9 min · 10 stretches

Hips 2

10 min · 10 stretches · kneeling, lying and seated · moderate

The stretches

1. Kneeling hip opener, left

   45s

   Left knee down, right foot forward. Tuck your tail and ease forward.

   Works: Front of the left hip · Left thigh

   Gentler: Stay upright and only tuck the tailbone.

2. Kneeling hip opener, right

   45s

   Right knee down, left foot forward. Tuck your tail and ease forward.

   Works: Front of the right hip · Right thigh

   Gentler: Stay upright and only tuck the tailbone.

3. Lizard, left

   45s

   Left foot outside your hands, right leg long behind.

   Works: Front of the right hip · Left inner thigh · Left hamstring

   Gentler: Stay high on your hands and keep the back knee down.

4. Lizard, right

   45s

   Right foot outside your hands, left leg long behind.

   Works: Front of the left hip · Right inner thigh · Right hamstring

   Gentler: Stay high on your hands and keep the back knee down.

5. Pigeon, left

   60s

   Left shin forward and across, right leg long behind you.

   Works: Left glute · Deep left hip rotators · Front of the right hip

   Gentler: Do figure four on your back instead. It reaches the same muscles.

6. Pigeon, right

   60s

   Right shin forward and across, left leg long behind you.

   Works: Right glute · Deep right hip rotators · Front of the left hip

   Gentler: Do figure four on your back instead. It reaches the same muscles.

7. Frog

   60s

   Knees wide on the floor, sink your hips back slowly.

   Works: Inner thighs · Hips

   Gentler: Do butterfly instead. It works the same muscles with far less load.

8. Butterfly

   60s

   Soles of the feet together, let the knees fall open.

   Works: Inner thighs · Hips

   Gentler: Move the heels further from your body and put cushions under each knee.

9. Deep squat hold

   45s

   Feet wide, sink your hips down and hold.

   Works: Hips · Inner thighs · Ankles

   Gentler: Hold a door frame and squat only halfway.

10. Happy baby

    60s

    On your back, knees wide, hold the outside of your feet.

    Works: Hips · Inner thighs · Lower back

    Gentler: Hold behind the thighs and keep the knees closer together.