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- Increase Flexibility in Your Legs and Hips With These 30 Essential, Feel-Good Yoga Poses
Increase Flexibility in Your Legs and Hips With These 30 Essential, Feel-Good Yoga Poses
by
jenny sugar
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Having to spend more time at home due to the pandemic may have affected your body in weird ways. Can you relate to working hunched over your kitchen-table-turned-desk? Or having meetings scrunched up on one corner of your couch, or while lounging in bed? You may not be moving around as much either, so it’s normal if you’re experiencing super tight hips, inflexible hamstrings, and an aching lower back.
Take a break from work and pick five to 10 of these stretches (there are 30 to choose from), that target your legs, hips, and lower back. Do these a few times a week, and even just a few minutes of stretching will make a difference!
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Standing Forward Bend With Clasped Elbows
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than the hips.
- Fold at the hips, leaning weight forward into your toes.
- Bend your arms and take hold of opposite elbows.
- Relax the shoulders away from the ears and enjoy this stretch for five breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Downward-Facing Dog
- Begin on your hands and knees, with your knees directly underneath your hips. Tuck your toes, lift your hips, and straighten your legs as much as you can, coming into the classic upside-down V shape called Downward-Facing Dog.
- Focus on straightening the legs and pressing the heels toward the floor to increase the stretch in the backs of the legs.
- Stay in Down Dog for five deep breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Tip-Toe 3-Legged Dog
- Begin in Down Dog. Step the feet together so your big toes are touching, and raise your right leg into the air, rising up onto the left toes.
- Hold for five breaths, then repeat with the other leg.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Arching 3-Legged Dog
- Begin in Down Dog. Step the feet together and raise your right leg into the air, coming into Three-Legged Dog. Bend your right knee, pulling your heel toward your hip.
- Lift your head up, and turn to look over your left shoulder, arching the spine. Think about drawing your head and foot toward each other.
- Stay here for five breaths, keeping the core strong. Then repeat for five breaths on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Warrior 2
- Begin in Down Dog. Step the right foot forward between the hands and raise the torso up, coming into Warrior 1.
- Exhale to open the hips, arms, and chest, gazing over the right fingertips.
- Hold here with the right thigh parallel to the floor for five breaths. Repeat on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Twisting Side Angle
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands and rise up into Warrior 1. Open your hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2.
- Rest your right forearm on your right thigh. Either raise your left arm into the air, or for a more advanced version, wrap your left arm around your lower back and hold onto your upper right thigh.
- Gaze over your left shoulder, enjoying this twist for five deep breaths. Repeat on the left side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Open Triangle
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands and rise up into Warrior 1. Open your hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2.
- Straighten your right leg and turn your left toes slightly to the right, making a 45-degree angle. Keep both legs straight as you reach your right hand straight out over your right leg. Lower your right hand, resting it on your right shin, a block, or place your palm flat on the floor. Extend your left arm straight up and gaze at your left fingertips.
- Stay like this for five deep breaths. Then repeat this pose on the left side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Intense Side Stretch
- Stand with both feet together in Mountain Pose. Step your left foot directly behind you about two feet.
- Fold forward over your straight right leg, resting your hands on the hips or on either side of the front leg, breathing deeply for five breaths.
- Step the left foot forward, then repeat on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Low Lunge
- Begin in Down Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands.
- Gaze below you to keep the head in line with the neck, as you actively keep the back knee lifted, pressing the heel away from you.
- Breathe deeply for five breaths. Repeat on the left side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Low Crescent Lunge
- Begin in Down Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands. Lower your back knee to the ground.
- Inhale to raise the arms up, sinking the pelvis toward the floor to intensify the stretch in the hips.
- Enjoy this stretch for five deep breaths, and then repeat with the left leg.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Side Lunge
- Come into a Low Crescent Lunge. Lower both hands to the floor and turn your torso to the left. Turn your right toes 90 degrees to the left, so you’re in a Side Lunge.
- Bring the hands together in front of the chest or lower the hands to the floor for support, enjoying this deep hip, hamstring, and inner thigh stretch for five breaths.
- Repeat this pose on the left side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Lizard Pose
- Begin in Downward Dog. Step your right foot forward between your palms, keeping your hands on the floor.
- Lower your left knee to the floor, and release your elbows to the floor as well.
- Continue to squeeze your right knee toward your body and keep your gaze in front of you to encourage your hips to lower toward the floor.
- After five breaths, repeat this pose on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Twisting Lizard
- Begin in Downward Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands, coming into a Low Lunge.
- Raise your right arm into the air, twisting to the right, gazing behind you.
- Hold for five breaths. The repeat this pose on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Dancer
- Stand with both feet together. Shift weight onto your left foot, lift your right leg off the floor, and bend the knee behind you. Hold either the ankle, inner arch, or the big toe with your right hand.
- Lean forward, lifting your right leg as high as you can, extending your left arm in front of you to help you balance.
