If you can’t sit cross-legged, you probably have some tight muscles limiting your movement.
“Instead of forcing the position, focus on improving hip mobility through slow, controlled Pilates movements,” suggests Nicolle Lopez-Lamberty, a Pilates instructor and the founder of NuPilates.
She recommends doing these five beginner-friendly exercises to stretch and strengthen your hip flexors, glutes, inner thighs and deep hip stabilizers.
“With consistent practice, you’ll notice it’s easier to sit cross-legged, along with improvements in everyday movements like walking, climbing stairs and getting up from the floor,” she says.
The exercises
“While performing these hip-opening exercises two to three times per week will help improve mobility, practicing them daily is the most effective way to increase flexibility and restore healthy movement,” says Lopez-Lamberty.
- Supine figure four
- Butterfly
- Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
- Happy baby
- High-knee psoas hold
1. Supine figure four
Sets: 2-3 Hold: 30-60sec each side
Muscles targeted: Glutes and external hip rotators
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
- Cross your left ankle over your right thigh and interlace your fingers under your right thigh below your knee.
- Gently pull your right leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your left hip.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then release and repeat on the other side.
Regression: Keep your foot on the floor if pulling your leg toward your chest is too intense.
2. Butterfly stretch
Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec
Muscles targeted: Inner thighs and groin.
How to do it:
- Sit on the mat with your back straight and the soles of your feet pressed together.
- Relax your legs and allow your knees to fall to the sides. Notice where you begin to feel a stretch in your inner thighs.
- Hold your ankles and keep your back straight.
- Gently lean forward from your hips if comfortable and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds.
Regression: Sit on a yoga block to elevate your hips to make the stretch less intense.
3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec each side
Muscles targeted: Hip flexors
How to do it:
- Kneel on the floor.
- Place your left foot on the floor in front, with your left knee bent at 90°.
- Extend your right leg behind you, keeping your knee and shin on the floor.
- Keep your back straight and shift your weight forward so it is over your left leg.
- Tuck your pelvis slightly to deepen the stretch without arching your back.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on both sides.
Regression: Use a folded towel or yoga block under your rear knee to reduce pressure on your knee and improve balance.
4. Happy baby
Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec
Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, inner thighs and lower back.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your legs bent.
- Lift your feet off the floor and bring your knees toward your chest.
- Grasp the outside of your feet or ankles.
- Bring your knees toward your armpits while keeping your lower back on the mat.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing deeply.
Regression: Hold your shins or the back of your thighs instead of your feet.
5. High-knee psoas hold
Sets: 2-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side
Muscles targeted: Psoas, deep core and glutes.
How to do it:
- Stand with a straight back and your feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and shift your weight onto your left leg.
- Lift your right knee to hip height and interlace your fingers on your shin, just under your knee.
- Keep your pelvis level and hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Lower with control and repeat on the other side, alternating with each rep.
