Hip mobility comes into play whenever you bend, squat and even walk. If you experience pain, soreness or stiffness when performing these movements, your hip flexor muscles (which attach your lower body to your upper body) might need some work.
If you struggle with sore hips, often the last thing you want to do is “poke the bruise” and lean into that discomfort. Thankfully, there are pain-free, gentle ways you can improve your hip mobility and yoga can be a great place to start with this.
“Yoga is an incredibly effective and sustainable approach to improving hip mobility because it addresses not only muscular flexibility but also joint awareness, nervous system regulation and breath connection,” says yoga instructor Veronique Ory.
If you’ve never done yoga before, the focus on breath and body awareness can be very helpful for identifying when you’re pushing yourself too hard and maybe need to come back to a pose later.
“The beauty of yoga is that we don’t just stretch, we listen. That attunement supports functional mobility, stability and release, all while reducing strain from unconscious holding patterns,” says Ory. “Through yoga, mobility becomes more than physical; it becomes a conversation between breath, body and presence.”
Ory has chosen each movement for accessibility, incorporating a cushion and yoga blocks to make the poses easier and scalable as your mobility improves. Each is designed to encourage body awareness while also supporting a sustainable range of motion.
“These poses are especially valuable for those who spend extended time seated or are recovering from stiffness due to lifestyle or travel,” she says.
1. Deer pose
How to do it:
- Sit with your right leg in front of you, knee bent around 90° and your shin square with your torso, and your left leg out to the side and bent behind you. Place a bolster or folded blanket beneath your seat for support.
- Gently square your torso over your front shin. Rest your hands on yoga blocks for added height and support.
- Subtly activate the back leg by imagining you’re lifting it (without actually moving), to engage the hip flexors and glutes. Then, soften with the option to fold forward.
- Hold for 10 breaths, then switch the position of the legs and repeat.
Why Ory recommends this pose: “Deer pose is a gentle and grounded alternative to pigeon pose. Deer pose allows space to explore both internal and external rotation of the hips while offering kindness to the knees.”
“This shape allows you to ease in with supported props and mindful engagement before holding, offering the option to gently wake up the glutes and hip flexors with simple activation cues (like imagining lifting the back leg without actually doing so). This intention subtly re-patterns the nervous system while improving joint mobility.”
Supported pontoon
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, and place a yoga block (or firm pillow) under your sacrum or hips. Ground your shoulders and keep your arms resting by your sides or reach them overhead.
- Extend one leg forward, or both legs for a deeper release. Keep the extended legs relaxed while gently allowing your feet to flop out to the sides. Breathe deeply into the front of your hips and belly.
- To release, bend your knees, lift your hips, and slowly remove the block. Take several breaths to ground your lower back down before further movement.
Why Ory recommends this pose: “This pose directly counteracts long hours of sitting by exaggerating hip extension in a supported and safe way. It’s an incredibly efficient way to release and lengthen the hip flexors. For an added full-body effect, extend the arms overhead to open through the shoulders and front line of the body. A blanket or pillow can be used instead of a block for softer support.”
3. Lizard lunge
How to do it:
- From kneeling, step your right foot forward placing it on the floor outside of your hip. Place a blanket under your left knee for comfort if desired.
- Place both hands either on the floor or on yoga blocks inside of your right foot.
- Gently move your hips, in circles, rocking forward and back, or bending and straightening your right knee.
- When ready, settle into stillness and hold for 10 breaths.
- Switch sides mindfully via tabletop position, with the option of cat-cow/hip circles en route.
Why Ory recommends this pose: “This is one of the most comprehensive shapes for lower-body mobility. I often include a dynamic build-in: circling the hips, bending and straightening the front leg, and experimenting with the edges of the foot before holding. These dynamic movements increase blood flow, stimulate lymph and offer a gentle release.”
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