Hip openers for a day spent sitting

Sitting keeps your hips in one folded angle for hours. Opening them takes about as long as reading a Slack thread.

1. 

   1. Seated figure-4

   Sit tall. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Hinge a little forward from the hips until you feel a stretch in the outer hip — stop before sharp pain.

   Feel it: the outside of your hip and glute

   Avoid: Pressing down on the bent knee.

2. 

   2. Standing hip flexor stretch

   Stand and step one foot back into a short lunge. Gently tuck the back-side pelvis under (flatten the low-back arch) until you feel a stretch in the front of the back hip. Hold the desk for balance if needed.

   Feel it: the front of your back hip

   Avoid: Arching the low back.

3. 

   3. Standing glute squeeze

   Stand with soft knees. Squeeze the glutes firmly for a few seconds, then release. Don’t lock the knees.

   Feel it: your glutes switching back on

   Avoid: Locking the knees.

4. 

   4. Seated hip opener

   Sit tall with feet planted. Slowly open both knees outward, then bring them back toward center.

   Feel it: the inside of your hip opening

   Avoid: Collapsing the low back.

5. 

   5. Seated cat-cow

   Sitting, round your mid-back and tuck the chin slightly (cat), then lift the chest and look forward (cow). Move slow.

   Feel it: your spine moving one segment at a time

   Avoid: Rushing or forcing end range.

• For the figure-4, sit tall first and hinge forward from the hip, not the back.