12 Stretches for Slim and Sexy Hips

It is healthy do some form of work out routines daily but in the last century it seems working in an office is the bane of everyone. Most of us have to do it to get a decent living but there will be times that we end up not moving much from our desks. What happens after that? We get all sorts of back ache and some sore muscles around our lower back, particularly our hip. Sitting around all day can make the muscles around your hip tighten and could make you feel pain in places you’re not supposed to feel pain in. You will definitely experience a few occurrences of this specially if you don’t move much from your chair.

Stretch your way out of pain

There are a lot of reasons why we shouldn’t keep ourselves planted in one spot. Humans are mainly mobile mammals so it is in our nature to feel bored and sometimes in pain when we’re stationary for prolonged periods of time. Which is why we compiled 12 good stretches specifically targeted for tight hips.

Exercise 1

Butterfly Stretch

http://momjunction.com/

How to do it:

Sit up straight on your mat or on a clean and smooth floor. Press your soles together with your knees dropped to the sides as far you comfortably can.
Now pull your abs inwards slowly and lean forward from your hips.
Grab both your feet and slowly pull yourself a bit more forward.

Exercise 2

Happy Baby Pose

https://yoganewsletters.files.wordpress.com

How to do it:

Lie on your back, knees drawn towards the chest
Grab your feet’s outside edges, making sure your arms are in front of the shins.
Draw the shoulders towards the back, tone the arms and flex the feet as you pull the feet down.
Widen your knees while drawing them towards the armpits while stacking the ankles above the knees.
Straighten your lower back to the ground to touch the tip of the tailbone to the floor.
Maintain this pose for 1 minute and draw the knees back to the chest.

Exercise 3

Extended Wide Squat

http://kamafitness.ca/

How to do it:

Stand straight with the feet slightly wider than the hips. Bend knees and lower the hips toward the ground.
Bring the palms together in front of center of the chest and press the elbows against the inside of the knees firmly.
Do five breaths, release the hands on the floor and stretch them away from your feet to further increase the stretch on the hips and lower back. Hold again for five more breaths.

Exercise 4

Open Lizard

http://www.popsugar.com/

How to do it:

Go into lunge position with one knee forward. Lower the other knee to the floor while resting your hands on the floor under the shoulders.
Carefully lower the front knee towards the outer direction. If you’re using the right knee, to the right, if left then to the left. Lower it so you’re resting outside the foot of the flexed knee.
Maintain straight arms while pressing the chest forward to enhance stretch.
Hold this position for five breaths then repeat on the other side.

Exercise 5

Wide-Legged Split

http://www.popsugar.com/

From a Wide Squat stance, place the hands in front of you and slowly spread your feet apart inch by inch. Make sure the heels are wider than your toes. Protect your knees by keeping the soles flat on the ground at all times.
As the hips get lower, prop yourself with the forearms and slowly move down to shoulders. Turn your head to the side to avoid bruising the chin.
Get five deep breaths then walk the feet back together.

Exercise 6

Head to Knee

http://www.bikramyogacapalaba.com.au/

How to do it:

Sit on the ground, legs out front. Bend one knee, pull the sole of the foot against the other leg’s inner thigh.
With a straight spine, reach the other foot with both hands while stacking the torso on top of the straight leg’s thigh.
Get five breaths while the shoulders are relaxed away from the ears. Repeat with the other side.

Exercise 7

Pigeon

http://www.brigiddineen.com/

How to do it:

Sit with one knee bent and the other extended behind. Pull the bent leg’s heel toward the opposite hip. The opposite hip must always point down toward the mat.
Remain static in this position with the hands resting on the bent thigh. Breathe five times into any areas of tightness.
Repeat with the other side.

Exercise 8

Double Pigeon

http://www.ekhartyoga.com/

How to do it:

Sit with both legs stretched out in front of you. Bend the left knee and place the knee, shin, and foot on the floor in a way that makes them parallel to the pelvis. Bend the right knee and place them on top of the left leg, stacking the knees, shins, and ankles.
Place your hands in front of the shins and stretch them out as far as you can while folding your chest towards your legs.
Get five breaths, slowly release the position, switch legs and repeat.

Exercise 9

Standing Bow

http://www.bikramyogafalmouth.com/

How to do it:

Balance on one foot and bend the other knee as you bring the other foot towards the butt.
With the same hand, grab the inside of the other foot.
Maintain a square position of the hips and hinge slightly forward while you reach up forward with the free hand simultaneously lifting the foot behind until you feel a good stretch.
Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise 10

Figure Four

http://www.yogajournal.com/

How to do it:

While on your back, put your arms along your sides. Bend the knees and with the soles of the feet on the floor near the butt.
Just under the knee, position the right ankle over the left leg.
Grasp the left thigh with both hands.
Raise the head and shoulders off the floor. Bend both elbows to carefully pull the left knee toward the inside of your chest.
Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise 11

Upward-Facing Dog

http://www.yogapilatesabudhabi.com/

How to do it:

Facedown on the mat, place the tops of your feet on the ground with the toes pointed away from you.
Bend the elbows and place both palms on the ground near the hips.
Extend the elbows while maintaining relaxed shoulders. Open the chest toward the front of the mat while you perform this.
Take the gaze upward and push into the palms to lift the hips up off the mat.
Increase the arch in the back and press the hips forward to increase the stretch.

Exercise 12

Bridge Pose

http://www.brigiddineen.com/

While on your back to the mat, bend your knees, with the soles of the feet flat on the floor about hips-width apart. The arms must be placed at the sides with the palms faced down.
Release the tension from your neck as you push into the arms and shoulders to raise the hips toward the ceiling until you feel a good stretch for your hips.

Conclusion

Being inside the office the whole day can definitely get your back without notice. The exercises above are excellent hip stretchers to make sure you help alleviate and even prevent the pain due to tight hips. The wonderful thing about these stretches is that they can all be done at home with no real required equipment save for a decent floor mat. Do these regularly to make sure your back and hips are flexed and feel good every day.