The Forgotten Side of Flexibility: Why ‘Hip Closers’ Are the Next Frontier in Movement
You’ve likely spent years unlocking your hips in yoga, stretching into poses that feel wonderfully expansive. But what if the key to true hip health – and overall stability – isn’t just about opening, but also about learning to close? A growing movement among anatomy-focused movement educators suggests that balancing hip opening with its often-overlooked counterpart, hip closing, is crucial for preventing injury, improving performance, and unlocking a more nuanced understanding of the body.
The Imbalance in Our Practice
For decades, yoga and fitness routines have heavily emphasized hip opening – think Goddess Pose, Bound Angle, and Wide-Legged Forward Bend. These stretches feel good, releasing tension and increasing flexibility. But this focus has created an imbalance. We’ve become accustomed to moving our thighs away from each other and rotating them outward, often neglecting the opposing actions. This isn’t just a yoga problem; it reflects a broader trend in movement culture.
“Hip openers may tend to be more popular simply because they can make us feel like we’re ‘getting somewhere,’” explains Jenni Rawlings, a yoga educator specializing in anatomy and movement science. “They’re bigger movements.” But Rawlings and others argue that the subtler work of hip closing is equally, if not more, important for building functional strength and resilience.
What Exactly *Are* Hip Closers?
Understanding hip closers requires a quick anatomy lesson. Hip opening involves contracting the hip abductors (gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus) and external rotators, while lengthening the adductors (inner thigh muscles). Hip closers do the opposite: they shorten the adductors and stretch the muscles of the outer thighs and side hips. Essentially, they bring the thighs towards each other and internally rotate them.
Think of it as a seesaw. Too much time on one side creates instability. Balancing hip opening with hip closing promotes greater stability, balance, and body awareness. It’s about cultivating a more complete range of motion and strengthening the muscles that support healthy hip function.
Why Now? The Rise of Movement Variety
The growing interest in hip closers isn’t just about anatomical correctness; it’s part of a larger shift towards more nuanced and individualized movement practices. People are increasingly recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness doesn’t work.
“Movement variety is generally a good thing, including more ways of moving our hips,” Rawlings emphasizes. “Especially in directions we don’t often emphasize in yoga. It can add variety to our movement practice and help us build body awareness in underexplored positions.” This emphasis on variety is fueled by a deeper understanding of biomechanics and a desire to move with greater efficiency and resilience.
9 Hip-Closing Poses to Integrate Into Your Routine
Here are nine poses to help you balance all those hip openers. Practice them as a sequence or incorporate a few into your existing routine, particularly after a hip-opening session:
1. Mountain Pose With Block Between Thighs
Stand tall with a block between your thighs, a couple of inches above your knees. Step your feet close enough to hold the block in place. Press your feet into the mat, exhale, and squeeze the block with your thighs, drawing your navel toward your spine. Repeat for several breaths.
2. Eagle Pose
From standing, bend your knees as if sitting in a chair and cross your left thigh over your right. Wrap your left foot around your right ankle or rest your toes on the mat for balance. Actively squeeze your legs together to fire up the adductors. Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Revolved Triangle Pose
Stand with a block or chair in front of you. Step your right foot back, turning your toes slightly outward. Reach your right arm toward the ceiling and hinge forward from your hips, lowering your right hand to the prop. Twist towards the left, reaching your left arm towards the ceiling. Allow your pelvis to rotate with the twist.
4. Curtsy Lunge
Shift your weight onto your right foot and step your left foot behind and to the outside of your right. Bend your knees as if curtsying, squeezing your thighs together. Use a chair or wall for balance if needed.
5. Standing Hero Pose
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, turning your toes slightly inward. Bend your knees as much as feels comfortable, reaching the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
6. Cow Face Pose Variation
From Downward-Facing Dog, step your left foot behind and to the right of your right. Lower both knees to the mat (use a blanket for comfort). Sink your hips between your heels. Pause for several breaths before returning to all fours.
7. “Z” Sit
Sit with your knees bent and feet planted. Windshield wiper your knees side to side, then come to stillness with your knees bent towards the left, lowering them as much as comfortable. Draw your feet towards your body, forming a “Z” shape. Try lifting your right foot off the mat to increase internal rotation.
8. Hero Pose
Kneel with your knees together and feet slightly wider than your hips. Sit back, lowering your hips between your heels. Place a block under your sitting bones for comfort, and draw the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
9. Reclining Hero Pose
From Hero Pose, lean back as comfortably as possible, perhaps onto your forearms or all the way onto your back. Press your knees into the mat, resisting them lifting.
The Future of Movement: Integrated Hip Health
The growing awareness of hip closers signals a broader trend towards more integrated and holistic movement practices. As we learn more about the intricate connections within the body, we’re moving away from isolated exercises and towards movements that address multiple muscle groups and planes of motion simultaneously. This isn’t just about preventing injury; it’s about unlocking a greater potential for strength, stability, and freedom of movement. The future of fitness isn’t just about how far you can stretch, but how well you can control and integrate movement in all directions.
What are your favorite ways to challenge your hip stability? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
