I went to a yoga class last week and since I was the solo attendee Krista asked me what I wanted to focus on and picked Hips! Let’s do Hips! 

She did an awesome routine with Bird of Paradise which I have never done.  Here’s Ana Forrest doing it, my version is more of a bent-knee variation, but you get the idea. 

Here’s how to do it.  First warm up with lots of lunging, Warrior 1 and 2,  a long juicy Triangle and whatever else you do to move the concrete out of your hips. 

Krista also did a nice variation on low lunge:

Start in high lunge, lower your back knee to the mat and scoot it back a couple inches before letting your hips sink down and forward.  Then place your hands on the inside of your front foot and bend your elbows (or rest elbows on the mat), lowering your torso to deepen the stretch.  Then lift the inside of your front foot to bring your knee out farther to the side.  This shouldn’t cause any knee discomfort but will really deepen the hip stretch.

Once your hips are like butter do this routine:

Get into Side Angle pose, right foot forward first, right hand on the floor on the inside of your front foot.  Place left hand on your waist and tip your elbow back behind you opening up your chest.  Hold here for 3 breaths.  Then bind by reaching right arm under thigh, left arm around your back from the left, grab your hands under your butt if you can or use a strap.  Hold for another 3 breaths continuing to keep your right knee open over your ankle as you spin your torso toward the ceiling.

Here comes the fun part.  Look down at the floor and holding your bind, step your left foot like a one-footed chicken until it’s next to your right.  Get your weight solid in your left foot and holding the bind, come up on your toes on your right foot.  Taking your time, come up to standing.  Straighten your torso.  Play with straightening your right leg without pulling your shoulder out of its socket ;-) Hold for 3-5 breaths.

Very slowly bring your right foot back down to the mat and unbind.  Awesome no?  Repeat on the other side.