Your hips are meant to be the most stable part of your body. And why shouldn’t they be? They are the weight-bearers, the forward-motion producers, the physical base of our most crucial organs and systems. Tight, stable hips are a a completely normal, brilliant adaption. As you look to love on your hips, realize that we are not contorting them a la Cirque du Soleil, but rather stretch the dense tissue compassionately for optimal mobility, free nerve signaling and recalibration. We want to bring them back into balance and reward them for their hard work. But how?

Research and personal experience currently tell me yin yoga is the best option for producing and retaining range of motion in this large joint. If you want to move freely for longer, you can pepper in a yin class or two a week. For faster results, pick two of your most potent poses, the one you personally feel inside your body are most beneficial, and breathe in the hold for three minutes each side four times a week. Below you’ll find a catalog of hip opening poses to choose from. Remember: you should not be in pain during these longer holds. Optimally, you’d find 60-70% sensation in the stretch and use bolsters and blocks to support any negative space. You should feel like you can let go into the pose and use zero effort. Yin helps remodel the connective tissue and needs consistent practice to find results. Find a predictable time of day to do this short practice. Results are slower in connective tissue than muscle, so be patient over the next few months as you gift yourself new hips.

Eccentric work in a power or vinyasa yoga class lengthens and strengthens muscle simultaneously. Visit your mat once a week focusing on wide, sturdy stances. In warrior two for example, your feet should stretch apart generously yet hug toward one another to activate your leg and hip muscles. The wide stance helps create space in the groin and hamstrings while externally rotating the front leg femur head in the hip socket. In crescent pose, you strengthen and lift your back leg to stretch your psoas (a main hip flexor) and actively pull your back foot forward without moving it to work the psoas at the same time.

Respect your unique anatomy. Your hips are modeled and utilized differently than the yogi next to you in class. In fact, your right and left sides are made and used differently too. Finally, bone changes occur as you age giving you different experiences and needs in different phases of life. If you stuff yourself into a pose or stretch that isn’t for you, you’ll end up hurting the hips instead of curating ease. I invite students to back off 10% if pain signals occur. Maybe you don’t do that particular pose or ask your teacher for a modification. Speak up for yourself, because those who do realize that yoga can meet any body where they’re at through slight adjustments and yoga tools.

Let go of stories. You cannot care for your body compassionately if you are living in a judgement that one side is your “bad side” or that you’re just “not flexible” or have “tight hips”. You were born with what you were born with, and your body has adapted to your demands of it over time. This is what you have to work with. You are not trying to make the Olympic gymnastics team, but rather make this physical vessel a wonderful one to inhabit. Acceptance, non-judgement and compassion are key.

Lastly, visit your hips often with discipline. My mentor always says, “frequency over duration”, and it’s true. Any meaningful change takes a disciplined practice. If you can master that, then here’s to you feeling good in your body for years to come.

Try out some of the hip opening poses below and let us know how what you think in the comments!