This yoga pose stretches multiple areas of the body at once, making it effective, but also challenging
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| Pigeon pose will open your hips, decreasing your risk of injury and making daily activities easier. |
If you spend a large portion of your day sitting, it's important to incorporate exercises that stretch your hip flexors into your routine to prevent stiffness and pain.
Pigeon pose is a stretch that really targets the hips and glutes, making it an excellent exercise for combating the effects of prolonged sitting.
Pigeon pose is a yoga move, but you'll find it incorporated into many recovery routines beyond yoga. Designed to deeply stretch the glutes, it's also great for opening the hips and stretching the thighs.
Like most yoga poses, pigeon pose is also believed to relax the body, making it ideal for relieving tension and stress. Incorporating pigeon pose into your stretching routine will not only increase your flexibility, but it will also help you relax and reduce anxiety.
Benefits of Pigeon Pose
When practiced regularly, pigeon pose improves posture, mood, anxiety, balance, and flexibility. It also targets often-neglected muscles: the hip flexors and deep gluteal muscles. It opens the hips, reducing the risk of pain and injury. (Fun fact: Tight hips can also cause lower back pain.) This increased flexibility also makes daily activities easier.
Mistakes People Make When Doing Pigeon Pose
Many people don't know where to position their back leg during this stretch. Instead of keeping it straight and back, they rotate it at an awkward angle. Keeping the leg straight makes the movement more comfortable and allows for a deeper stretch of the targeted muscles.
Another common issue is hip positioning. I find that many of my clients struggle to keep their hips square and lean to one side. To fix this:
Keep your back leg straight behind you with the top of your foot resting on the mat.
Keep your hips square. Avoid putting too much weight on the side of your body where the front leg is bent.
If necessary, rest the butt of the front leg on a block or folded towel so that your hips are level instead of leaning toward the side of the front leg.
Pigeon Pose for Beginners
If you lack flexibility, especially if you have tight hips, lower back, or hip flexors, modifying pigeon pose can be helpful. There are simple ways to reduce the intensity of pigeon pose while still improving your flexibility.
One option is to place a pillow or cushion under the buttocks of your bent leg, bringing the floor closer. This will help keep your hips square.
Another modification is to form a "Z" with your legs. Sitting on the floor, bring your front knee to a 90-degree angle. Your thigh should be extended in front of you and your calf bent perpendicularly. Then, instead of extending your back leg, position it the same way as the front leg, bent 90 degrees at the knee. This helps open the hips on both sides.
How to do pigeon pose
To perform pigeon pose comfortably and correctly, follow these steps:
Start in downward-facing dog. Step your right leg toward your right hand and place it on the mat, while bringing your right ankle toward your left hand and placing it on the mat (as close to your hand as possible). Ideally, your right shin will be parallel to the front of the mat.
Lower your hips toward the floor, supporting yourself through your right leg. Extend your left leg behind you.
Keep your hips square, balancing your weight by pressing your hands into the mat in front of you.
If the stretch is sufficient, stay here and breathe. For a deeper stretch, bend at the hips, bring your torso toward the mat, and extend your arm over your bent front leg. Bend your right foot. Hold this position for 60 seconds, breathing slowly.
Switch to the other side and repeat the process.
4 More Exercises That Stretch Your Hips
Pigeon pose stretches multiple areas of the body simultaneously, making it more challenging than a traditional stretch. If your body is too tense to perform this movement properly, these other exercises can help..
Seated Toe Touch
Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your hips, stretching your arms and hands toward your toes. Reach your hand as far as you can (this can be your toes, shins, or knees, depending on your flexibility). Hold this position for at least 30 seconds, focusing on your breathing. You should feel this stretch in your hamstrings.
Butterfly
The butterfly stretch helps open the outside of your hips, which is essential for performing pigeon pose comfortably. Sit on the floor. Bend your knees to the side, bringing the soles of your feet together. Hold your feet together with your hands and bend at the waist, lowering your chest toward the floor. Hold this pose for 10 slow, deep breaths. The closer your feet are to your body, the more challenging the stretch will be. So start with your feet slightly apart and gradually bring them closer to your body as you gain flexibility.
Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on both knees. Next, step your right foot forward, bending your right knee 90 degrees. Keep your left knee on the floor and extend your left leg behind you, with the top of your left foot resting on the floor. With your back straight, push forward through your right hip, making sure to keep your right knee over your right ankle. Hold this position for 10 breaths, then switch sides and repeat.
Shells
Lie on your right side and support yourself on your right elbow. Bend your knees in front of you. Keep your heels together and lift your top (left) knee toward the ceiling, opening your hips while keeping your right knee on the floor. Repeat 10 times, then switch to the left side.