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Are You Hip to Your Hips?

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:00:00 -0700

The hip joint connects your upper body to the power of your legs. Vital to all forms of movement, the hip joint is worth knowing about. Let's see what you know about this special part of your body.

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Beginner's Gate

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Seated postures are great for meditation because they are easier to hold than some poses (like Half Moon pose), and because you are so grounded, they instill a sense of calmness.

This pose called Beginner's Gate also opens your hips and hamstrings, and allows you to practice lengthening your spine and sitting nice and tall.

Sanskrit Name: Parighasana
English Translation: Cross Beam of a Gate Pose
Also Called: Gate

Want to know how to do it? Then read more

Sit on your mat and straighten your right leg out to the side.
Now bend your left knee and bring your left toes as close to your body as possible. If you can, press the arch of your foot against the curve of your bum.
Very Important - If your left knee is in any pain, straighten out your left leg, and bend your knee, but this time bring your left foot in towards your right inner thigh (going in the opposite direction you just tried).
Now press your hands together in front of your heart. Relax your shoulder blades back and down away from your ears. Ground firmly with your pelvis, and if you can, try to tuck it in slightly. Bring your ribs in too, lengthening through your spine and following your breath.
Stay here for 5 or more breaths, and then switch sides.

Beginner's Gate will prepare you for the full expression of the pose, where you lean over to your straight leg and rotate your chest towards the ceiling. (Look for it next Monday).

Work it Girl: Seated Pigeon

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Sitting at your desk for 8 hours a day is a great way to work towards tight hips. Fight back with this desk hip opener stretch.

This is just like doing Pigeon pose but instead of lying down, you're sitting up.

Bend your left knee and place your lower leg flat on the desk (make sure to clear a spot).

Lean your upper body forward a little and try to keep your spine long. You'll really feel this stretch in your left hip and butt. I love it!

Hang here for a few breaths or more if you love it, and then carefully switch sides.

If you really love this stretch, you can work while you do it!

CAUTION: Again, make sure your chair doesn't have wheels!

Work it Girl: Chair Squat

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Sitting at your desk for countless hours in one position can really tighten up your lower body. So why not do something to open up those hips, quads, and calves?

You could always do a Wide Squat on the floor, but if you squat down on top of your chair, you can still get a little work done (I'm all about the multi-tasking).

Stay like this for a minute or two, or as long as you'd like. I wouldn't stay like this for too long though, because your feet will start to fall asleep from loss of circulation.

Just like the Chair Spinal Twist, I love the way this stretch releases my lower back. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

CAUTION: Do NOT try this squat on a chair with wheels. If you do have a rolling chair, find a place in your office where you can do this move with your feet planted firmly on the floor.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 1

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

YOGA CHALLENGE: Standing Half Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Hey folks. Ready for the new yoga challenge? It's called Standing Half-Bound Lotus. You can practice with Tree pose first, and then you can work on this pose. It really opens up your hips, one at a time, while challenging your balance. When you reach your arm behind you, you'll also feel a stretch in the chest and front of the shoulders.

Don't forget to get those cameras ready. Go to the YOGA CHALLENGE group. On the left-hand side, click on "Create & Share!" Then click on "Blog." Add a title, some keywords, and then under "Body" click on "Add Image" to upload your picture. Add some words if you'd like and then click "Submit." How easy is that? Getting into the pose in the first place will be the tough part. Can't wait to see your photos!

Want to see what else you can do? Then read more

Don't forget to switch sides and definitely don't forget to send your photos in. You can check out all the yoga challenge photos under "Latest Photos" in the It's a STRETCH group.

Stretch It: Twisting Double Pigeon

FitSugar — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:00:17 -0800

Tight hips are a common complaint among active people, especially those who run, ski, or bike. Pigeon and Double Pigeon are two of my favorite stretches for opening up my hips and stretching my glutes. If you're looking for a new variation to add to your stretching routine, give this one a whirl.

Sit on the floor and bend your left knee so it is parallel with your tummy.
Bend your right knee and place it on top, so your ankles and knees are stacked, and your shins are parallel. You'll know you're doing it right when you gaze down and see that your legs make a little triangle.
You may find your top knee to be way high up toward the ceiling - it's OK, it just means that your hips are tight. Working on this stretch will help to open those tight hips.
Place your hands in front of your shins and walk them toward the right so both hands are beside your right thigh. If you're flexible, lower your forearms to the floor. To increase the twist, lift your right arm into the air and gaze at your palm while pressing your left elbow against your right knee.
After 30 seconds or so, place your right hand on the floor, walk your hands back to the center, and walk them all the way over to the left side. To increase the stretch, raise your left arm in the air and gaze upward.
Walk your hands back to center when you're ready and then sit up. Straighten both legs out in front of you. Then do Double Pigeon with the right leg on the bottom, and repeat walking your hands first to the left, and then to the right.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Arching Low Lunge

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:30:23 -0800

My hip flexors are one area of my body that could always use some extra attention. Here's a lunge variation, similar to Warrior 1, but with your back knee resting on the floor, you can really increase the stretch for the muscles on the front part of your back thigh. Arching your spine backward also offers a great stretch for the abs and shoulders; not to mention it strengthens your core and increases flexibility in your spine.

Sanskrit Name: Anjaneyasana
English Translation: Low Lunge Pose
Also Called: Arching Low Lunge or Grounded Warrior 1

Curious to know how to get into this pose? Then read more.

Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands, making sure your knee is directly above your ankle. Lower your left knee to the floor.
Lift your torso and raise your arms straight into the air. Allow your hips to press down toward the floor to increase the stretch in your right hip and left hip flexor. From here, arch back, gazing at the ceiling or toward your hands.
Stay here for five deep breaths and then repeat this pose with the left knee forward.

Do you love talking about all things yoga? Then you'll definitely want to check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

7 Stretches For Tight Hips

FitSugar — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:50:00 -0700

From a recent poll, it looks like FitSugar readers need to spend more time stretching. Since hips are commonly tight in folks from all walks of life, from runners to cyclists to those who sit at a computer all day, here are seven hip-opening stretches to increase your flexibility and prevent injury.

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Stretch It: Seated T-Hip Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Between sitting, running, biking, or driving a long commute, most of us suffer from tight hips. The seated T-hip stretch lengthens tight glutes as it opens the hips. It is a more intense variation of Double Pigeon, so ease into this move.

To learn how to do this stretch read more.

Sit on the floor with both legs out in front of you. Bend your left knee so it's parallel with your torso. Then bend your right knee and place it on top of your left ankle (and your right ankle on top of your left knee), coming into Double Pigeon.
Now use your hands to help wiggle your feet away from each other, keeping your shins in one straight line, and making a T-shape with your legs. Flex your feet, lean forward, and press your palms into the inside of your ankles.
Hold there for at least 30 seconds and then release. Then straighten your legs out in front of you and do this pose with your right knee on the bottom.