This weeks segment is all about the hips with a mobility WOD because I won’t lie… our hips don’t lie. If you are having pain in almost any muscle, tendon, or joint in your body, chances are you can trace the pain to tightness or dysfunction in your hips (say what??)! This sequence is a quickie that you can perform daily to help increase hip mobility & mitigate lower back pain, along with a slew of other aches associated with hip tightness.
The how:
From downward facing dog, send one leg up to the sky. You can bend the knee and open the hip just to gauge your tightness as you get started.
- Lizard Pose: Drive the lengthened leg toward the nose and plant the foot outside of the hands. Lower your back knee to the ground & sink into the front knee. Lower down to the forearms (tip: use a block/support mechanism if you’re unable to lower all the way to your forearms).
For even more hip release in this pose, let the knee splay out, feeling a deepening in your stretch. HOLD for 20-30sec, working the knee out further out and then back in. - Runner’s Lunge with Heel to Glute: Reposition back to low runner’s lunge. Planting the same hand as the planted knee, take the opposite hand & twist at the core, *opening the chest toward the bent knee.* take the back foot in the bent knee hand & use the hand to bring the heel as close the glute as you can. Be sure to continually work your chest open toward the wall of the bent knee to continually open the chest.
- Pigeon Pose: Work your way back to downward facing dog. Send the working leg in the air & then bring the knee to the same wrist & toes to the opposite wrist, resting the outer part of the shin on the ground while the back leg is straightened & flat to the ground. *PRO TIP* to feel this the most in your hip, work to have your front shin parallel to the front of the mat. Once you have found your “sweet spot” take a fold & hold for 30-60sec. Don’t forget to breathe!!
- Repeat each pose on the other side!
Don’t forget to breathe! This mobility WOD should incite discomfort, but never pain. Once you’ve found your edge of discomfort, breathe into it to find increased depth. Repeat daily!
