Restorative Hip Openers

Video Transcript

Hey everyone, Dr. Alibhai here. Today, I’ll teach you a hip mobility routine—a warm-up for your hips to alleviate pain and prime your body for the day, ensuring you perform well in sports or at work.

Our hips can get very tight, rotating in many planes. Let’s start in a quadruped position. Bring your right leg back and your left leg forward. If this is difficult, feel free to lower your knee to the ground, using a towel or pad for comfort. In this position, keep your right foot’s entire sole in contact with the ground.

Ensure your back remains straight by pressing your hands into the ground, keeping your posture upright and your right glute contracted. Take a deep breath in, exhale, and allow your right hip to drop toward the ground, feeling a stretch and opening in the area.

Next, you might need to stay on that knee. Adjust your left foot inward, rotate it, winding up the hip. You might just live in this position, feeling a stretch. If comfortable, go up on your toes on the right side, inhale, and as you exhale, let your hip drop toward the ground. It might feel uncomfortable, but ensure you can breathe deeply.

If needed, return to resting on your hands, exploring different ranges that feel tight. Find another tender spot, inhale, and exhale deeply. We’ll now add an exercise where you’re kneeling on the right knee. Straighten your left leg, pulling your toes towards your nose. Maintain a straight back, and if it’s too easy, you can lean forward if comfortable. Otherwise, keep your back straight and bring your toes up, adding a gentle neck tuck to engage more of the nervous system, enhancing the stretch.

Switch sides, ensuring full contact of your foot with the ground and keeping your back as straight as possible. Contract your left glute and let your hip sink toward the ground as you breathe out. If you need to, keep your knee on the ground with a pad for support. Progress to driving the hip forward while maintaining contraction.

Now, scooch your right foot forward to midline, going onto the outside of the foot. Inhale and exhale deeply, feeling the tension as you mobilize your hip.

Finally, with your left knee on the ground, try to straighten your right leg, pulling the toes toward your nose to extend the stretch and tell your nervous system it’s safe to engage in this range.

Conclude by checking your ability to squat. You should notice a significant improvement. Try this routine to prepare for the day effectively.

Take care, and let me know how it goes. Have a great day! Bye now.