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Hip Stretch
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Strike a Yoga Pose: Balancing Butterfly
If you're a runner, chances are your feet could use some extra love. Here's a tranquil pose that will stretch your arches and toes like Toe Breaker stretch, but will also open your hips and challenge your sense of balance.
To learn how to do this pose and see another variation read more
Stretch It: Grounded Wide Squat
When my lower back is sore from running or sitting all day, a Low Squat is just what I need to stretch that area and get relief. Here's a deeper variation that will also open your hips.
For instructions on how to do this stretch read more
Hit the Hay: Standing Pigeon
If you enjoy stretching in bed before going to sleep or right when you wake up in the morning, here's a variation of Pigeon that will stretch your tight hips.
To learn how to do this stretch keep reading
Strike a Pose: Lizard
As someone who runs, bikes, and sits at a desk all day, my hips can always use a little extra love. If you suffer from tight hips and hip flexors, give this relaxing pose a try. Like Pigeon, it's a pose you can spend minutes in and allow gravity to further increase your flexibility.
7 Stretches For Tight Hips
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: Extended Pigeon
Why is it that so many of the things we do daily like sitting at a desk, running, biking, and walking make our hips so tight? I combat this daily tightness by doing stretches like Butterfly or the even more relaxing Supported Sleeping Butterfly that both open my tight hips. I also like the yoga position descriptively titled Head to Knee, but my favorite hip opener is Pigeon.
Relax Already: Supported Sleeping Butterfly
When I've had a long day, instead of plopping myself on the couch, I love to do a nice relaxing stretch. Legs Up the Wall is one of my favorites because it feels great in my lower back and hamstrings. Here's a variation that will stretch your hips and inner thighs.
Stretch It: Seated T-Hip Stretch
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.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Wide-Legged Forward Bend E
In Ashtanga yoga, although there are technically four Wide-Legged Forward Bend poses, sometimes I've been to classes where the instructor throws in a fifth — Wide-Legged Forward Bend E. This pose is great for stretching your hips, hamstrings, and inner thighs.
Sanskrit Name: Prasarita Padottanasana E
English Translation: Feet Spread Intense Stretch Pose E
Also Called: Wide-Legged Forward Bend E or Wide-Legged Split
You definitely don't have to go down this far.
Treadmill Stretch: Hip and Hip Flexors
By far, my favorite stretch to do after a run is anything that involves my hips. If you own a treadmill, try this the next time you finish a run. Of course you could do it at your gym, too, if you feel comfortable, but if not, you can do this stretch on stairs instead.
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