Give Yourself The Gift Of Hip Release
While I know (and teach) that strengthening and moving our body is essential to maintain healthy joints, and healthy hips in particular, I also know releasing and stretching is equally as important.
Getting a massage is my own preferred way of doing this, but I rarely make that happen. So, I do it myself at home. Below are two of my go-to releases using a roller to help my tight hips stay mobile and help keep my own hip pain at bay.
Illuminate me.
If you’re always working your muscles, it’s likely they’re going to end up tight, leading to inefficiencies in movement patterns and encouraging your posture and alignment to get out of whack.
As much as it often feels good (or bad in a good way) to release and stretch, we also need to make sure to move after we do that to remind the muscles and tissues that they can maintain that longer state while they’re working.
Try it…
Thigh roll
Start with the roller under the tops of your thighs, legs straight, using your forearms to support yourself
Cross one ankle across the back of the other leg.
Rotate from side to side on top of the straight leg
Roll a few inches closer to the knee (mid-thigh), repeat the rotating from side to side
Keep rolling closer to the knee until you’re right above it (but not on it), repeat the rotating from side to side
If you find any spots that are particularly tight, stop and breath. Let the thigh feel like it’s releasing onto the roller. Bend and straight the knee 3-4 times.
Switch sides
Glute roll
Sit on the roller
Cross the right ankle over the other thigh (you can steady yourself putting your hands behind you)
Rock the pelvis to the right so you’re weight is more on that side
Slowly roll toward your foot and away from the foot (don’t roll over the bones)
Try rocking a little more or a little less to the right to see where you feel tighter and might need some release.
If you find any spots that are particularly tight, stop and breath, letting the back of the pelvis release down into the roller.
Switch sides.
Once you’ve finished releasing, be sure to move. Do some squats or lunges. Or just take a walk and enjoy the gift you’ve given yourself!
Try it and let us know what you think. Contact us here. We’d love to hear from you
Wishing you happy hips!