When you're standing, your hip flexors are the muscles that allow you to lift up your leg to take a step. Long periods of sitting, however, can result in tight, inflexible hip flexors, compromising your mobility. To restore flexibility to your hips, practice a few simple stretches. Use the force of gravity on your own body weight as resistance.
Stretches: On One Knee
To stretch out your hip flexors gently, kneel on the ground with your torso straightened upward. Move one of your legs in front of you, bending at the knee, so the bottom of that foot is on the ground. Each knee should form a 90-degree angle. Maintaining an upright posture in your upper body, lean forward. You should feel your weight shift to your forward foot and should feel a slight stretching in your back thigh. When you have shifted forward as far as you can comfortably, hold the posture for 30 seconds. Do not make any bouncing or jerking movements. Repeat the stretch on the other side.
Stretches: Yoga Poses
To improve flexibility in your hip flexors, you can also take inspiration from traditional yoga poses, or asanas. The basic Warrior I pose helps stretch out hip flexor muscles. Stand with your left foot 3 or 4 feet in front of your right foot, exhaling as you move them into place. Raise your arms so they are parallel to one another and perpendicular to the floor, hands and fingers pointing at the ceiling. Turn your left foot about 45 degrees to the right and your right foot about 90 degrees to the left. As for the "on one knee" stretch, exhale and shift your weight forward, letting your left leg bend to about a 90-degree angle. Maintain the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.
Benefits
By relying on gravity to stretch your hip flexors, you avoid straining them with an excessive load. Regularly stretching is effective at reversing potential damage and inflexibility usually associated with sedentary habits. Stretching your hip flexors also permits you to do a greater variety of yoga poses, as well as participating in various sports, such as gymnastics. In daily life, flexible hip flexors are vital to walking and climbing stairs.
Precautions
Before beginning a new workout routine or stretching regimen, consult your doctor, particularly if you have any joint problems or chronic health conditions. When you feel mild discomfort, stop stretching immediately. You can stretch before and/or after your regular exercise routine. Stretching beforehand may reduce the chances of injuries or strains, if used in combination with a full warmup session. Stretching after exercise, when you're already warmed up, you will notice a greater range of motion.
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