5 Delicious Yin Yoga poses to release emotion and open up tight hips.

As a long-time fitness teacher, I must say that, Yin Yoga is one of my favorite group fitness classes to lead, regardless if its a room full of 60 people or a one on one yoga session, the energy in the room is nothing short of electrifying. Unlike most fitness plans which emphasise tightening, contracting and shortening the muscles, yin yoga steers in the opposite direction of lengthening and opening the muscle and the fascia late. Most positions are passively held on the floor holding each asana anywhere from one to eight minutes. Which brings me to the topic of tight hips and why yin yoga is the best remedy and solution to this problem.

Most of us suffer from tightness through the inner and outer hips due to a sedentary lifestyle and/or repetitive movements such as running, walking or biking. Regular stretches can help to alleviate stiffness, tightness and even pain in the hip joint. Since each stretch and hip opener is held for such a long time in the yin practise, it allows more room for healing, meditation and emotional release, promoting an important emphasis on the mind-body-spirit connection.

Here are 5 muscle melting yin yoga hip openers and how to do them.

Wide Legged Childs Pose

Strat in a quadruped position on your mat, bring your big toes together and widen the knees to where you feel a good yet painless stretch, slide your arms forward while lowering the forehead all the way down to the floor, if the floor is too far feel free to use a block underneath the forehead.

Frog Pose

Very similar to wide legged child’s pose, yet more intense. While in the first asana, keep your knees wide and take your feet apart and flex the feet. You can use your hands for support, come down onto your elbows, or completely take your arms out of the equation and bring your forehead all the way down to the ground, depending on how deep you want to feel the opening.

Shoelace Pose

Not only will this delicious asana open up the outer hips, but it will leave your glutes feeling brand new.

While siting on your bum, stretch your legs out in front of you, place your knees completely over top of each other stretching the legs and feet behind you. Feel free to go deeper into the pose by lowering the upper body towards the floor, perhaps even folding over the knees entirely.

Reclined Pigeon Pose

This is a fantastic alternative to regular pigeon pose ( which doesn’t love the knee joint so much and awards the same benefits ).

Lie down on your back and bend the knees, put your right ankle over over the left knee and gently invite the left knee towards the chest, you can hang on to the left hamstring or shin (shin is more intense) Make sure you do both sides.

Reclining hero’s pose

This intense pose will open up the hips and give your quadriceps life again.

Starting in a kneeling position, spread the knees apart and slowly slide back onto the hands, elbows or all the way down.

Take your time coming in and out of each hip opener and try to relax and melt into the poses as much as possible, the more you relax the more flexible you become. These asanas may feel uncomfortable in the beginning, however your body and spirit will learn to love them with time, I promise!