6 Hip Openers For Emotional Release

We’ve all heard a yoga teacher say, “emotions are stored in the hips” while in pigeon pose. And if you put “hip openers for emotional release” into the YouTube search bar you’ll see a plethora of classes available. 

It’s not an uncommon occurrence for pent up emotions to surface during hip opening exercises. – I will admit triangle pose has gotten me worked up a few times in the past 😅. But what is this profound link between the hips and emotions? And what is the best way to release tension and emotional blockages?

I’d love to tell you…

How Trauma Is Stored In The Hips

When you encounter a traumatic event your sympathetic nervous system kicks into gear. It assesses the perceived threat sending signals to the body to respond accordingly via natural response (fight/flight/freeze). If you are unable to act on these instincts your body can’t release the physical or emotional tension and energy. You go against your body’s instinctual response and your muscles work against each other. This leads to physical tension, poor posture and muscular tension, especially in the hip muscles.

It is explained beautifully in this piece by Carmen Littlejohn: 

“The reaction to trauma alters the tone of our skeletal muscles and their ability to function, this can develop into patterns of chronic tension that will eventually create additional body dysfunction.” 

– Carmen Littlejohn

Science can confirm emotions are directly connected to the body. How yoga for trauma release works and releasing trauma from tight hips is by creating a safe and supportive environment where the body can relax and let the unconscious tension go. This could involve techniques such as deep breathing, hip-opening exercises, and meditation.

How Long Does It Take To Release Trauma From Hips?

Releasing trauma varies, taking anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the individual and their specific circumstances. Factors such as the severity of the trauma, emotional health, the person’s openness to healing, and engagement in therapeutic practices all play a role in how long the process can take.

Patience and self-compassion will play an IMPORTANT role in this journey. Use your yoga practice, mindfulness, and somatic therapy to support the release of tension and emotional energy stored in the hip muscles. This will encourage gentle, progressive healing that aligns with your unique pace.

Regular practice of hip-opening exercises, combined with deep breathing and meditation, will enhance your mind-body connection, promoting emotional release and resilience. Take it a step further by deeply connecting with your body in somatic yoga or using techniques such as yoga for emotional release. Having a supportive environment and seeking guidance from professionals is also a great option for your healing journey.

Ultimately, healing is not linear and the path to releasing trauma is deeply personal. So I can’t tell you exactly how long it will take, but here is what I can tell you: By embracing these holistic approaches and maintaining a compassionate mindset, you can experience significant growth and improved emotional well-being over time. A key thing to remember is that anything fully felt will be fully released.

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How To Release Trauma From Hips

There are various techniques to release trauma in the hip area and alleviate physical and emotional tension. Mind-body practices are especially effective. Here’s a brief list of practices to help ease pain in those hips:

1. Yoga: Poses like pigeon, butterfly, and lizard pose target the hips, helping to release tension and promote relaxation.
2. Stretching: Regular hip stretches can improve flexibility and reduce tightness, aiding emotional release.
3. Somatic Exercises: Somatic release techniques that focus on body awareness and movement help process and release stored trauma.
4. Mind-Body Practices: Meditation and deep breathing foster a calm state, a sense of safety, thus allowing for emotional processing and healing.
5. Massage Therapy: Professional massages can relieve muscle tension and support the release of emotional stress held in the hips.
6. Somatic Experiencing Therapy: This therapeutic approach focuses on releasing trauma through body-centered techniques, guided by a trained therapist.

Consistency in these practices supports emotional and physical healing, promoting a self awareness, well-being and resilience.

Here is a great somatic yoga for trauma class to get you started:

Top Hip Openers For Emotional Release

I know that you are chomping at the bit to know exactly which poses you should start doing to soften those tight hips. Here are some amazing yoga poses known for their ability to facilitate emotional release through hip opening:

1. Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana)

1. Start in Downward Facing Dog.
2. Bring your right knee forward to your right wrist, left ankle to the left wrist and rest the shin to the mat. Shin may not be parallel to the mat and that is okay.
3. Extend your left leg straight back, keep your hips square.
4. Take the torso and bend forward over your right leg. Use a block to support the forehead if the ground feels too far away.

