Asana for hip flexors

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello everybody,

I have a problem of very tight hip flexors which are causing my Anterior
Pelvic Tilt - Lordosis.

I was trying to stretch it for a long time when I found out that this
is a cause of my improper posture. In the beginning I was trying many different
stretches for 20, 30 sec each leg and I felt tiny difference after it. Reason why it
wasn’t working was probably that in these poses my hip.flexors
were fighting back against the stretching…

Right now I’m doing PASSIVE stretch by lying on my belly on high bed with right leg forward near bed(around
90degree and other leg lying back on the bed for around 5 minutes each leg) and trying to do it even 6, 7 times a day. This is helping a lot but5 minutes after stretching my body is going back to lordosis.

I’m searching for some poses, asanas that I can do for even very long period
of time(10 mins or even 30) but will stretch my hip.flexors in let’s say short period of time.

Thanks a lot!
szu

#2

Poses that open the hip flexors? Many, assuming you the student employ the appropriate actions. However I’m guessing you want a listing so …

Vanarasana (several versions)
Eka Pada Supta Virasana
Bhujangasana
Dhanurasana
Setu Bandha
Urdhva Dhaurasana
Ustrasana
Eka Pada RajaKapotasana
Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
And most of the standing poses, when done correctly.

I am merely providing an answer to the question you’ve posed.
Many of these are not for beginners, not to be taken lightly, require preparation in the body.

I am not advocating this as a sequence or as something you or anyone else should do.
Simply, these are the basic poses which open the muscles in question - in addition to other passive backbends.

Please do not simply toss this stuff into your practice unless/until you know what you’re doing.

#3

I do not understand the stretch you are doing, can you post a photo?

The asanas suggested by Gordon will help, but you should be working these with a properly qualified teacher as incorrect alignment will make the issue worse.(especially in the backbending asanas)

If you can stand with “correct” posture without the lordosis the you should be working on this EVERY time you stand ALL the time that you are standing. It will feel odd and hard work at first but over time it will become easier and more natural.

The lordosis could occur due to laziness/weakness/habit which then caused shortening of the hip flexors. If you keep working on maintaining correct standing posture and stop yourself falling back into the habit your posture will improve.

I would suggest finding a qualified and experienced Iyengar teacher to asses you and prescribe some relevant asanas.

#4

Sorry for late reply!

I was trying today to walk and stand with “correct” pelvic tilt
And suddenly my energy, focus, mood was much more up than before.
After some time (around 30 mins) I got extremely tired and now its hard me to continue
because I simply don’t have energy.

The reason why I’m trying to correct APT(lordosis) is that I believe
that it is squishing my diaprahm and my breathing is not so well as it should be and its affecting.my mood strongly.
Is it possible?

After stretching hip flexors my mood and energy is suddenly much higher(I see in the mirror
that after this my back is straighter) but after 1-3 hours I’m going to previous state and my
back is curved once again. I was trying to stretch it for around 4 months
but effects are only as I said to 3 hours after stretching and my back is
constantly going to the same position.

Ive looked up these asanas but i have no idea which one I can incorporate to my
daily routine for the best hip flexors lengthening and how often to do it with what
duration? Should I add some abs or glutes strengthening?

Thanks,
Szu

#5

You are right, posture can have a strong impact on mood. Having correct posture makes your body work more efficiently (breathing and digestion work much better if you have good posture), having a slumped posture can easily bring down your mood and make you feel more tired, less confident etc. Good posture will help you to feel stronger, more positive and more confident.

The asanas listed by Gordon should be done with a teacher who can guide you through them with correct alignment so that they are done safely and effectively. Have a look for teachers in your area.

As you are able to stand with correct posture then the issue of falling back into bad posture maybe due to a lack of strength in your postural muscles (abdominals,upper legs, buttocks and back).

It would be a good idea to meet in person with a yoga teacher, pilates teacher or personal trainer to address your posture. Please consult with a properly qualified person who can truly help you. It is very difficult to give advice without actually see you and being able to properly asses your posture/strength/weakness/flexibility.

Good luck and keep standing tall and feeling great.

#6

After stretching my psoas i feel really big boost of energy, (this is not happening with any other muscle). I’m superpositive, lots of energy, i even see things much more clearly and hear things much more better.
I believe that because of psoas are connected to diaphragm, when they’re tight they restrict my breathing.

I found out that while doing the psoas stretch i’m actually successfully stretching my psoas but they’re going back to the tight position all the time.

What can be cause of tightening psoas all the time?
How can i make them stay in the lengthened position?

#7

[QUOTE=szu;84995]After stretching my psoas i feel really big boost of energy, (this is not happening with any other muscle). I’m superpositive, lots of energy, i even see things much more clearly and hear things much more better.
I believe that because of psoas are connected to diaphragm, when they’re tight they restrict my breathing.

I found out that while doing the psoas stretch i’m actually successfully stretching my psoas but they’re going back to the tight position all the time.

What can be cause of tightening psoas all the time?
How can i make them stay in the lengthened position?[/QUOTE]j

Causes could be a number of things, desk job, runner, weight lifter, any sport, etc. etc. Basically anything you do throughout the day that is repetitive or damaging to the posture i.e. sitting at a desk.

Could be weakness in the posterior chain as well.

#8

Maybe it’s something genetic as well?
We’re not really sure since we don’t
have a full grasp of the situation the
best thing to do is consult a professional.

You can try going to an experienced yoga
instructor near you to discuss about this.

cheers,

Sexy Yogi

#9

Hy,
this video shows a exercise that is good for opening the hips. You can try, how you see on the video, to contract the muscles at the backside of the hip and to lenghten the back. Important is to relax the upper body, shoulders, head, face, but also the back, and to lenghten the spine and, at the other side contentrating the whole dynamic and active force in the legs and the hip.
Hope it is helpful and interesting,
Narayani

#10