3 Beginner Hip Opening Stretches For Tight Hips
Beginner Hip Stretches For Men and Women
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m joined by a Yoga Instructor to show you 3 beginner hip opening stretches for tight hips.
You know I always talk about getting out of your comfort zone.
Well that’s what I kind of did today.
I’m at my happy place and feel most comfortable in the gym, the track, and in the kitchen.
Advertisement
However, an important piece of the overall fitness and health puzzle is flexibility.
First off, I do stretch, although I’m not as consistent with it as I am with my workouts.
This is the area where I need to improve most
This is why I collaborated with Yoga instructor, Helen Fong.
Today we’re in the yoga studio focusing on beginner hip opening stretches for tight hips.
More specifically yoga stretches for tight hips.
You know how certain people radiate stress, negativity, and can drain the energy out of any situation?
Well Helen is the complete opposite.
Her calm, cool, and zen-like aura is incredible and I am so grateful to have her join me for this post.
We’re going to go through a few yin yoga postures that are mainly for your hips.
In particular, we will be showing you 3 variations of dragon pose to help open up your hips.
This is important for me because the areas of my body that are very tight include my:
- hips
- glutes
- lower back
If you work in an office, and are sitting in a chair all day, you will probably have these same tightness issues.
3 Beginner Hip Opening Stretches For Tight Hips
To help improve your mobility and flexibility, give these 3 hip opening stretches for tight hips a try.
Note: The filming of this video was perfect timing because I just trained legs before this so I was very tight.
You do not have to complete all 3 of these hip opener variations together.
Simply pick any 1 of these 3 variations and do them solely by themselves.
Helen recommends to hold each pose for approximately 3 minutes each day, first thing in the morning.
Remember to breath.
I always need to be reminded of that.
Here are Helen’s instructions on how to do these 3 dragon pose variations.
Hip Opening Stretch #1: Low Lunge To Down Dog
Dragon Pose Variation #1: Standing Dragon:
- Come down on all fours and get into table top position by balancing on your knees and hands.
- Place your right foot between your hands, then place your hands on your right thigh.
- While in this standing Dragon posture, it’s very critical to connect with your breath.
- Inhale to find length, then as you exhale get deeper in the pose by lowering your hips and let them sink down. Once you feel the intensity of the stretch, don’t go any further.
- As you feel the stretch, you can keep your hands on your thighs or you can place your hands on the floor inside your legs, or on a yoga block.
- Hold this pose for approximately 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, place the yoga block aside and step back into down dog and hold for a few seconds. This is a nice quick way to release it.
- Next, repeat with the other side by bringing your left foot forward, place it between your hands, drop your back knee to the floor, and untuck your toes and press the top of your foot into the floor to make sure your knee is not taking on too much pressure.
- Depending on your flexibility, you can place your hands on your left thigh or leave them on the floor. By leaving your hands on the floor you may feel more of a stretch as the tightness releases more. However, this is a difficult variation that requires more flexibility. Rather than trying to go deeper in the pose, stick to whatever variation allows you to feel more of a release.
- Hold for approximately 3 minutes, then step back into down dog to release it.
Hip Opening Stretch #2: Low Lunge Twist To Down Dog
Dragon Pose Variation #2: Twisted Dragon:
- Come down on all fours by balancing on your knees and hands.
- Step your right foot forward between your hands to get into a lunge position with the top of your back foot flat and pressed into the floor. This will place less pressure on your knee.
- Place your right hand on your knee while keeping your left hand on the floor, either with your palm flat, on your finger tips, or on a yoga block.
- Twist your body towards your right inner thigh with your belly button twisting towards your right hip.
- Once you reach this position of the stretch, if you feel comfortable, press your right knee away from you and hold for approximately 3 minutes.
- After holding for approximately 3 minutes, come back to table top position on your hands and knees and move into down dog to release for a few seconds.
- Next, repeat with the other side by stepping your left leg forward and twist to the opposite side while placing your left hand on your left knee, and press your knee away. You should also feel this in your right inner groin.
