Posture category of the month: Hips
Opening up
If you have ever visited a developing country anywhere in the world - from India to Vietnam, from Guatemala to Tanzania - you will likely remember how many people, when waiting for something, were squatting. Whether they were looking after their market stall, playing with their kids, watching the passers-by or reading the newspaper. Not to mention the dreaded squatting loos…
Squatting with open hips is one of the most natural postures we can assume, and incredibly healthy for our hips and back. However, as Westerners, sitting on desks, sofas, chairs or in cars and public transport all day, we barely ever squat these days. In addition, runners, martial artists and dancers can experience issues in their hips and upper thighs due to the repetitive movements they engage in, if they don’t stretch enough.
Tight hips and back pain are therefore among the most common conditions for Westerners and yoga has proven to be a great way of remedying both.
Benefits of practicing Hip Openers
Our hip joints are known as ball-and-socket joints. Found in the hips and shoulders, they are uniquely designed to allow for a much greater range of motion than any other type of joint in our body. Hence, in order to keep them flexible, we need to open the front, back and sides of your hips and given them a really good stretch from every angle. By doing so, you will experience the following benefits:
Hip Openers strengthen your psoas muscles, which connect with your spine and legs. They are deep in your body’s core, and vital for good posture. In strengthening the psoas muscles, hip openers strengthen your core.
Furthermore, our psoas muscles get triggered when we feel stress, e.g. in a “fight, flight or freeze” scenario (regardless of whether it’s literal, or emotional). As a result, these muscles can carry a great deal of residual tension, so hip openers can help create an energetic shift or release.
By opening your hips, the range of motion of your hip joints and your circulation improve. In addition, increased flexibility can help decrease back pain.
Hip openers can help the joints in your lower back, hips and legs to come into better alignment. Tight or misaligned hips can negatively affect your back, knees and even feet, so improving the alignment in your hips can have ripple effects throughout your entire body.
Energetically, your hips are associated with the sacral chakra, your creative centre. In this context, hip openers relate to creating space for the birth of new ideas and pathways. They give us access to freedom in our body and can help unlock our unique, personal expression on a creative, physical, sexual, or spiritual level.
Releasing pent-up tension
Have you ever experienced a full-blown emotional release during or after an intense yoga session? Whilst you might have surprised yourself at the time, this is more than normal and actually happens quite a lot. When we experience intense emotions, they can easily get stored as a muscle memory and if we don’t exercise and stretch, can remain locked in for months or even years.
In yogic tradition, the hips are said to be a storage ground for negative feelings and pent-up emotions, especially when it comes to issues around ‘control’ in our lives. If you think about an immediate threat, it is a normal response for your body to tense up and prepare your hips to run, fight or bend forward and raise your knees into a fetal position to protect your core.
It doesn’t matter whether you experience a single traumatic event, or lots of little stress moments like fear, worry or sadness. If the respective muscles are being clenched tightly, they may shorten and never be able to fully release, locking in the emotional tension as well. That’s why opening your hips and releasing the associated muscles can cause a major release of pent-up emotion. If this happens, welcome it, stay present and breathe. Acknowledge what it arising and allow it to just BE. Cry the tears that were left uncried or witness your anger, sadness or loss. And listen to the messages they hold for you…
Contraindications - when you should NOT practice Hip Openers
There are certain conditions that might be aggravated if you practice Hip Openers. In this case, please make sure you first speak to your GP or physiotherapist. It is recommended not to perform hip openers if you…
have any injuries in your hip or groin.
are experiencing knee or ankle pains.
are feeling uncomfortable. Only stretch, bend or rotate as far as you feel comfortable and safe. Remember: Yoga is not a competition!
Curious to learn more? Come along to Flex regularly and practice with us! There are over 25 classes/week, and we will practice Hip related postures daily during all of July 2021!
Thanks for creative input this month go to Bethany Lyons from The Yoga Journal, Amy Cavill from YogaDownload.com and the Zenbear website.