Weekly Hip Stretch – Hip Opener With Love
Today we’re coveing the very popular Figure 4 stretch.
Why showcase a stretch everyone already knows?
I love this stretch and I want to go through it in a way that makes accessible to everyone.
I have many clients with tight or less flexible hips. When I tell them we’re going to do a Figure 4 stretch, they look at me like I’m crazy. But there are many ways to access the benefits of this stretch. And after finishing it, my clients always walk away with a comment about how much better their hips feel.
If you’ve shied away from this stretch because getting your foot over your knee isn’t a reasonable request for your body, fear not. This version is adjustable for all bodies and ranges of motion, so your hips derive the same benefits. We’ll go through them.
Illuminate me…
This stretch is great for many muscles, but especially the glutes and piriformis. The piriformis is one of a group of deep muscles that help turn out the hip. It’s the largest of that group and the only one that attaches from the spine (at the sacrum) to the thigh.
The piriformis does different work in different hip positions and can often be tight. It’s also positioned on top of the sciatic nerve, so when it does get tight it can compress the nerve and inflame it.
It’s one reason keeping the piriformis working efficiently is important for everyone!
Try it…
In this version we’ll be lying on the floor with our feet on a wall.
You’ll need just enough space to put your feet on the wall with your hips and knees at 90 degree angles. If having a 90 degree angle in your hips or knees isn’t comfortable, bring your body a little further away from the wall and/or your feet a little higher on the wall.
Before we cross the legs, we’re going to allow the superficial hip flexors to relax a little, which allows the thigh bone to sit in the socket a little better, meaning the joint works more efficiently.
Often when we are in hip flexion like this the superficial hip flexors really want to take over. If we can engage the backs of the legs and the backs of the hips a little bit, we can offload some of that work from the front.
The next step is bringing the right foot and cross it over the left knee. This is where a lot of us get hung up. There may not be enough openness in the hips to get the foot into that position.
Bring the foot to a place it feels okay. It can be down at the ankle, mid shin, top of the knee, or on the top of the thigh.
Wherever you put your foot, make sure both sides of the pelivs are firmly on the ground. You may be able to bring your foot higher on your leg, but your pelvis lifts up. t’s important to keep both sides grounded because it means you’re stretching the muscles in the hip, not somewhere below or above to compensate for the tightness in the hip.
I walk you through all of this in the video, as well as addressing how to alleviate knee tightness that may occur.Here’s the exercise. Try it and let me know how you like it!
As always, go slowly and listen to your body.
Wishing you happy hips!