- Step back into down dog and hold for a few seconds, then come back down on all fours.
Hip Opening Stretch #3: Beginner Front Splits To Down Dog
Dragon Pose Variation #3: Dragon Splits:
- While down on all fours, step your right leg forward with a bigger stride to shift your toes a little bit forward and between your hands.
- Walk your hands to the inside of your foot, let your head release, and allow your upper body to sink.
- Remember to breath. If you’re like me, I always forget to breath because I’m so focused on trying to stick the pose. It always helps to have a reminder. So inhale and exhale as you keep observing your breathe.
- Hold for approximately 3 minutes, then step back into down dog for a few seconds.
- Next, repeat with the other side by stepping your left leg forward and uncurl your back toes.
- Inhale as you shift your toes forward and place your hands inside of your foot.
- Just relax in this posture as you soften and release your head by bringing your chin towards your chest.
- Hold for approximately 3 minutes, then step back into down dog and hold for as long as you want to. Take one or a few breaths until you feel the release. It’s more important to listen to your body rather than counting the time. This is what yoga really teaches you to do.
Those are your 3 beginner hip opening stretches for tight hips.
Hold each of these dragon pose variations for 3 minutes to really help loosen up your tight hips, glutes, and lower back.
Make this a part of your daily routine for 10 minutes in the morning after drinking your lemon water.
Try our follow along Live Lean Yoga video program
To get the full benefits of yoga, try attending a yoga class at least 2 times per week or try our follow along yoga videos from our Live Lean Yoga program.
I really want to thank Helen for inviting me in and sharing her yoga practice.
Here’s where you can find more information about Helen:
- Website: Helen Fong Yoga
- Twitter: @HelenFong
Make sure to check her out and add these hip openers to your daily health and fitness routine.
Advertisement
For more information on Living Lean, go sign up for our free 7 day starter guide to start Living Lean.
The 7 day Live Lean starter guide includes free:
- Gym and home workouts
- Weekly meal plan
- Recipes
- Step-by-step cooking videos
- 5 steps to start Living Lean
I love making these video post for you guys and spreading my transformation 1,000,000 mission.
Keep Living Lean.
READY TO BEGIN YOUR LIVE LEAN JOURNEY?
Start by taking our FREE Live Lean Body Quiz to get access to the best program specific to your goals, current fitness level, and access to equipment.
Take the Free Live Lean Body Quiz
Did you enjoy this 3 beginner hip opening stretches for tight hips?
If you enjoyed this 3 beginner hip opening stretches for tight hips post, please support this blog, by clicking the social media buttons to share this with your friends.
Subscribe to our Live Lean TV YouTube channel and leave a comment below on what you want to see in future posts.
Question For You:
- Do you practice yoga?
- Do you attend yoga classes?
- What are your favorite yoga poses?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
Check out our free workout videos here.
Check out my free recipe cooking videos here.
[wd_hustle_cc id=”team-live-lean”]
Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
great info.
Great way to get started with yoga!
The study of yoga is a lifelong commitment and source of inspiration. There is always something new to discover, to learn and to experience.
The art of practicing yoga helps in controlling an individual mind, body and soul. It brings together physical and mental disciplines to achieve a peaceful body and mind, it helps to manage stress and anxiety and keep you relaxing. It also helps in increasing flexibility, muscle strength and body tone. It improved respiration, energy and vitality. Practicing yoga might seem like just stretching, but it can do much more for your body from the way you feel, look and move.
Pigeon pose is my fav hip opener it really stretches after doing a real
work out from your videos
Being able to do the split, does it increase speed and jumping power and speed?
00923333434242
So Brad, I’ve tried this and it helps with my lower back and sciatic nerve pains. It hurts at first then after it’s less tight. But yeah my gym has yoga classes for all different groups (beginners, advanced) and I’m definitely going to do them. My friends have done HOT YOGA! Feel like sweating lots?? Do that! Apparently you’re soaked in sweat after. Anyways, awesome video though!! Hi Helen! 🙂
everything is going to be great Marie 🙂
haha, it’s what i do!
3:40 you would brad haha