Tip Hack Your Hip Mobility Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip Hack Your Hip Mobility Warning This is a yoga pose Don' t worry it' s a yoga pose that improves your lifting and relieves pain Check it out by Tessa Gurley July 16, 2017November 15, 2021 Tags It Hurts Fix It, Mobility, Tips, Training Yoga and Lifting Yoga: It's not just for your girlfriend anymore. You can also skip the yoga pants. Adding a few yoga moves into your lifting program can actually improve your gains in the gym, especially when it comes to hip mobility and pain-free squatting. Alignment Yoga There are many different types of yoga. One type is called Anusara yoga, which comes from Iyengar yoga. But let's drop the fancy name and call it "alignment yoga." Alignment yoga is based on certain alignment principles that put the body into the proper position to achieve maximum strength, flexibility, and mobility. It's a true game-changer. Now, you might think yoga is just about weird poses, with the goal of trying to somehow put your massive quad behind your head. (Not going to happen.) You might also think that flexibility and mobility are all about simply relaxing into a stretch and staying there for an eternity. Alignment yoga says no. You need a combination of proper placement, active muscle engagement, and conscious relaxation to get the most out of yoga poses and "stretches." One of the best poses for lifters? The half pigeon. The Half Pigeon While you may not know the name, half pigeon is a common hip stretch. It's great for stretching your angry glutes and hip rotators. But without the hack shown below, you'll miss one of the biggest benefits of half pigeon: stretching your hip flexors. Your hip flexors are those muscles that run along the front of your hip, deep into your core, and attach to your low back. Your hip flexors are probably chronically tight, and tight hip flexors cause movement pattern disorders. Not good. Half Pigeon The Right Way Come into downward facing dog. Lift your right leg straight up behind you. Bring your right foot all the way through between your hands. (If this is difficult, put your right hand behind your right calf and assist it forward.) Put your right foot behind your left wrist and let your right knee drop to the floor, behind your right hand. Put your hands in front of you near the top corners of the mat. You can come up onto your fingertips if needed. Tuck your back toes UNDER (see picture detail) and make sure your heel is pointed straight up, not flopping to one side or another. Move your right hand toward your right foot to support your weight. Take your left hand and grab your upper and inner left thigh and rotate it clockwise (towards the sky). Push the top of your left shin into the ground. Without moving anything, lift your left knee off the ground and push your left heel back like you're trying to crush something beneath your heel. Hold the stretch for two minutes. Breathe! Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Don t Judge a Workout By Its Length How long do your lifting workouts last? Don't answer. It doesn't matter much. Here's why. Tips, Training Christian Thibaudeau April 14 Training Tip The Best Lower-Body Primer Turn on your central nervous system before lifting to unlock your strength potential and prevent injuries. Here's how. Bodybuilding, Exercise Coaching, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips Dr John Rusin May 6 Training What You Don t Know About BOSU Balls Newbies and bad personal trainers love them. Experienced lifters and most coaches hate them. Here are the actual facts. Bodybuilding, Powerlifting & Strength, Training Dean Somerset October 2 Training Tip For Deadlifts Put Your Armpits Over the Bar This puts you in a safer, more efficient position for big pulls and new PRs. Here's why. Tips, Training Tony Gentilcore December 11