We All Need A Good Stretch
Aside from ballet dancers, yoga teachers and certain circus performers, there are very few people who don’t have an issue with tight hips. The thing is, unless we're in the midst of an agonizing position during a particularly difficult yoga class, most of us aren’t even aware that our hips are in such a bad way. So if we don’t know it’s broken, why should we fix it?
Tight hips can mess you up physically, leading to lower back pain and uncomfortable knee problems. But the real dirty little tight hips secret is that they can also take a toll on your psyche. Really, it’s true. We hold all sorts of stress, fear and tension in our hips, and when those three bad guys have nowhere to go, the party they're throwing in your hips just gets louder and more out of hand—which is why it’s not uncommon for tears to fall during certain hip opening sequences, and not just tears of pain…
So
whether you're trying to save your knees or get rid of old emotional
baggage, hip openers are here to save the day. We took a vote this
morning, and The Well Daily award for the best hurts-so-good hip opener
goes to Pigeon Pose. Here's how to do it:- Begin on your hands and knees with a flat back.
- Slide your right knee forward toward your right hand and angle your knee so it points toward two o'clock.
- Slide your left leg back as far as your hips allow.
- Remain upright, grabbing your back foot or balancing on your fingertips.
- For a deeper opener, fold forward over your bent knee.
Comments
Post a Comment