Open tight hips

A patient practice for hips that have shortened from sitting, working through the front, back and outside of the joint in turn. Holds are longer here, so give yourself permission to prop generously and let each shape come to you. If you have nerve pain down the leg, keep everything small and back off the moment symptoms travel.

20 min · 12 steps · Beginner · best anytime · for stiff hips, sciatica

Before you start

a bolster or firm cushion and two folded blankets
warm up a little first if you are coming to this cold

0 of 12 done — tick each step as you go

Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathअधम प्राणायाम2 minutes
long, low breathing to take the edge off before you stretch
Breath · avoid with do not push the belly out forcefully — the movement should be effortless, recent abdominal surgery or hernia: keep the movement small and painless, in later pregnancy practise seated or side-lying rather than flat on the back · how to do it
Cat–Cowमार्जरी–बितिलासन8 rounds
Asana · blanket, chair · avoid with wrist injury · how to do it · watch
Low Lungeअञ्जनेयासन1 minute each side
back knee on a folded blanket; tuck the tailbone slightly
Asana · blanket, block, chair · avoid with knee injury (pad the knee) · how to do it
Garland Poseमालासन1 minute
hold onto something in front of you if balance is wobbly
Asana · block, blanket, wall · avoid with recent knee or hip replacement, acute knee injury or meniscus tear, Achilles tendon or ankle injury, pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy · how to do it
Butterfly Poseभद्रासन2 minutes
sit on a folded blanket and support the outer thighs
Asana · blanket, block, wall · avoid with knee/groin injury · how to do it
Reclining Figure Fourसूचिरन्ध्रासन1 minute each side
the safest of the outer-hip shapes for a grumpy sciatic nerve
Asana · strap · avoid with recent hip replacement (avoid drawing the knee across the midline), acute knee injury or meniscus tear, third trimester of pregnancy · how to do it
Pigeon Poseएक पाद राजकपोतासन90 seconds each side
a firm cushion under the hip of the front leg; skip if the knee complains
Asana · bolster, blanket, block · avoid with recent knee injury, meniscus tear or knee replacement, sacroiliac joint instability, pregnancy from the second trimester onward, acute sciatic pain that worsens in the shape · how to do it
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Foldउपविष्ट कोणासन90 seconds
knees soft and turned up, hinge from the hips only as far as is comfortable
Asana · blanket, bolster · avoid with hamstring tear or acute hamstring strain, sacroiliac joint pain, acute disc injury (avoid rounding forward), groin strain · how to do it
Child's Poseबालासन1 minute
Asana · bolster, blanket · avoid with knee injury (support with cushions), late pregnancy, recent abdominal surgery · how to do it · watch
Supine Spinal Twistसुप्त मत्स्येन्द्रासन1 minute each side
Asana · bolster, blanket · avoid with acute disc injury or nerve pain travelling down the leg, recent abdominal or spinal surgery, second and third trimester of pregnancy (avoid lying flat and closed twists) · how to do it
Happy Babyआनन्द बालासन1 minute
Asana · strap · avoid with recent hip or knee replacement, second and third trimester of pregnancy, acute sacroiliac or low back pain · how to do it
Corpse Poseशवासन2 minutes
Asana · bolster, blanket · avoid with late pregnancy (lie on the side) · how to do it · watch

Cautions for this sequence

pigeon pose is hard on the knees; keep the front shin closer to parallel with the front of the mat and come out if there is any knee pain
stop any pose that sends pain, tingling or numbness further down the leg
keep the seated wide-angle fold shallow with bent knees if the hamstrings or nerve are irritable

Cautions carried in from the individual practices (30)

Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breath — do not push the belly out forcefully — the movement should be effortless
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breath — recent abdominal surgery or hernia: keep the movement small and painless
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breath — in later pregnancy practise seated or side-lying rather than flat on the back
Cat–Cow — wrist injury
Low Lunge — knee injury (pad the knee)
Garland Pose — recent knee or hip replacement
Garland Pose — acute knee injury or meniscus tear
Garland Pose — Achilles tendon or ankle injury
Garland Pose — pelvic girdle pain in pregnancy
Butterfly Pose — knee/groin injury
Reclining Figure Four — recent hip replacement (avoid drawing the knee across the midline)
Reclining Figure Four — third trimester of pregnancy
Pigeon Pose — recent knee injury, meniscus tear or knee replacement
Pigeon Pose — sacroiliac joint instability
Pigeon Pose — pregnancy from the second trimester onward
Pigeon Pose — acute sciatic pain that worsens in the shape
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold — hamstring tear or acute hamstring strain
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold — sacroiliac joint pain
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold — acute disc injury (avoid rounding forward)
Wide-Angle Seated Forward Fold — groin strain
Child's Pose — knee injury (support with cushions)
Child's Pose — late pregnancy
Child's Pose — recent abdominal surgery
Supine Spinal Twist — acute disc injury or nerve pain travelling down the leg
Supine Spinal Twist — recent abdominal or spinal surgery
Supine Spinal Twist — second and third trimester of pregnancy (avoid lying flat and closed twists)
Happy Baby — recent hip or knee replacement
Happy Baby — second and third trimester of pregnancy
Happy Baby — acute sacroiliac or low back pain
Corpse Pose — late pregnancy (lie on the side)

Source: Ojastha editorial — classical hatha yoga and modern therapeutic yoga practice

Reviewed by a verified practitioner

Educational yoga and pranayama guidance, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, recovering from surgery or managing a diagnosed condition, check with your clinician and learn these practices with a qualified teacher.