7 basic hip extension exercises in yoga that won’t bother your knees

I’d sit in a rigid, unforgiving wooden office chair for hours on end to the point where my glutes were basically numb. I stood up and my hips immediately screamed for help. To make up for them, I took myself to some quick YouTube clips. But as I made my way through Child’s position, Low impulsionand pigeonAnother part of my body started talking to me – my knees.

I realized that all of these positions put too much pressure on my knees, and although the discomfort was somewhat manageable, it was definitely not comfortable. The next day, they were complaining to me. Maybe my knees just needed that deal As I extended my hips, I thought. But then again, I didn’t remember that “suck it up” was a fundamental principle of yoga.

There are a lot of hip stretches out there and they are very popular. But I never thought about how much someone else’s yoga exercises could affect my knees. Of course, there are plenty of knee-friendly hip stretch yoga exercises out there, and you simply need to do a little research before doing the stretch.

When I choose the following poses, I’m more able to stay in the present moment, breathe into tight parts of my body, and explore sensations that I might otherwise be too distracted to feel due to the constant commentary of “ouch” on repeat in my mind. It’s another example of yoga teaching me to look out for my needs.

7 hip extension yoga exercises that are easy on the knees

These stretches will still give you the release your hips crave, without sacrificing any other part of your body.

1. High impulsiveness

You will experience a similar extension High rush Same as in Low Lunge – but here your knees don’t bear any weight. Because the High Lunge is more active, you feel less of a deep stretch in the hip flexors in your back leg, although bending your back knee can help intensify it if you’re looking for more sensation.

2. Bridge pose

That great version of the hip flexor you feel in your back leg in Low Lunge? Both hips experience similar extension Bridge position. For a more passive but equally deep stretch, place a block or other support under your sacrum for a restorative version of the pose.

3. Happy child

A set that extends from the hip and inner thigh Happy child It is enough motivation to practice the non-weight bearing position. The fact that it’s a fun respite from long hours of sitting in a chair is the cherry on top.

4. Figure 4

The figure 4, which is the less severe cousin of the dove, can be practiced in several ways. If you tend to have very tight hips, crossing your ankle over your knee may be more than enough for the stretch. You can add more intensity by gently pressing your raised thigh away from you and/or rising onto the ball of your supporting foot. The same applies to drawing your supporting leg toward your chest. You can also do stretching exercises while sitting, lying on your back, or even while standing.

5. Reclining bound angle

You can adjust the intensity Reclining angle binding By changing how far your heels are from your hips. The situations also serve as a much-needed reminder that sometimes the best way to release physical (and emotional) stress is to let it go.

6. Bend forward by sitting with wide legs

Place folded blankets or rolled towels under your knees as support Sitting wide legs forward Flexion helps ensure that the knee joints do not overextend while extending the hips. It also relieves stress on the hamstrings.

7. Dancer’s position (against the chair)

in my opinion, Dancer’s pose It’s one of the most underrated yoga poses — perhaps because people assume you have to lift your leg behind you in a big gesture in order to practice it. In fact, you can simply wrap a belt or towel around your ankle and hold on with one hand while holding the back of the chair with the opposite hand to experience one of yoga’s most effective hip stretch moves.