your chest away from your thighs. Hold for 30-60 seconds.

Exercise notes:
● Sit on a folded towel or block for extra hip support.
● Avoid rounding excessively through your spine. Instead, focus on reaching your chest toward your toes.
● Focus on lengthening through your spine rather than forcing the stretch deeper.

Disclaimer:
Avoid overstretching if you have lower back or hamstring injuries.

7. Figure 4 stretch

Recommended repetitions: 2-4 times

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
2. Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh.
3. Gently pull the supporting leg towards your chest.
4. Relax your shoulders and neck, keeping your head on the floor if comfortable, and breathe steadily. Hold for 30-60 seconds.
5. Slowly uncross your leg and return both feet to the floor. Repeat on the opposite side.

Exercise notes:

Keep the supporting foot on the floor for a gentler version.
Avoid pulling too forcefully through the hips.
Flex the crossed foot to support your knee.
For a seated variation, sit upright on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind you for support, cross one ankle over the opposite thigh and sit tall until you feel a stretch through your outer hip. Keep the crossed foot flexed to support your knee.

Figure 4 pose seated variation

Disclaimer:
Use caution if you have hip or knee injuries.

8. Happy baby

Recommended repetitions: 3-5 breaths

Laying on your back, bring your knees in towards your chest.
Bring your arms in between your knees. Reach for the outside edge (pinky toe side) of your feet with your hands. If this is not available, reach for your ankles or calves instead.
Turn the soles of your feet up to face the sky, flexing your feet.
Take an inhale and open your feet out wide. As you exhale, draw your knees down toward your armpits, pressing your low back into the mat.
It may feel nice to rock gently side to side, or you might prefer to stay still.
Stay in Happy Baby for 3 to 5 breaths.

9. Reclined twist

Recommended repetitions: 3-5 breaths on both sides

Lay down on your back.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.
Opens your arms out along the ground, in line with your shoulders, to form a T shape.
Lift your feet off the mat, drawing your knees in towards your chest. Keeping your knees and feet together, drop your legs over to the right-hand side.
If your legs don’t comfortably reach the ground, place a yoga block or folded blanket under your knees to lessen the twist in your spine.
Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
Slowly draw your knees back up to centre and drop them over to the other side. Hold for another 3 to 5 breaths.

10. Savasana (final resting pose)

Recommended repetitions: Stay for 5 minutes or longer

Extend your legs out straight.
Place your arms down by your side, slightly away from your waist. Open your palms to the sky.
Close your eyes or find a soft gaze above you.
Connect with your breath. Stay here for 5 minutes or longer if you have some extra time. Start to relax and feel the effects of your practice wash over you.
Try and take this feeling of relaxation and mindfulness with you through the rest of your day.

Physical Activity

Simple workouts for everyone

A great way to fit more movement into your day! Try these free workouts at home or work to improve your balance, strength and energy.

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Stretching for tight hips

Workout sequence

1. Warm up

Cat and cow stretch

2. Child’s pose

3. Low lunge

4. Downward Dog

5. Butterfly pose

6. Seated forward fold

7. Figure 4 stretch

8. Happy baby

9. Reclined twist

10. Savasana (final resting pose)

Simple workouts for everyone