the "Couch Stretch"

One of the tightest areas for me has always been the hips. If you spend a lot of time sitting, you might feel the same way.

Sitting leads to tight hips, which messes up hip extension mechanics—this impacts so many athletic movements and can even cause back and knee pain.

One of the best stretches to open up your hips is the couch stretch:

THE COUCH STRETCH

Stand in front of a couch or chair.
Place your back knee on the couch/chair and your front foot on the ground.
Press your back foot up against the couch/chair.
Point your back toe.
Squeeze your glutes—especially the one of the back leg—to stabilize your lower back and position the hip correctly.
With the glutes squeezed, press the front of the hip toward the ground.
Hold for at least 60 seconds per side and aim to do it daily.

Give the Couch Stretch a try for just one week—60 seconds per leg, each day—and see how much better your hips feel.

-Forest Vance, MS - Kettlebell Expert - RYT-200 - ForestVanceTraining.com - KettlebellBasics.net