A sequence for the hips
The hip joint moves in six directions. Most weeks use two of them. This sequence uses all six.
"Tight hips" usually means one specific restriction — flexion, extension, external rotation or adduction — and the pose that helps is the one that goes the other way. Rather than guess, this sequence takes the joint through all of them and lets you notice which one is loud. That is the direction worth repeating.
The sequence
Every pose name links to its full page — steps, muscles worked, common mistakes and who should skip it.
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1
Downward-Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Śvānāsana
1 minute
Warm the whole back line before anything opens.
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2
Low Lunge Añjaneyāsana
1–2 minutes each side
Low lunge — hip extension on the back leg.
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3
Goddess Pose Utkaṭa Koṇāsana
45 seconds, twice
Goddess pose — external rotation under load.
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4
Side Lunge Skandāsana
1 minute each side
Side lunge — adduction on the straight leg.
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5
Garland Pose Mālāsana
1–2 minutes
Deep squat — flexion with external rotation.
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6
Bound Angle Pose Baddha Koṇāsana
2 minutes
Seated, soles together — passive external rotation.
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7
Fire Log Pose Agnistambhāsana
2 minutes each side
Fire log or pigeon, whichever the knees prefer.
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8
Wide-Angle Seated Pose Upaviṣṭha Koṇāsana
2 minutes
Wide-legged seated fold — abduction with flexion.
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9
Cow Face Pose Gomukhāsana
1 minute each side
Stacked knees — adduction with external rotation.
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10
Supine Spinal Twist Supta Matsyendrāsana
2 minutes each side
Supine twist to finish, letting the hips settle.
Before you start this sequence
- Read the cautions on the individual pose pages. Between them, the poses here rule themselves out for pregnancy, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and neck, knee, shoulder and wrist injuries — the details differ pose by pose.
- A sequence is an order, not a prescription. Leave out anything that hurts and the rest still works.
- If you are pregnant, recently post-surgical, or managing a health condition, get your doctor's view before starting, and learn from a qualified teacher in person.
General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.
Notes on practising it
Hip work is where people force hardest and get hurt most, usually at the knee rather than the hip. If the knee is talking, the hip is not the one being stretched — change the shape.
The energy figure above uses the standard ACSM relationship — MET × 3.5 × body mass in kilograms ÷ 200 kcal per minute — with the MET value taken from the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. The full working is on the method page, and the wider activity dataset is at BurnLab.
Questions
How long does the Hips sequence take?
About 30 minutes for 10 poses at the stay times listed. Suggested volume: once through. At 2.5 MET — the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — that is roughly 92 kcal for a 70 kg adult.
Do I have to do the poses in this order?
The order is the point. Sequences are arranged so that each pose prepares the next one and answers the one before it — a backbend followed by a forward bend, a long hold followed by something that unloads it. Reordering them is fine once you know why they sit where they do.
Is the Hips sequence suitable for beginners?
It is rated intermediate. It assumes you already hold the beginner poses comfortably. If you are new, start with <em>A first practice</em> and come back to this one in a couple of months.
What do I need for it?
A mat, and for several poses a block and a strap — a folded blanket and a belt do the same job. Nothing here needs a studio.
Other sequences
Asana names are traditional. Every step, benefit and caution on this page is written for YogaPath rather than reproduced from any book, studio or other library — see how this site is written. Energy figures derive from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.