Yin yoga is good for many parts of the body, but its goal is to relax the hips. Yin Yoga focuses primarily on hip relaxation poses that prepare the body for long periods of comfortable sitting in meditation.
If your hips are tight or overly tense, then Yin Yoga is a great practice for you.
Our hip joints are all different. Depending on the shape, position, and orientation of the hip socket and the shape of the femur, the hip joint may or may not rotate outward easily. In particular, Agnisthambasana (Double Pigeon Pose) and Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose) require a lot of external rotation.
If these asanas are uncomfortable to sit in, supine asanas can be practiced. The following sequence is designed to help relax and release tension on the outside of your hips, while also allowing you to take deep breaths during the exercises. To practice red, remember to find your own "edges" in the different shapes so that each pose fits your own body and can last for a while.
1,牛面式 (Gamukhachana)
The goal of the pose is the outside of the hip to release the accumulated tension.
Start in the tabletop position and slide your right knee forward and bring your right foot closer to the left side of the mat. Pull your left foot to the right side of the mat. Slide your knees facing each other so that your right knee is crossed over your left knee. If your lower knee doesn't feel well, place your leg straight on the ground. Elongate the spine and relax the sitting bones to the ground. You can either hold still or slowly bend forward. A support can be used to support the weight of the head or torso.
If you feel uncomfortable, you can do it on your back and put your legs in the same way.
2,方块式 (Agnistambachana)
The posture strengthens the external rotation of the outer hip, where a deeper opening is formed.
Sit cross-legged on the mat. Stretch your left leg forward. Place your right calf roughly parallel to the short side of the mat and stack your right ankle on top of your left thigh, just above your knee. Either choose to leave it as it is, or bend your left knee and pull your left tibia roughly parallel to the short side of the cushion below your right tibia. The aim is to stack the ankles on top of the knees.
Stay here or bend forward.
3,鹿式(Mrigiasan)
This twisting pose helps to stretch and relax the tissues on the outside of the hip.
Sit down facing the long side of the mat. Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat with your feet slightly wider than hip apart. Slowly lower your knees to the right so that your right tibia is roughly parallel to the short side of the mat and your left tibia is roughly parallel to the long side of the mat. Lengthen and stretch your spine. Place the tips of your right fingers behind your right hip and your left hand on your right knee and gently rotate your torso to the right.
When you lower your forearms and torso to the support or ground, you can choose to stay here or gently rotate your torso to the right.
4,睡鸽式 (Half Kapotasan)
This asana is known for its ability to open the outside of the hip.
Start in desktop pose and slide your right knee to the outer edge of your right wrist. Pull your right ankle toward your left wrist while lowering your hip toward the floor. Release the back toe and direct the weight of your hips toward the support or floor. Slowly release the weight of your torso from your front legs onto a support (such as a cushion) or to the ground.
If you feel uncomfortable, you can practice on your back with your legs in a figure 4.
5,仰扭转(of jathra circle)
The asana slowly relaxes the tissues on the outside of the hip with the help of gravity and time.
Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet on the ground. Lift your hips and move to the right side of the mat and then lower it. Hug your knees to your chest. Spread your arms in a T-shape and relax your shoulders towards the floor. Slowly lower your knees to the left side. It can be placed on a support or a support between the knees. Place your shoulders on the mat and reduce the weight of your knees toward the floor.
Yin yoga is an effective practice to release tension in the hips. Try this outer hip relaxation sequence, or practice these asanas individually to create a gentle opening and relaxation in the outer hips.