Exercise number two: Passive reclined stretch for hip flexors (psoas)
Step 1: Lay flat on your back, knees bent and feet on the mat. Have a yoga block or two handy (phonebook will suffice).
Step 2: Press down with your feet to lift the buttocks of the mat. Place one or both blocks (lowest height) under the sacrum (the sacrum is the flat, triangular bone at the base of the spine). Lower the weight of the body onto the block(s). If positioned correctly, this should be a sturdy pose and not uncomfortable.
Step 3: With your sacrum placed securely on the block(s), begin to extend the heels toward the corners of your mat, and let them rest with the toes turned outward. To intensify the stretch on the front of the hip, extend your arms over your head. You should feel a nice opening on the front of the hip area to either side of your lowest belly. Lay in this position as long as you’d like, allowing the entire body to be heavy and relaxed, and breathing deeply through your nose.
* Remember to be gentle when exiting the pose—bending the knees and bringing the feet back in and placing them down. Press into the feet to lift off of the block(s). Remove the block(s) and roll your spine down slowly. Be sure to hug your knees into your chest to lengthen the low back.
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