6 Great Stretches For Tight Hip Flexors

6 Great Stretches For Tight Hip Flexors
Shakira said ‘Hips don’t lie’. Talking about hips, they are probably the first part of our body to get bloated. The Hip flexor is an important muscle group, which helps move the knees to the chest and the legs front to back and sideways. As many people sit on workstations all day, the hip flexors can become tight and stiff. So, how do we make them supple and trim again? This is where the hip flexor stretches come to the rescue! These stretches help loosen the hip flexors and improve their flexibility. So, want to know the different types of hip flexors? Then give the following lines a read! Hip Flexor Stretches – 6 Types: 1. The Standing Hip Hinge: This is an ideal warm-up exercise to stretch hip flexors. Support your back with your hands and bend the upper body back. Hold for a while and return to the starting position. To add more intensity kneel down and perform the same exercise. The kneeling down will stretch the hip flexors and the quads as well. This is one of the best exercises for back pain and tight hip flexors. [ Read: Yoga Poses To Treat Hip Pain ] 2. The Camel Yoga Pose: The camel yoga pose stretches the hip flexors. It is also a great way to expand the chest and improve spinal flexibility. A camel yoga pose helps tighten the hips and builds muscle in the arms. Yoga says that the posture promotes the flow of oxygen with every new breath. The pose also helps strengthen arms and shoulders. This pose is slated to open up your heart chakra and you feel more in sync with the world. Check out how to do a camel yoga pose. 3. The Garland Pose: This pose is designed to free the hips and help improve balance. The garland pose helps improve flexibility in the thighs, ankles and calf muscles. It also tones the core. You can switch to using a chair to sit down if the squatting is difficult or your back problems prevent you from performing this pose. While sitting on a chair, lean the upper body toward your thighs. Keep your feet planted to the ground and your thighs perpendicular to the calves. Check out how to do the effective garland pose. 4. The Reclined Bound Angle Pose: The reclined bound angle pose helps stretch groin and inner thighs, while expanding the chest. Ensure that you keep the spine upright and you don’t arch it. For added support, consider placing a hand towel under the lower ankles to reduce discomfort and one under the head to avoid the neck from compressing. The pose helps relieve fatigue and even mild depression. Check out how to do the reclined bound angle pose. [ Read: Stretches To Tighten Your Thigh Muscles ] 5. The Perfect Pose: According to legend, the perfect pose can help you acquire supernatural powers. It usually opens up the hips and stretches the ankles and the back. Yoga is usually represented universally by this pose. It is believed to help dispel nervous energy. The pose helps calm your thoughts. It is believed to have great benefits on people suffering from asthma. Check out how to do the perfect pose. 6. Downward Facing Frog Exercise: The downward frog pose helps open up the flexors as you go down to the floor. To simplify the position, place a pillow or hand-towel under the knees and ankles. If you still don’t find the position comfortable and you strain your ankles, push them towards each other instead of letting your feet around the sides. Check out how to perform a downward facing frog exercise. In most cases, tight hip flexors are attributed to lower back pain. Thus, for those of you who are experiencing back pain, take some time to stretch the back and the hip flexors to strengthen these muscle groups. You can choose to do combined exercises that help the back and the hip flexors together. These are some of the main exercises to stretch hip flexors you can perform. Get started on your hips today and feel the difference! Have you ever performed hip stretches before? How did they benefit you? Share with us in the comments section! Original article and pictures take http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/great-stretches-for-tight-hip-flexors/ site