If you’ve noticed tight hips or discomfort in your back, these yoga stretches are for you!
My hips have been super-tight lately since I’ve been spending a lot of time using my sofa and kitchen table as a desk since I’m working from home more and don’t have an official home office setup (Remind me to add this to my to-do list ASAP, please!).
Many of the yoga tutorials that I share here are sparked by my personal experience, which means I try them and experience results and get stoked to pass on the goodness.
Like I did with these hip-and-heart-opening poses.
This post is no different, I’m sharing some tried and true hip-and-heart-opening yoga poses that will help alleviate any discomfort in your back and hips. I’m a yoga teacher, not a medical professional so I advise you to consult with a medical professional for injuries and extreme pain.
Here are 6 of my favorite yoga poses for alleviating tight hips and back pain.
1. Half Splits (Ardha Hanumanasana)
Start in Table Top pose, resting your fingertips (or palms) on your mat. Place your left foot forward between the blocks. Lower your right knee to the mat and allow the top of the foot to rest on the mat as well.
Flex your left foot, coming onto the heel while bringing your toes toward you and continuing to straighten your leg. With hips squared, press your palms toward the mat, inhale to lengthen your spine and hinge your hips forward as you bend over your left knee on an exhale.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
2. Low Lunge With a Twist (Anjaneyasana)
Starting in downward dog, bring your left foot forward, placing it between your hands with your knee aligned with the ankle. Slowly lower your right knee toward the earth extending your leg toward the back wall with the top of your foot resting on the mat.
Inhale and lift your torso while reaching your hands over your head with palms facing each other. Keep your back straight and core engaged. Roll your shoulders back and allow your hips to slowly melt down toward your mat. Lower the left palm to the left calf while keeping right hand extended up with fingertips reaching toward the back of the room.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
3. Reverse Table Top (Ardha Purvottanasana)
Begin in Staff pose (Dandasana), with your legs together and extended in front of you with your arms parallel to your sides. Bend legs so knees are pointing up and soles of the feet are on the earth.
While pressing palms into the earth begin to lift your hips creating a flat surface with your thighs, torso and chest aligned while keeping a neutral neck.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
4. Reverse Plank (Purvottanasana)
Begin in Reverse Table Top pose and begin to walk feet forward toward the top of your mat until your legs are straight. The heels of your feet can rest on the earth with feet flexed or the soles of your feet can rest on the earth.
Press all four corners of your palms into the earth and rotate your shoulder blades inward for a heart-opener as you ground through your feet to lift your hips up. Keep a neutral neck.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
Looking for even more hip stretches? Check out these 8 Yoga Poses To Help You Get Into The Splits!
5. Frog Pose (Adho Muka Mandukasana)
Start in Table Top position, on all fours with your wrists aligned with your elbows and your knees aligned with your hips and your toes resting on the floor. Bring your elbows and forearms to the floor (palms can be flat on the floor or pressed together).
Slowly exhale and spread your knees apart. Lower your hips toward the floor while pressing them toward the back wall until you feel the stretch in your inner thighs and hips. Keep your back straight with a neeutral spine.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
6. Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend (Upavistha Konasana)
Begin in Staff pose (Dandasana), with your legs together and extended in front of you with your arms parallel to your sides.
Open the legs as wide as comfortably possible. Inhale and raise arms so palms are facing forward. Exhale and hinge forward at the hips, placing the palms on the earth. Walk fingertips forward for a deeper stretch or rest forehead on top of your arms to deepen the stretch. Flex the toes to engage the quads and hamstrings.
Hold for 10-60 seconds.
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What are your favorite yoga poses for tight hips and back pain?
xo,
