Yoga for Hip Flexibility: 20-Minute Deep Stretch Routine, Hip Opening Yoga Class

Hi, my name is Amanda and today we're going to be doing a 20-minute yoga stretch that targets the hips. We won't be using any props today, so let's get started. If you're not in a place that you can do this with me right now, please save this video to your watch later and follow along whenever you Let's get started on our backs. So come on down, squeeze your knees in nice and tight and extend them long, taking this first moment here to connect with the breath. Most important part of yoga is the focus on the breath. You can stay here in Shavasana for the whole class, but as long as you're focused on your deep ujjayi breath, you're doing yoga. Ground and center, feel the gravity pulling your body down into the mat. Take a brief mental scan of the body, relaxing the tension out of your brow, your jaw, your tongue, your shoulders. Release and relax, allowing your breath to center you in this moment. Stay here for as long as you'd like and then when you're ready, bring your knees into your chest, take a nice tight squeeze. Release your legs with your arms and extend them high for candlestick pose. Flex and point your toes, roll the ankles, let it feel sweet. Connect with your lower half. Keep your right leg lifted and either plant your left foot or extend your left leg long. Flex into your right toes and slowly bend out, bend and open that knee out to the right. Bend, bend, bend using just the strength of your leg. We're in an unsupported figure four. Right knee is going out to the right. You're energetically pulling the foot towards you. Breathe and hold here using just the strength of your leg. On the next inhale, lift your left leg, bringing that right foot to the thigh for a supported figure four. Bring your arms through the hole and maybe use your elbow to press that knee away. Flex into both feet, figure four, maybe rocking a little side to side, breathing into those hips. Bend the left knee, remove your arms and allow your legs to fall over to the left, planting that right foot into the ground, maybe using your left arm to press the knee away. Open your right arm out, gaze over to the right. Twisted, our bound supine twist. Deep breaths here, bringing all of the energy into our tight but loosening hips. Inhale, lift back through center, release the right leg, squeeze the knees in and then extend them back up for candlestick. Lower that right foot or leg down, flex into the left toes and then bend the knee out. Bend that leg down, unsupported figure four, just using the strength of your leg to pull that foot in, push that knee out, breathe into it. Feel the strength of your leg. Inhale, the right leg lifts, bringing that left foot to the thigh. Bring your arms through and around. Pull the left leg in as maybe you use the elbow to press that left knee out. Sending the breath into your hips, let it feel sweet. Keep flexing both feet, keeping both legs active. Bend that right knee, release your hands and allow your legs to fall over in that right foot, maybe press or that left foot. Pressing the left knee away, opening the left one. Inhale, come back through center, lift the legs, straighten them out, candlestick, maybe give them some shakes, kicks, maybe some nice taps on the legs, releasing all that work. Squeeze your knees in and come up to seated. Extend your right leg long in front of you, bringing the left foot into the groin. Flex those right toes. Inhale, reach up and forward fold over that extended leg. Reach for the knee, the calf or the foot, whatever works for you. Fold in and breathe, never losing that breath. Inhale to lift the head and the heart, place that right hand behind your seat, lift the left arm and press up onto those hips, off of those hips, sorry. Lift the hips high, stargazer, lower it down and then plant the foot, lower the left hand down and lift up to wild thing, gazing towards your lifted fingers. Lower your seat, bring that foot back in, plant the right and lift up, stargazer. Lower the seat, lower the left hand, plant the left leg, wild thing. One more time, bring that left foot in, right hand down, stargazer. Lower it down, plant the left foot, wild thing. Sit it on down, extend the left leg, bring the right foot in, lift it tall and fold over that extended leg, reaching for wherever you breathe into the fold. Inhale to lift up, right hand behind, lift the hips, stargazer. Lower the seat, plant the right foot, left arm lowers, lift up to wild thing. Lower the seat, bring that foot back in, left arm lifts, press the hips up, stargazer. Lower it down, press the foot in, wild thing. One more time, switch it out, stargazer. Lower it down, wild thing. Sink the hips, bring the knees in, give them a nice tight squeeze. Come forward to tabletop, maybe taking a couple cat cows to wake that spine up and then we're going towards frog. Open the knees, open the feet wider than the knees and press the hips back. You can lower on down to the forearms, pressing the hips back, breathe into them. Inhale to lift up, lift the heart, bring the feet together, lift off the knees and stand up. Open the legs wide, inhale to lift halfway, exhale wide leg forward fold. Heel toe them out as wide as is comfortable and steady and stable. Roll it all the way up, star pose and then turn the heels in, toes out, sink in, goddess squat. Breathe here, lift your right heel off the mat, sink in, breathe deep, lower it down, lift the left heel off the mat, breathe in, release with control, lower that heel down, lift both heels, breathing deeply, lower them down, lift out of those knees, toes forward, forward fold. Shake the head, yes and no, release it out, heel toe the feet in just so they're slightly wider than the hips and then sink it in for yogi squat. Inhale to lift your arms, lift your hips, open up and then sink back down on the exhale. Again, inhale lift, reach open and sink back down. One more time, inhale lift, reach open and sink back down, breathing deeply. We're going to move toward vakasana, just a little practice if you're not there yet. Place your hands on the mat, lift your hips, bring your knees as high as they can go on your upper arms and press yourself forward, getting onto the toes, see if you can lift one foot, maybe another. Vakasana, lower it down, great job, sit it down, wide legs, inhale, reach your arms up and then lower them around that right leg. Using just the strength of your leg, lift it up, lower it down, lift it up, lower it down, lift it up and hold, pulse, lower it down, release, shake it out and then move to the left. Inhale, the arms reach, place it around the left leg, lift and lower, lift and lower, lift and lower and then lift it up, pulse, release, shake it out, extend them wide, inhale to reach up and fold forward between your wide legs, inhale to press yourself up, bend your knees, bring your feet together, baddha konasana, butterfly, use your hands to open your feet like the pages of a book, grab around them and flutter your wings, this probably feels really good after all the work we've done on the hips, release them here and then roll down onto your back, squeeze your knees in nice and tight, grab for your feet, happy baby pose, nice release here, lower your feet, bringing them together, we'll finish our savasana, baddha konasana, feet together, knees wide, bring one hand to your stomach, one hand to your heart, feel this deep connection between mind and body, breath and spirit, stay here for as long as you, namaste. Thank you so much for practicing with me today, if you like the outfit I wore, be sure to check the shelf below so you can purchase one for yourself and don't forget to check out the next video in my series, bye. Welcome to Yoga Plus, courses available from pupil to yogi, sort by yoga, fitness and instructors, create your own routines, access the pose library, Yoga Plus by Psyche Truth, available on Google Play and the App Store, join us for 14 and 30 day programs, hour-long classes and much more on our yoga app, Yoga Plus by Psyche Truth, it's free to download and features a variety of wellness content including yoga, fitness, Pilates, guided meditations and interviews with dozens of wellness experts.