Get to Know Your Hips with the Magic of Hip Openers

In the yoga asana practice we often talk about a category of stretching poses called "Hip Openers." They don't refer to the area where you "put your hands on your hips," but target the group of muscles surrounding the hip joints.

The “Hips” include the Gluteal muscles (Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius, and Gluteus minimus), the Piriformis, the deep rotator muscles, and the Hip Flexors (psoas, tensor fascia latae, and rectus femoris). The top of the Iliotibial band (IT band) can also be considered part of the Hips. Hip muscles (depending on which they are) Extend the hips (bring the thigh behind the pelvis), Flex the hips (bring the thigh in front of the pelvis), Rotate the thigh, and Abduct the thigh (move the thigh away from your midline).

When stretching these muscles, you move in the opposite direction. Contracting the muscles strengthens it, while moving the muscle in the opposite direction stretches it. In “Hip Opening” poses, you are stretching the hip muscles, thereby moving the body in the opposite direction to elongate the related muscle.

Here are some examples:

Each of these poses address a different aspect of the hips, stretching the muscles to create more mobility and less restriction and stiffness in the hip joint. They can also decrease discomfort in the hips and lower back.

When the Hips Feel Tight

Many things cause tension in the hip muscles: sitting for long periods, driving, walking, running, biking, golf, and other sports, especially when you don't stretch after your activity. Over time, when these muscles constantly contract and don’t move in the opposite direction, they feel tight. Stretching creates an oppositional movement to the contraction, extending the muscle to return it to its relaxed state.

Poses that Target the Hip Extensors

The Glutes (all 3) create hip extension, meaning the move the thigh backward. All of the poses above (except for Low Lunge) stretch the hip extensors by creating hip flexion, where the thigh and the torso move toward each other.

The forward hip hinge in these poses stretches the muscles that extend the hip. Because the Hip Extensors also have secondary actions (ab/adduction, rotation) each pose will target a different extensor muscle. For example, adding adduction to hip flexion (tipping the pelvis forward while moving the thigh toward the midline) like in Cow Face pose, you target the Gluteal muscles as well as the Piriformis, because these muscles, when they contract, extend and abduct the hip joint.

Remember, when stretching, you move the body in the opposite direction.

Poses that Target the Hip Flexors

Low Lunge, targets the Hip Flexors, because the hip of the back leg is in extension. This pose targets the Iliopsoas group (Iliacus and Psoas). Hip flexion is the action of bringing the thigh forward or toward the chest. Prolonged sitting or driving causes these muscles to contract, although passively. They are in a shortened state for long periods of time. When you try to stand up again (extending the hip), you may feel the tension in this muscle group from being contracted/flexed for so long.

Because the Psoas also attaches to the lumbar spine (lower back), when these muscles are tight, they often cause lower back pain, making it harder to stand up straight. Regular stretching of these muscles will ease your discomfort.

Things to think about with hip openers

When stretching the various hip muscles, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Never stretch when your body is cold, always move your body first. Imagine a rubber band that has been in the freezer. If you try to stretch it, it will break. A rubber band stretches much better when warm or at room temperature. The same goes for your muscles. Go for a walk to do some gentle movements before you stretch to warm up the body. Even walking up and down the stairs a few times will warm up your muscles.

• Stretching should feel like a diffuse, pleasant sensation. As you breathe deeply and slowly, the muscle relaxes, the intensity of the sensation lessens. The more you relax into the stretch, the better it will feel.

• If you feel a sharp sensation, or a pulling at the joint, STOP! That sharp, pulling sensation means you are hurting yourself, not helping. If you feel the sensation at the joint, you may want to foam roll the muscle first to release the restriction, then stretch after. Ideally you want to feel the stretch in the belly of the muscle, not at the attachment (joint). Sharp pain ALWAYS means stop what you are doing.

• Hip Extensors stretch by moving the pelvis. Keeping the spine straight prevents you from “cheating.” When you round the spine first, you will bypass the movement of the pelvis, thereby bypassing the stretch that you want. Keeping the spine straight and moving the pelvis first will give you the stretch you want. After you move the pelvis as far as it will go, then you can soften and round the spine, letting the weight of the torso take you slightly deeper into the pose. It’s the hip flexion that creates the stretch, not spinal flexion.

• NEVER FORCE A STRETCH. This is so important! As we age, we are slower to heal, so you don’t want to force your body to do things it’s not ready to do. The body is like a rebellious teenager. If you force it, it will resist, and you are more likely to injure yourself. Instead, slowly move your body to the edge of that pleasant, vague, stretching sensation, and deepen your breath. As you hold the pose and breathe, the intensity of the sensation will lessen, and you can get a little more range of motion. The muscles will lengthen as THEY are ready, not when YOU are ready. Be kind and gentle with your body as you stretch.

• The breath is your friend when you are stretching. Relaxation is the physiological response to an exhale. The deeper you inhale, the longer you can exhale, the more time you have for your body to relax into the stretch. Try to inhale and exhale through the nose.

• Instead counting seconds when stretching, count your breaths (5-10 is plenty). Focusing on your breathing keeps you connected to what is happening in your body, tuning into the sensations. Your body will know when you have hit your limit; listen to it.

Click here to watch a video where I guide you through some basic hip opening poses.

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