Everyone has varying levels of flexibility in different areas of the body. Some muscles are more flexible than others. This is unique for each person and can even vary from day to day. Yoga helps to improve flexibility throughout the body. If your hips are tight, you can improve flexibility with specific asanas.
There are several poses that help to open the hips for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. These are often referred to as hip openers. Try a combination of these seated and standing poses in your regular yoga practice to gradually increase flexibility in the hips over time.
Several seated poses help to open the hips and increase flexibility. If your hips are tight, try cobbler’s pose, lotus, seated wide legged pose and wide leg seated forward bend while seated on your mat. Pigeon pose, one legged king pigeon pose are good hip openers for intermediate or advanced students.
Standing poses build strength and flexibility in the hips. Some standing poses that are good for tight hips include warrior poses, extended side angle pose, triangle pose, and half moon pose.
There are a few hip openers that are done lying on the mat. Happy baby pose and dead bug pose are good for increasing flexibility in the hips. Rest in child’s pose whenever you need a break to come back to your breath and gently open the hips.
Remember that it takes time and patience to increase flexibility in the hips and elsewhere in the body. Relax and breathe into the asanas and your flexibility will improve over time.
Include a few hip openers in your practice, but resist the urge to do them all and focus only on the hips. You could end up with an injury and pain in the hips. Listen to your body and gently work to open the hips, but don’t push too far. If you feel pain, stop and rest. Softness is crucial to flexibility, so relax into the stretch, breathe and you will see a gradual change in the hips.