Having tight hips can significantly impact your sexual satisfaction and your ability to have the orgasms you want. Tense hips often lead to pain in the lower back and pelvic floor, as well as sacroiliac issues, and those, in turn, could also be the issues that are causing your hip stiffness to begin with.
Tight hip flexors usually create misalignment with the hips, often an anterior pelvic tilt, which can lead to dysfunction in the pelvic floor, which can further lock the hips. With pain or a limited range of motion in your hips, it’s more difficult to explore and stay in different positions when movement is compromised. In addition, with decreased blood flow, reduced nerve input, and unnecessary tension in the pelvic floor from misaligned hips, your ability to orgasm and enjoy sex to the fullest is jeopardized—and who wants that? Luckily, there are at-home solutions.
Ahead, I’m sharing three of my favorite exercises to open up the hips, helping you with increased stamina, flexibility, and satisfaction in the bedroom. Learn the moves below.
How to: Start behind your stability ball and squat down with the ball in front of you. Your feet will be turned out about 45 degrees, and your heels will stay off the floor. Wrap your body around the ball, resting your head on the ball and keeping your neck relaxed. Press your lower abs into the ball and roll forward and backward to starting position, repeating several times. By pressing your lower abs into the ball, you will open up your hips and relax your lower back more. From the starting position, you can also do small side-to-side movements, initiating with the pelvic floor and lower abs.
How to: Lie on the stability ball on your stomach with your hips in the middle of the ball. Place hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart and keep your neck relaxed throughout the exercise. Keeping your body weight on the ball, reach your foot up toward the ceiling, bending your knee so you do not arch your back. Then push your bottom hip through to help you rotate and twist so that your lifted legs drops toward the floor and you roll onto your side. In this position, the knee should be reaching toward the ceiling. Return to starting position and repeat on the other side. Repeat on each side several times.
How to: Stand on one foot, torso, and foot facing straight ahead, and place the top of your other foot on the stability ball. Keep your spine long and the top of your head reaching up toward the ceiling throughout the exercise. Slowly move your torso back while keeping it upright, and when doing so, the back leg will reach back and the front knee will bend. Your tailbone will be directed straight down throughout the exercise. As your foot reaches back, more of your weight will shift to the back leg. Your front knee should be over your ankle, and your knee should not go in front of your toes. To return to the starting position, press the foot into the ball and use your torso lift to help return and lift your body. Repeat several times and then switch sides and repeat on the other side.
Note: If you need additional stability, you can roll the ball along a wall or hold onto something with both hands or the same hand of the leg that is reaching back.
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Courtney Virden is a pelvic floor expert, fitness trainer, and founder of iCORE Method. Her iCORE Method app with core and pelvic floor programs is used by women worldwide to restore pelvic floor health and wellness. This highly sought after programming from iCORE Method helps women heal from pelvic floor dysfunction and also greatly improves sexual satisfaction. She offers monthly subscriptions, challenges, and has new content monthly on the app.
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