- Stay like this for five breaths, release hold of your foot, and repeat this pose while balancing on the right leg.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Goddess
- Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands and rise up into Warrior 1. Open your hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2.
- Turn the toes so both heels are pointing in.
- Bend your left knee coming into a very wide squat, with your thighs parallel to the ground, knees over your ankles.
- Bend the elbows at 90-degree angles, opening the palms away from you.
- Hold here for five deep breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Jenny Sugar
Wide Squat
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than the hips.
- Bend your knees and lower your hips down toward the ground. If your heels don’t touch the ground, roll up a towel or the back of your mat and place it under your heels for support. Also, widening your stance might make this pose feel easier.
- Rest your hands on the floor for support or bring your palms together at your heart center and firmly press your elbows against the inside of your knees. This will help to open your hips even further.
- Work on shifting weight into your heels and lengthening the crown of your head up toward the ceiling.
- Hold this pose for five deep breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Butterfly
- Sit on the floor, bringing the soles of the feet together.
- Lengthen your spine, and fold forward to increase the intensity.
- Enjoy this hip-opening stretch for five breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Head to Knee
- Sit on the floor with the left knee bent, and the sole of your left foot pressing into your right inner thigh.
- Fold over your right leg. Rest your hands on the floor on either side of your leg or on your shin, or wrap your hands around your right foot.
- Stay here for five breaths, then repeat on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Pigeon Pose
- Begin in Down Dog. Bring your right knee forward between your hands so your outer right leg is resting on the mat. Make sure your left hip is always pointing down toward the mat.
- Walk your hands out in front of you, allowing your torso to rest over your right knee. Hold here, breathing into any areas of tightness and tension for at least five breaths.
- Repeat Pigeon on the left side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Double Pigeon
- Sit on the floor and bend both knees, so your left knee is stacked over your right ankle, and the shins are as parallel as possible. Flex the feet to feel a stretch in your calves.
- Press your fingertips into the floor behind your pelvis, or to make this pose more intense, place your hands in front of your shins and walk them out as far as you can, folding your chest over your legs.
- Enjoy this stretch for five breaths, then repeat on the other side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Seated Forward Bend
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Make your spine as long as you can.
- Slowly hinge at your hips, lowering your torso toward your thighs. Maintain a straight back and fold as far as you need to feel a nice stretch in your back and hamstrings. Don’t worry about folding your body completely in half unless this is comfortable for you.
- Stay like this for five deep breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Seated Straddle
- Sit in the floor with your legs extended into a wide Straddle.
- Inhale to lengthen your spine, and exhale to slowly fold forward as far as you can with a flat back, making sure your toes and knees are pointing straight up.
- Rest your hands on your feet, your legs, or the floor in front of you.
- Hold for five breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Happy Baby
- Come onto your back.
- Bend both knees and hold onto the outside edges of your flexed feet with your hands. Keep your arms on the outsides of your legs.
- Gently use your upper-body strength to equally press both knees to the floor below your armpits.
- Stay like this for five breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Reclining Big Toe B
- Lie on your back, bend your right knee, and hold on to the right big toe with the first two fingers and thumb of your right hand.
- Take the right leg out wide, lowering it toward the floor as much as you can.
- Gaze to the left, staying here for five breaths.
- Repeat with the left leg.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Reclining Straddle
- Lie on your back, hold onto your big toes, and straighten your legs out as wide as you can.
- Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the bed, enjoying this stretch for five deep breaths.
Getty / filadendron
Straddle Stretch at the Wall
- Lie on your back as close as you can to the wall; you want your bum against the wall.
- Lengthen your legs upward with your heels resting on the wall. Separate your feet and slide your legs down the wall toward the ground, coming into a straddle position.
- Hold this position for two to three minutes or longer, if needed.
- When you’re ready to get out of the stretch, slide your legs together (or push them together if that’s easier). Draw your knees into your chest and roll to one side.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Wide Child's Pose
- Come onto your hands and knees. Separate your knees so they’re wider than hips-width distance apart.
- Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, fold forward, extending your arms out in front of you.
- Turn your cheek to the floor if it’s more comfortable, and stay here for five breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Wide-Legged Forward Bend D
- Stand with the feet about three to four feet apart, heels slightly wider than the toes.
- Hinge at the hips, reaching for your big toes, holding onto them with your first two fingers and thumb. Keep your elbows above your wrists and draw your shoulder blades back and down toward your hips. If you can’t reach your toes, just place your hands somewhere on your legs.
- Try to keep your shoulders relaxed and use your abs to pull your torso closer to your thighs.
- Stay here for five deep breaths.
POPSUGAR Photography / Louisa Larson
Figure 4
- Sit with your butt against a wall and legs extended straight above you.
- Bend your right knee and rest your ankle just below your left knee.
- Slowly slide your left foot down the wall; it’s OK that your hips come off the floor.
- Stay here for a minute or so, lowering your left foot even further as your hips begin to open.
- Release this pose and repeat on the other side.
