Hip-Opening Yoga Poses

Loosen up those tight hips—and let go of whatever you’re holding onto—with this short sequence.

Approaching this classic asana in a new way can make you keenly aware of your alignment—and help you break free of your rut.

Only when you get quiet can you listen to your deepest truth and desires. Here's how to get in touch with yourself and your intentions for the year ahead.

Bound Angle Pose, or Baddha Konasana, opens the deepest part of the hip muscles.

Open wide into Prasarita Padottanasana to increase flexibility by leaps and bounds.

You need strength, flexibility, and endurance, and unwavering concentration for Eagle Pose.

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana is a deep hip opener and forward bend that you should approach consciously to reap its many benefits.

Sometimes called the Sage's Pose, Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi III (Marichyasana III) is a wise addition to any practice.

Don't let the name fool you. If you're used to sitting in chairs, Easy Pose (or Sukhasana) can be quite challenging.

Take a break. Balasana is a restful pose that can be sequenced between more challenging asanas.

Learn how to properly stretch your hamstrings, hips, and side body in other poses before you try this demanding (yet totally doable) pose.

Folding into Marichyasana I or Pose Dedicated to the Sage Marichi I calms your mind, extends your spine, and gives your internal organs a healthy squeeze.

Got back pain? Tight hip flexors could be to blame. Open them up with these four yoga poses that counterbalance the prolonged hip flexion of sitting for hours.

Maintaining flexibility and stability in the hip joints is crucial for lower-back health and cultivating overall freedom and ease in our bodies.

Every yogi can melt hip tension with this Monkey Pose sequence (with mods!) from the yoga teacher, body-positive advocate, and Instagram star.

To work on activating the muscles of the hips to find more balance, try this sequence.

Whether or not you ever find yourself in the full expression of Monkey Pose, you can still enjoy the journey with these very effective preps from Two Fit Moms.

Lord of the Dance Pose (Natarajasana) requires foundation, stability, concentration, flexibility, and balanced action -- everything you need as you set out to achieve your goals for the New Year.

Fire Log Pose (Double Pigeon) opens the hips and the groin, and releases tension, anxiety, and pent-up stress.

Hip openers bring release in many areas that are tight and bring a sense of release across the board to many practitioners.

Find length and stay centered to lift step by step into the One-Footed Pose dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I.

Learn to move from your midline, or central axis, in these three poses to prep for the One-Footed Pose dedicated to the Sage Koundinya I.

Feel ease and increase flexibility in your hips with three propped hip-opening poses.

Learn to approach your edge with ease in Baddha Konasana.

We can't give you more PTO, but we can teach you how to cruise into Supta Baddha Konasana to recharge.

Strengthen your lower back, free yourself from back pain in seated poses, and skillfully deepen your forward bends.

Release negative emotions and improve your alignment by opening the muscles around your hips.

Once you find balance in Half Moon Pose, radiate and extend in all directions to strengthen your legs, hips, and core.

Learn how to work stiff hips from every angle in Pigeon Pose.

The Fire Log Pose stretches the outer hips intensely, particularly the piriformis, which is often the main culprit of sciatic pain.

In Extended Hand-to-big-toe Pose, maintaining solid grounding through the standing foot helps keep you steady.

Find proper alignment in Pigeon Pose, then practice it often, and those stiff, tight hips will start to feel open again.

In this challenging version of a twist, your arms wrap around your legs so your hands can clasp behind the back, almost like a lasso or a snare.

Iyengar Yoga instructor Lisa Walford makes suggestions for how you can make Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) more comfortable.

Can't see the cow face? Notice that the crossed legs look like the lips. The bent-elbow arms, one up and one down, are the ears.

Upavistha Konasana is good preparation for most of the seated forward bends, twists, and the wide-leg standing poses.

A classic restorative posture, Supta Baddha Konasana or Reclining Bound Angle Pose can be modified for any level of hip and groin resistance.

Also called Seated Twist Pose or Ardha Matsyendrasana in Sanskrit, this pose energizes the spine and stimulate proper digestion while improving postural and body awareness.

Bharadvaja's Twist, or Bharadvajasana in Sanskrit, is a gentle and loving twist that inspires postural and body awareness.