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For a lot of us, tight hip flexors rank right up there with back and knee pain with regards to on a regular basis aches and pains. The proof? Hip flexor stretches are amongst essentially the most requested moves in yoga classes.

Lifestyle has rather a lot to do with it—sitting for long periods leaves your hip flexors in prolonged contraction, which tightens your hip flexors and weakens your glutes. Over time, that tightness can result in a reduced range of motion in your hips.

What Are Hip Flexors?

“Hip flexors” is the umbrella term for a bunch of muscles surrounding your hip joints. They include the iliacus, psoas, pectineus, rectus femoris, and sartorius.

Three of several hip flexor muscles, including the psoas minor (left), psoas major (center), and sartorius (right). (Illustration: Sebastian Kaulitzki Science Photo Library | Getty)

Many yoga poses act as hip flexor stretches to elongate your hip muscles and stop pesky muscle stiffness. Practicing hip flexor stretches can even reduce lower back pain and improve hip mobility. Plus, these yoga poses just feel good.

6 Hip Flexor Stretches to Add to Your Yoga Practice

Bridge Pose stretches your hip flexors and strengthens your abs at the identical time. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

1. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This pose not only stretches your hip flexor muscles, however it builds strength in your core. For a more restorative version of Bridge Pose, rest your sacrum (the flat, triangular-shaped bone at the bottom of your spine) on a block, bolster, or some stacked pillows as you pause for several breaths.

Easy methods to:

1. Lie in your back together with your knees bent and feet on the mat, heels as near your sitting bones as possible. Rest your arms alongside your body, palms facing down.
2. Exhale and press your feet and arms into the mat as you lift your hips until your thighs are about parallel to the ground or until you’re feeling a stretch in your hips. Keep your thighs and feet parallel. When you like, clasp your hands underneath your back, press your pinkie fingers into the mat, and shimmy your upper arms beneath you.
3. Push your knees forward while lengthening your tailbone toward the backs of your knees.
4. Lift your chin barely. Proceed to push into your feet and arms to assist lift your hips and chest.
5. On an exhalation, slowly lower yourself onto the mat, starting together with your upper back.

You possibly can adjust Lord of the Dance Pose to extend or decrease the intensity of the stretch in your hip flexors. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

2. Lord of the Dance Pose (Natarajasana)

Also generally known as Dancer Pose, Lord of the Dance Pose targets just a few different muscle groups without delay. Your hip flexor and shoulder muscles experience a stretch, which will be modulated depending on the position of your leg. Plus, Lord of the Dance Pose practices your balancing skills.

Easy methods to:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Shift your weight onto your right foot. Bend your left knee and lift your left heel toward your left buttock.
2. Keep your gaze focused straight ahead as you reach your left hand behind you and grasp your outer left foot or ankle. Press your foot away from you toward the wall behind you. When you can’t reach your foot, use a strap.
3. Reach your right arm forward, keeping it parallel to the ground. For a more intense stretch, you’ll be able to lift your leg higher and push your foot away farther For a gentler stretch, keep your left thigh low together with your knee pointing down toward the mat.
4. If you’re able to release, come out of the pose as slowly and steadily as you got here into it. Switch sides.

Backbends, reminiscent of Bow Pose, are hip flexor stretches that might help improve your posture. Higher posture means less tension in your hips and low back. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

3. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

This pose stretches your hip muscles as you open the front of your body. Bow Pose can even improve your posture, which could alleviate tightness in your hip flexors.

Easy methods to:

1. Lie in your belly together with your legs hip-width apart and your palms on the mat beneath your shoulders. Press your hands into the mat to lift your head and chest. Roll your shoulders back.
2. Bend your knees and convey your heels toward your buttocks. Reaching back with each arms at the identical time, seize your outer ankles. Keep drawing your shoulders back. When you can’t reach your ankles, use a strap. Press your feet into your hands toward the wall behind you. Breathe here. Switch sides.

Variation: For a less intense stretch, come into Half Bow Pose by keeping your left leg straight and your left hand pressed into the mat. Bend your right leg into your buttock and reach back together with your right arm to clasp your right ankle. If it’s more comfortable, you’ll be able to keep your right thigh pressing into the mat as an alternative of lifting it. Switch sides.

Stretch the front of your body, including your hip flexors, while constructing strength in your low back in Camel Pose. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

4. Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

Along with stretching your hip flexors, Camel Pose stretches your abdomen, chest, shoulders, and thighs. It’s also a strengthening exercise on your low back and glutes, which might help improve hip stability.

Easy methods to:

1. Kneel in your mat with knees hip-width apart and your hips directly over your knees. Press your shins and the tops of your feet into the mat.
2. Place your hands in your hips, together with your thumbs in your sacrum. Internally rotate your thighs by attempting to turn your inner thighs toward one another.
3. Inhale and reach your tailbone toward your knees, lift your sternum, and draw your elbows toward one another.
4. Reach your hands behind you and take a look at to rest your fingertips in your heels. For a less intense stretch, tuck your toes to lift your heels  or keep your hands in your low back and expand your rib cage.
5. You possibly can keep your chin barely tucked or, if it’s comfortable, let your head hang back.
6. Push your thighs forward toward the wall in front of you. Breathe here.
7. To exit the posture, bring your hands to your hips and press down through your shins as you slowly lift your chest.

Low Lunge releases tension in your hip flexors, making it an efficient and welcome stretch for individuals who spend long periods sitting. (Photo: Andrew Clark)

5. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

Your thighs and the hip muscles in your back leg experience a stretch in Low Lunge , while the glutes in your front leg contract and construct strength. Strong glute muscles help stabilize your lower body and take pressure off your hip flexors.

Easy methods to:

1. From hands and knees or Downward-Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands. Lower your left knee to the mat.
2. Slide your left foot back until you’re feeling a snug stretch along the front of your thigh. Untuck your back toes.
3. Inhale and lift your arms alongside your ears. Draw your tailbone down toward the mat as you lift your chest away out of your hips to create lengthening along your back. Breathe here.
4. Bring your hands to the mat and switch sides.

Lizard Pose is a difficult hip flexor stretch that might help relieve low back pain.  (Photo: Andrew Clark)

6. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

This pose stretches your outer hip (adductor) muscles, your hamstrings, in addition to your hip flexors. Lizard Pose can even help relieve low back pain for those with conditions like sciatica, or for many who simply have low back tightness in consequence of sitting.

Easy methods to:

2. Come into Low Lunge together with your left foot forward. Place each hands on the mat to the within your left foot.
3. Tuck your right toes, lift your right knee, and reach your right heel toward the back wall. For a more intense stretch, lower your forearms onto the mat.
4. Press your front knee into your shoulder and press your shoulder into your knee. Breathe here. To release, simply lower your lifted knee to the mat and return to Low Lunge. Switch sides.

This text has been updated. Originally published May 1, 2o21.