Sitting comfortably cross-legged can be more difficult than it looks.
According to Pilates instructor Jill Drummond, vice president of fitness at BODYBAR Pilates, this position requires coordinated mobility and stability in the hips, knees, ankles, pelvis, and spine.
“When mobility is restricted in any of these areas, sitting cross-legged comfortably can quickly become difficult and even painful,” says Drummond.
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“But there are some dynamic stretches that can be effective.”
She suggests the following exercises to open up your hips and improve mobility. Practice holding each stretch for 30 to 90 seconds every day if possible.
Within a week or two, you should be able to sit cross-legged more comfortably.
1.Wiper
time: 30-90 seconds
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width apart on the floor or on an elevated surface.
- Keep your shoulders fixed on the floor and lower your knees to one side.
- Bring your knee back to center, then lower your knee to the opposite side.
- While breathing deeply, move dynamically from side to side.
How it helps: “Start to open your hips and warm up your spine from here before moving on to deeper work,” says Drummond.
2. Butterfly stretch
time: 30-90 seconds
- Begin sitting with your knees bent and the soles of your feet together.
- Lower your knees toward the floor as far as possible.
- When you feel ready to move forward, hinge forward at the hips and lean forward, lengthening your spine.
How it helps: This stretch lengthens the adductor muscles (inner thighs), maximizing mobility for future exercises.
3. Mermaid Twist Z Sit
watch on
time: 30-90 seconds per side
- Sit on your yoga mat with your legs in Z position, knees bent, left lower leg running parallel to the front of your body, right lower leg facing behind you.
- Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Bend your torso to the left, place your left forearm on the floor as far as your mobility allows, and extend your right overhead to the left.
- Rotate your torso to the right, bringing your right forearm closer to the floor and parallel to your left forearm.
- If you can move, place your forehead on the floor, stay there for a moment, and take deep breaths.
- Reverse the movement with control until your upper body is upright.
- Continue for a while, then repeat on the other side, first switching leg positions.
How it helps: “Mermaid is a fundamental Pilates exercise that opens the hips, stretches the obliques, and moves dynamically through a full range of motion,” says Drummond.
4. Runner’s Lunge
watch on
time: 30-90 seconds
- Begin in a high plank position with your body in a straight line from head to heels and on your hands and toes.
- Step your right foot forward and place it outside your right hand.
- Lift your chest, lower your hips, and feel a stretch in the front of your left leg.
- Reverse the movement to start and repeat on the other side.
- Continue alternating sides, leaning deeper into the stretch each time.
How it helps: The runner’s lunge is a dynamic movement that stretches the hip flexors and quadriceps while working the hip of the front leg.
5. Happy baby
time: 30-90 seconds
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet facing up.
- Grasp the soles of your feet and slowly pull your knees toward the mat. You should feel a stretch in your inner thighs, hips, and knees.
- Keep your spine in contact with the mat.
How it helps: “This is a great static stretch to open your hips, lengthen your inner thighs, and increase mobility in your spine and knees,” says Drummond.
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