Variations:

• Use a block under the hip for support.
• Take a figure four stretch on your back or in a chair for a similar effect in the hip region

Benefits:

• Opens the hip joint.
• Releases tension and stored emotions.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Encourage students to breathe into the hip space
• Try starting class with a pigeon and then ending it to encourage students to notice the difference in how their hips feel.

2. Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)

1. Begin in Downward Facing Dog.
2. Carry your right foot forward and place it outside your right hand.
3. Lower your back knee to the ground.
4. Keep your hands or forearms on the ground, depending on flexibility.

Variations:

• Use blocks under your hands for support.
• Lift the back knee for a deeper stretch.

Benefits:

• Deeply stretches the hip flexors and groin. Relieves low back pain.
• Releases emotional stress. This is a great addition to a yoga for stress relief class.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Encourage students to move gently in the pose. Maybe a gentle sway or rocking motion, ask them what they notice here.
• Add this to a sacral chakra themed class.

3. Butterfly Stretch (Baddha Konasana)

1. Sit tall on the floor.
2. Bring the soles of your feet together.
3. Let your knees fall to the sides.
4. Hold your feet or ankles and gently lean forward.

Variations:

• Use a cushion under the hips for support.
• Gently press the knees down for a deeper stretch.

Benefits:

• Opens the hips and inner thighs, increasing flexibility.
• Activates the parasympathetic nervous system by increasing blood flow to the pelvic floor, easing stress and relaxing the mind/body.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Add in pranayama here, krama breath for example.
• You can also do gentle spinal roll ups in this position. Encourage students to do whatever feels right in their body.

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4. Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

1. Start on hands and knees.
2. Press through the toes to lift your hips up and back.
3. Engage your core and spread your fingers wide.
4. Push the palms to the mat to keep your spine straight as the hips yearn to the sky. Bend the knees deeply if you need/want to

Variations:

• Lift a leg and stack the hips for a three-legged dog variation.
• Walk heels up and down to ease into the pose.

Benefits:

• Strengthens and stretches the entire body while decompressing the spine.
• Increases blood flow and stimulates the lymphatic system.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Shaking is great for emotional release, encourage students to wiggle their hips back and forth.
• Use hands-on adjustments for better posture.

5. Reclining Twist (Supta Matsyendrasana)

1. Lie on your back pull left knee into the chest, right leg stays long.
2. Gently drop your bent knee across your left side, keeping shoulders on the floor.
3. Extend arms out to a T position.
4. Hold for a few breaths, then switch sides.

Variations:

• Place a bolster under knees for support and a more restorative pose.
• Bend both knees and cross the legs over each other.

Benefits:

• Stretches and strengthens the muscle surrounding the spine and hips.
• Stimulates the digestive organs.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Glide the extended arm up and down like making a snow angel.
• Suggest visualizing stress leaving the body.

6. Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana)

1. Start in Downward Facing Dog.
2. Step your right foot forward between your hands.
3. Lower your left knee to the ground.
4. Lift your chest and raise your arms overhead.

Variations:

• Place hands on the knee or hips for support.
• Add a backbend for a deeper stretch.

Benefits:

• Stretches the hip flexors and thighs and encourages length in the spine.
• Opens the chest and shoulders, thus opening the heart chakra encouraging emotional release.

Pro Tips for Yoga Teachers:

• Make it a meditative movement transitioning between low lunge and half split with the breath.
• Play with the arms: what feels good, cactus, side bend, windmill arms, etc.

Give these poses a try and see what comes up for you. If emotions do arise let them go. FEEL them and honor them so that they can move through you.

This somatic hip opening class is a great one to get you started:

Psst….you can find this yoga class, plus a bunch more like it in the somatic yoga category of my Uplifted membership.

Closing Thoughts

Addressing your emotions through your body is an extremely powerful practice. This is why there are classes like yoga for depression or yoga for self love, because as yogis we know that the body is a powerful tool to help release and alchemize emotion. The way the body and mind are so deeply connected is amazing. If you have things in your head that you are still trying to work through I encourage you to start with your body first and see what happens.