POPSUGAR

If You've Got Tight Shoulders, Hips, and Muscles, These 9 Poses Will Stretch Them Out

Jun 17 2020 - 8:25am

Take a moment and do a quick body scan. Are your shoulders rounded and up by your ears? How do your hips feel? Have you been sitting all day? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you could benefit from taking a moment to show your body some TLC. Whether you're feeling tightness in your shoulders, hips, or back, your muscles and alignment are probably a little out of whack. We rounded up yoga-teacher-approved stretches that will help you relax and improve your posture if performed consistently. Check them out ahead.

— Additional reporting by Lizzie Fuhr

Downward Facing Dog

"This pose is important to do for the spine because it creates opening in the chest and shoulders," Jerrelle Wilson [2], E-RYT 500, told POPSUGAR. Wilson said there is no one specific way to do Downward Facing Dog, and he recommends playing with shoulder variations and chest placement. You can hold this pose with bent knees or with your legs fully lengthened, and you can also tuck your hips under your body or not, he said. "My biggest tip for Down Dog is to play around with it. Don't become rigid with how it's supposed to look rather than explore how it can make the body and spine feel." Wilson advises to do this pose every day, multiple times a day.

Toe Stand

"I recommend Toe Stand because it is a strong balancing pose that not only helps improve your posture, but it also strengthens your legs, ankles, core, and hips," Margo Francois [4], RYT 200, told POPSUGAR. She said this pose can also help you strengthen your joints and improve knee pain. If you currently have a knee, foot, or hip injury, she recommends avoiding this pose. Depending on your goals and physical ability, Francois said you can practice this pose daily or a couple times a week. Before diving into Toe Stand, warm up your body with sun salutations and hip stretches like low lunge, high lunge, and chair pose, she said.

Child's Pose

"This pose supports the torso and gently stretches the spine," Salila Sukumaran [5], 500-YT, told POPSUGAR. Sukumaran said your muscles will "melt" in this pose, with any knots or tension you may be experiencing returning to normal alignment. "This pose is very beneficial in relieving anxiety and bringing a feeling of calm and peace." Sukumaran said you can do this pose as often as you'd like throughout the day and hold for as long as you'd like.

Cobra Pose

Another pose Sukumaran recommends is Cobra Pose. She likes this pose because it strengthens your upper back, relieves pressure off of the lower back, and because it works your core and firms your glute muscles.

Jackknife pose

"This pose relaxes the shoulders and lengthens the spine, creating more space and ease between the vertebrae," Sukumaran said. If you're hunched over a computer, this is the pose for you, according to Sukumaran. You can do this pose as often as you'd like, but Sukumaran recommends not doing it if you're menstruating or if you have heart issues.

Locust Pose

"For most people, when our posture is compromised, our shoulders rise and our heads jut forward," Tara Purnell [6], RYT-200, told POPSUGAR. Purnell likes this pose because it will strengthen your back, bringing awareness to weak areas. If you want to restore a healthy posture, focus on moves that open the heart and lengthen the spine, Purnell said.

Supported Fish Pose

"Supported Fish is heavenly. With blocks lifting the heart and head, the shoulders naturally begin to hug the spine in this reclined position," Purnell said. This pose is great for people who have been slouching for years, she explained.

Bridge Pose

Bridge pose will strengthen your glute muscles and help activate them, according to Adell Bridges [7], RYS-300. She recommends doing this move in the morning to activate your glutes for the day.

Boat Pose

"This pose strengthens two areas that tend to become deconditioned by bad posture: the deep core muscles and the hip flexors," Bridges explained. "By practicing this pose, we can begin to switch on our body's natural intelligence and strength for holding ourselves in good posture," she said.


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https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Yoga-Poses-Posture-24492803