17 Apr Hip Openers
This week’s yoga classes have been focusing on Hip opening poses. The Benefits of these poses (asana’s) are TENFOLD.
Many of us tend to store our emotions in the hip region. This is a natural part of the “fight or flight” stress response. Think of what your response is when you are threatened or experience a sudden jolt of emotion. Whether we draw our knees to our chest and curl up into a fetal pose for protection or respond by
tensing in this area, the result is the muscles are tightly clenched but never fully released. This lingering grasp of the hips not only traps muscular tension but emotional tension too.
The space between the hips is also the location of the second chakra, or energy center. This chakra is connected to our relationships with other people, which can be the source of difficult emotions—whether it be feelings of abandonment, resentment, or loss. If this chakra is closed off or out of balance, you might notice difficulties in your personal relationships, and a feeling of being stuck.
Igniting this chakra with hip opening poses is a way to open yourself up to processing the root of your emotions.
Whether it is one traumatic event or multiple small events, the feelings of fear, anxiety, and sadness are stored at the hips until we bring them to the surface and allow a release with these deep hip openers.
Queen Pigeon Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor. Position the right heel just in front of the left hip.
Step 2
The right knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip. Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the hip (and not be angled off to the left), and rotated slightly inwardly, so its midline presses against the floor. Exhale and lay your torso down on the inner right thigh for a few breaths. Stretch your arms forward.
Step 3
Then slide your hands back toward the front shin and push your fingertips firmly to the floor. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward; at the same time, and lift your pubis toward the navel. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel, and lengthen the left front groin.
Step 4
If you can maintain the upright position of your pelvis without the support of your hands on the floor, bring your hands to the top rim of your pelvis. Push heavily down. Against this pressure, lift the lower rim of your rib cage. The back ribs should lift a little faster than the front. Without shortening the back of your neck, drop your head back. To lift your chest, push the top of your sternum (at the manubrium) straight up toward the ceiling.
Step 5
Stay in this position for a minute. Then, with your hands back on the floor, carefully slide the left knee forward, then exhale and lift up and back into Downdog. Take a few breaths, drop the knees to all-fours on another exhalation, and repeat with the legs reversed for the same length of time.
Benefits
- Stretches the thighs, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Opens the shoulders and chest
Modifications and Props
It’s often difficult to descend the outside of the front-leg hip all the way to the floor. Place a thickly folded blanket underneath the hip for support.
Yogi Squat – Malasana: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Begin in Tadasana with your big toes touching and a very small amount of space between your heels. Spin your inner thighs back while gently releasing the flesh of your buttocks towards your heels. Extend your sternum away from your navel and broaden across your collarbones
Inhale, come into a chair pose, lengthen your torso while bending your knees and descending your bottom. Press your shins back to bring more weight into your heels
Step 2
Exhale, separate your knees while bending deeper and pulling your palms down in front of your heart. Lower your buttocks towards your heels, allowing your pelvis to gently spill backwards and directing your tailbone towards the floor.
Step 3
Broaden across your collarbones and tilt your torso forward and nestle the sides of your body between your inner thighs, press your palms together into Prayer position (Anjali Mudra) to emphasize the openness of your chest and the lift of your heart.
Step 4
Hold for 10-12 breaths, then place your palms down in front of your feet and press into a forward fold.
Benefits
- Stretches inner thighs
- strengthens back Muscles
- aids constipation
Modifications and Props
Try putting your heels on a book or block to begin with.
Wild Thing- Camatkarasana: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Start in Downward-Facing Dog.
Step 2
Bring your weight into your right hand and roll onto the outer edge of your right foot – Side Plank Pose.
Step 3
On an inhalation, lift your hips. Stay strong in your right hand making a clawing action with the fingers. Keep the head of the right arm bone back. On an exhalations, step your left foot back and place your toes on the floor with your knee partially bent.
Step 4
Curl back through your upper back to create a sweeping action of the shoulder blades into the back of the rib cage.
Step 5
On an inhalation lift your hips higher until you curl more into a backbend with your right foot solid on the ground.
