Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

8. Basic exercises for the hips8. Basic exercises for the hips 8. Basic exercises for the hips8. Basic exercises for the hips

Exercise 8.3: Strong external and

internal rotation

Aims: strengthening the external and internal rotators,

balance, coordination.

1. Prepare a sufficiently soft support so that you
   can lie comfortably on one side.


2. Lie on your right side, with your head resting on
   your right hand. Put your left hand in front of
   your chest on the floor to stabilize your position.


3. Keeping your side-lying position, hold your left
   leg parallel to the floor, and bend it 90° at the
   hip joint, and 90° at the knee.


4. Continuing normal breathing, internally
   (Figure 6.166) and externally (Figure 6.167)
   rotate your left leg from your hip joint, about
   one movement per breath; the femur, the
   thighbone, is the axis of rotation; the knee stays
   at the same height; in external rotation your
   left big toe may touch the floor.


5. Perform point 4 3–5 times; with increasing
   practice you may wish to increase the number of
   repetitions.


6. Come back to a comfortable sidelying position
   for a few breaths.


7. Turn on your left side and repeat points 2–6 for
   the right leg.


8. To finish, lie comfortably on your back for a
   few breaths and relax your hips.

Variation: the sleeping tree

1. Lie on your right side, with your head resting
   on your outstretched right arm. Put your left
   hand in front of your chest on the floor to
   stabilize your position.


2. Keeping your side-lying position, bend your left
   knee, externally rotate from the hip to move
   the knee towards the ceiling, and rest the left
   foot on the inner side of your right thigh or
   lower leg.


3. Hold for 3–5 breaths, constantly finetuning the
   correct side-lying; keep a straight line from the
   right arm to the right heel.


4. To challenge the balance more, extend your
   left arm over your head, with the left palm
   facing the right one, and arms parallel (Figure
   6.168).


5. If you need a support for balance, lie close to a
   wall to rest your back against the wall.


6. Repeat points 1–5 lying on your left side.


7. To finish lie on your back with bent knees;
   keep the soles of the feet on the floor, about
   one foot length away from the buttocks, hip
   width apart, knees together, or lie with straight
   legs, if comfortable; stay calm for a few
   breaths.

Exercise 8.4: Hip swing

Aims: stabilizing and mobilizing the hips, balance.

1. Stand with your left foot on a brick or book.


2. Maintain the stability of your left hip joint,
   keeping both hips at the same level.


3. Keeping your trunk upright and your arms loosely
   hanging, swing your right leg rhythmically for up
   to 5–10 breaths (Figures 6.169 and 6.170).

Figure 6.166

Figure 6.167

Figure 6.168