fitness
Hip Opener Exercises For Men
If sitting at a desk all day makes you hurt, try this
Whether you're a weightlifter or not, chances are you spend most of your day sitting down—at your desk, in your car, or on your couch. And your butt is paying the price. So it’s time to get up and spend some time doing hip openers.
Many of the hip-opening moves in yoga are great for your body, although you may feel nauseous in the middle poses. Not only is it an ideal way to give your muscles some pampering between weight training sessions, but it can also help boost your sense of self-esteem.
"As someone who primarily practices yoga and spends several hours a week in the gym lifting weights, spending time every day practicing stretching and hip-opening poses increases my flexibility for most body movements," says John Murray. Founder of Lyons Den Power Yoga in New York. "It helps me recover faster and wake up every day without that stiff and closed feeling that sometimes occurs after a rigorous day at work or exercise."
And there's more: Murray also believes hip openings are a great way to mentally remove built-up stress and anxiety. Are you ready to let go? Add these four basic hip openers to your weekly training routine:
You can do this while sitting or lying in the back seat.
If you are doing this while seated, place your hands behind you with your fingers pointing toward the wall behind you, and place your feet on the floor with your knees bent. Then place your right ankle on top of your left leg just above your knee, as if you were sitting cross-legged. Bend your feet and move your hands forward, starting to bring your chest toward your legs. To increase the stretch, you can also start pressing your femur (thigh bone) forward.
If lying down, assume the above leg position while lying on your back. Place your right ankle on your left thighbone, just above your knee, then lift your left foot 12-18 inches off the ground, reaching your left hand to the outside of your left leg and grabbing the back of your mid-thigh. Reach your right hand between your legs, interlacing it with your left hand and placing it behind your left thigh. Bend your feet and begin to draw your left thigh toward your chest.
Lie on your back and lift your legs toward the ceiling, keeping your tailbone connected to the floor. Start by bending your knees so you can grab the outside of your feet, if you can't reach your feet you can change by grabbing the back of each thigh. With your hands on your feet, move your arms to the inside of your legs so that your left and right thighs are wider than your body, then begin to pull your feet down as if you can pull your thighs to the floor. If you want to change and grab your thighs, simply pull your thighs down closer to the floor, with your legs wider than your torso on either side.
Lie on your back with your feet together, knees open, and sides close to the floor. If you need support under your legs initially, use pillows or rolled towels as cushions under your legs.
Start in a high runner's lunge, with your right front knee over your front ankle and your left rear leg long, with your heel over your toes. From this position, lower your back knee, then use your toes to move your front foot a few inches to the right, roughly in line with your shoulders. From here, move your arms to the inside of your front leg and then down to your forearm while hugging your right thigh into your torso. If you have too much stuff on your forearm, try using a stack of books under your forearm as a starting position.
Whether you're a weightlifter or not, chances are you spend most of your day sitting down—at your desk, in your car, or on your couch. And your butt is paying the price. So it’s time to get up and spend some time doing hip openers.
Many of the hip-opening moves in yoga are great for your body, although you may feel nauseous in the middle poses. Not only is it an ideal way to give your muscles some pampering between weight training sessions, but it can also help boost your sense of self-esteem.
"As someone who primarily practices yoga and spends several hours a week in the gym lifting weights, spending time every day practicing stretching and hip-opening poses increases my flexibility for most body movements," says John Murray. Founder of Lyons Den Power Yoga in New York. "It helps me recover faster and wake up every day without that stiff and closed feeling that sometimes occurs after a rigorous day at work or exercise."
And there's more: Murray also believes hip openings are a great way to mentally remove built-up stress and anxiety. Are you ready to let go? Add these four basic hip openers to your weekly training routine:
Modified Half-Pigeon
If you are doing this while seated, place your hands behind you with your fingers pointing toward the wall behind you, and place your feet on the floor with your knees bent. Then place your right ankle on top of your left leg just above your knee, as if you were sitting cross-legged. Bend your feet and move your hands forward, starting to bring your chest toward your legs. To increase the stretch, you can also start pressing your femur (thigh bone) forward.
If lying down, assume the above leg position while lying on your back. Place your right ankle on your left thighbone, just above your knee, then lift your left foot 12-18 inches off the ground, reaching your left hand to the outside of your left leg and grabbing the back of your mid-thigh. Reach your right hand between your legs, interlacing it with your left hand and placing it behind your left thigh. Bend your feet and begin to draw your left thigh toward your chest.
Dead Bug Pose
Supta Baddha Konasana
Lizard Pose
