In this article I outline 5 seated poses you can do at home to help you open your hips. Practicing seated instead of standing makes poses easier and accessible to more people.
1. Child’s Pose (Balasana)
How to:
- Sit on your heels
- Lie on your thighs
- Extend your arms to the front
- Keep your knees together
- Or open the knees as wide as the mat (2)
Benefits:
Great resting pose. Light shoulder extension and hip flexion.
2. Butterfly (Baddha Konasana)
How to:
- Start from seated with your knees to the chest
- Open your knees to the sides.
- Hold your feet
- Open your chest and bend down with a flat back
- Open your feet like a book
- Gently press your elbows against your inner thighs.
Benefits:
Deep inner thigh stretch and hip joint opener.
3. Half Pigeon (Ardha Kapotasana)
How to:
- Start from Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Lift your right leg up.
- Bring your right knee to the front and place it on the floor in between your hands. Your foot is pointing back.
- Sit in the middle, don’t fall more to the right side. Both hip bones should be in one line. You can use a polster or blanket under your right hip for support if you need it.
- Stay up with extended back (1) or come to your elbows/forehead (2)
- Repeat on left side
Benefits:
It stretches the Piriformis muscle (outer side of the hip) of the bent leg. The hip flexors, Quadriceps and Psoas of the extended leg are stretched, too. Plus, it is a great heart and chest opener.
4. Hero (Virasana)
How to:
- Start seated on your heels
- Open the knees wide
- Move the feet away
- Sit in between your feet
- Move the flesh from your calve up
- Straighten the back
- If you want to intensify the quads stretch, lie back on your elbows (2)
Benefits:
Deep stretch of the quadriceps and entire front side of your thigh.
Warning:
People with knee pain should not practice this pose! It is a very intense seated pose to open your hips.
5. Cow Face (Gomukhasana)
How to:
- Start from seated with your knees to the chest
- Place the right knee on the mat, your right foot coming to your butt.
- Place the left knee on top of the right one.
- Don’t sit on your feet.
- Take the right arm up and bend your elbow. (1)
- Left arm reaches behind your back from below. (1)
- Catch your right hand with the left one (1)
- Alternatively, for eagle arms take the right elbow in front and place the left elbow on top joining your hands (2)
- Repeat on other side
Benefits:
Very deep outer hip stretch and chest opener. It helps with shoulder mobility and stretches the tricep of your top hand.
