Bird of Paradise

Find proper alignment in Pigeon Pose, then practice it often, and those stiff, tight hips will start to feel open again.

By Jason Crandell

 Whenever I ask my students before class if they have any requests, I'm greeted with a chorus of "Hip openers!" At first I was puzzled: My students always looked so tense—tight jaws, fierce eyes, rigid necks—while practicing these poses. But as I paid more attention, I began to notice a universal look of relief on their faces by the end of class. Hip openers may be challenging, but they can also be incredibly satisfying, both physically and emotionally.

If you're like most students, you probably feel as though someone poured superglue into your hip sockets. There are perfectly good reasons for this. First, modern life requires sitting all day, which keeps your hips from the rotation, flexion, and extension they need to remain agile. Second, common sports such as running and cycling—and even an everyday activity like walking—demand hip strength but not flexibility. The third culprit is stress, which creates tension in your body, especially in your hip area, which is a complex cluster of powerful muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Even a little bit of stress-induced clenching can really lock them up.

So, short of tossing out your chair (which could lead to other physiological problems), and entirely eliminating stress from your life, what can you do to unstick your hips and get them gliding freely again? For starters, you can start to incorporate Pigeon Pose into your daily routine.

This pose is perfect for tight hips because it stretches the hip rotators (the buttocks area) and the hip flexors (the long muscles that run along the front of your thighs and pelvis). It also requires substantial external rotation in the front leg and substantial internal rotation in the back leg. If you practice it consistently, you'll notice an increased suppleness throughout your practice. You may also find that your body moves more easily even after class, since your pelvis is the central hub of movement.

Sounds easy, right? Well, sort of. If you've ever tried Pigeon Pose, you know how challenging it is. It's effective because it's so good at isolating certain muscles in the hips, ultimately softening stiffness and rigidity and making you feel lighter and more flexible. But isolating those muscles is the very thing that can make Pigeon Pose grueling. So just be aware that you might taste some bitterness before getting to the pose's sweet spot.

All you have to do is be attentive to the many—and sometimes difficult—physical sensations that arise. Your ability to observe and be with these sensations and the accompanying cacophony of thoughts and feelings may be just as rewarding as the physical benefits of the pose.

Keep Your Waist Long
The first stage of the pose elongates the hip flexors of your back leg and creates a mild backbend. It's also the time to establish stability in your pelvis before moving into the second stage.

Start on all fours, placing your hands directly below your shoulders, and your knees below your hips. Bring your right knee forward until it touches your right wrist, keeping your right thigh parallel to the sides of your mat. Slowly inch your right shin and foot (hereafter referred to as your "front leg") toward the midline of your body until your foot is directly below your left hip. Now straighten your left leg (hereafter referred to as your "back" leg) toward the back of your mat.

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