Step 6
Keep breathing and curl your head back, extending your left arm from your heart and expressing your power and freedom.
Step 7
Hold for 5-10 breaths breaths, return to Down Dog and repeat on the other side.
Benefits
- Opens up chest, lung, and shoulder areas
Opens the front of the legs and hip flexors
Builds strength in shoulders and upper back
Marichis Pose – Marichyasana III: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Begin sitting with legs out in front of you. Exhale bring your right heel back to your sit bone or slightly to the outside of it. Make sure you are sitting equally on both sit bones. Flex your left toes back to your body so to fully engage the left leg.
Step 2
Inhale the right hand behind you with your fingers facing away from the body. Push down through this hand to get extension through the spine.
Step 3
Bending the left elbow, bring your left arm across your body and hook your elbow to the outside of the right knee. Inhale to lengthen through the body and exhale to twist from the upper body.
Step 4
If you neck is feeling strong look over your right shoulder to encourage the chest to open fully.
Benefits
- Stretches your hamstrings and glutes;
- Awakens your torso
- Promotes circulation in your abdominal organs
- Develops introspection
Revolved Triangle – Parvrtta Trikonasana: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Stand in Mountain Pose (tadasana) at the centre of your mat, facing the long edge. Take a deep inhalation, and jump your legs about 3 feet apart; make the outside edges of your feet parallel to the outer edges of your mat. As you jump, bring your arms in line with your shoulders. Extend your arms out from the center of your chest by reaching through your fingertips, palms facing down.
Step 2
Turn your left foot inward about 60 degrees, and turn your right foot outward 90 degrees. Internally rotate your entire left leg until your torso and left hip face the right. Without disturbing this position, stabilize yourself by pressing down into your right big-toe mound and inner heel and your left outer heel. Draw up through your thigh muscles, and firm your outer hips toward each other. Keep your legs straight and your kneecaps lifted.
Step 3
Maintain stability in your legs, and with an exhalation, rotate your pelvis, abdomen, chest, and head to the right so that your left arm extends over your right leg. Put
your left fingers down on the floor (to the outside of your right lower leg) as you extend your right arm up.
Step 4
Extend through your arms, and imagine your ribs following your arms like a river: Your right ribs turn upward, following your right arm. Your left ribs turn downward, following your left arm. Extend the sides of your torso toward your head. Keep both sides of your torso parallel and in line with your right leg.
Step 5
On an inhalation, expand your chest, and press your left arm into your outer right calf. On an exhalation, tuck your left shoulder blade into your back, and move your back-left ribs deeper inward as you rotate your torso farther to the right.
Step 6
Stay in this pose for 10–20 seconds, breathing normally. Inhale, and press into your left heel, lifting your left hand and rotating your torso back to Triangle Pose . Repeat on the other side.
Benefits
- Increase the circulation in your lower spine, abdomen, and pelvic region, improve balance, and build stability.
Modifications and Props
Use a block on the outer edge of the front foot to rest your hand on.
Child’s Pose – Balasana: Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Bring your big toes together by slightly sliding your knees out to the edges of your Mat.
Step 2
Bring your hands out in front of you with your palms facing the Mat.
Step 3
Sit back through your hips encouraging your bottom to meet your heels. Curl the shoulders around and slightly dip your chin to your chest for a stretch down the back of your neck.
Step 4
Breath deeply here through your ribs and with every exhale try and sit your bottom lower onto your heels, encouraging the lower spin to open.
Beginner’s Tip
If this is uncomfortable try the movement with your knees and ankles together
Benefits
- Stretches the back, groins and psoas, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and neck
- Stimulates the abdominal organs
- Opens the shoulders and chest
When you practice a hip opener sequence on a regular basis you notice an improvement in your range of motion, reduction in tightness and that wonderful emotional release. You’ll also see improvement in the rest of your practice, improved circulation and increased energy levels.
Yoga can help us become more consciously aware of our posture. This enables us to stabilise and revitalise our hips by working the correct muscles around the joint to bring us into alignment.
Happy practicing. I’d love to hear how you get on. xxx
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