5 best yoga poses for freeing tight hips

It’s time to get back into the gym or onto the road for some serious training but sometimes the renewed enthusiasm for hardcore workouts can leave your body stiff, sore, and uncooperative.

This lower-body mobility sequence combines static and dynamic moves that can be used as a warm-up on chilly mornings when your body just won’t wake up.

Pick and choose pieces to treat your aches and pains as needed.

Read on for step-by-step instructions on each pose.

Digging deep into the hips can be an intense experience.

Commit to slow, steady, regular practice, and you will see results and relief from discomfort and dysfunction.

Most importantly, don’t forget to breathe deeply and fully throughout your mobility practice.

1. Ankle Circles

Use this move to get the lead out of sore, tired legs after a long day on your feet.

This is a super simple and intuitive move that is totally under-used! It’s a great way to warm up the ankles and calves before a long training run or after a workout with jumping or plyometrics.

Tips: If it's tough to balance, do this movement sitting in a chair. If you want to challenge your balance, do this movement hands-free.

2. Calf Stretch

Use this move to combat the calf-crunching effects of wearing high heel shoes or chunky boots.

This spicy little number targets the major muscles of the calf that can affect the foot and knee. It’s a fantastic way to gain greater ankle range when warming up for squats, pistols, or sprints.

Tips: Maintain a neutral spine and watch that your shoulders and chest don’t stoop forward. To intensify the stretch, step the free leg in front of the blanket.

3. Dynamic Low-Lunge

This move is a must after a long plane ride or road trip.

This move is a tune-up of the classic quad and hip flexor stretch. It will warm up the large muscles of the legs and mobilize the hips and lower spine. Cyclists and runners need this before and after training.

Tips: Hold the lunge static to deepen the intensity of the stretch. Use a yoga or exercise mat to pad tender knees.

4. Prasarita Lunge

This dynamic lateral lunge taken directly from Yoga Tune Up targets the hamstrings, inner and outer thighs, ankles, knees, and hips. It’s a fantastic way prepare for squats or kettlebell deadlifts.

Tips: For a deeper stretch of the adductors (inner thighs), hold the move static on each side for 10 to 30 seconds. To activate and wake up the inner thighs, instead of pushing off of the bent-knee foot, pull with the straight-leg inner thigh.

5. Seated Piriformis Stretch

Try this when your low back is stiff and achy from sitting on the couch.

Use this move to combat short, tight glutes and a grouchy piriformis. Great after a booty-burning barre class or if you’re feeling a little saddle-sore from that spin marathon.

We at Pulse Wellness work with our free wellness ads partner Ady to showcase affordable options to get quality gym and fitness products. Check Ady's free ads for these products here.