Hip Strength

Welcome. This is another special attention practice for hip strength, and we'll begin on our hands and knees. Have your hands shoulder width apart, knees together. Lift your right leg back, leg horizontal to the floor, head in line with your neck. Make sure your pelvis is level. You may need to drop your right hip a little, and then slowly circle the ankle. Go slowly, and change direction. Circle in the ankle slowly, and flex the heel strong, point the toes strong. Flex the heel, point the toes. Then lift your right leg, lift your right hip as high as you can, flex the heel, move the foot behind you a little, and slowly drop the heel to the floor. Coming up quickly. One, two, three, four, five, and hold. Take the foot up higher, take the hip higher, keep both arms straight. Then slowly lower your right hip, bend the right knee, curl the foot, big toe reaching for your right shoulder. Drop your right hip a little lower, lift your right knee higher. And now slowly lift your right hip, big toe reaches for the left shoulder, both arms straight. Curl the foot, try to touch the shoulder. Keeping your right leg as high as you can, pull the knee forward, try to touch your right shoulder, and slowly extending the leg out to the side, heel flexed, both arms straight. Slowly lower the foot to the floor. Coming up, one, two, three, four, five, hold. Take your foot higher if you can. Then taking the leg back, come up onto your fingertips, pull the leg through the arms, pointing the toes. Slowly lower the heel to the floor. Coming up, one, two, three, four, five, hold. And taking the leg back, hands forward, drop your head forward, slowly pull the knee forward, try to touch your nose. Pull the navel up, round your spine. Then leg back, head up, mouth open, tongue out, shake. And again, and release. It's really hard to be depressed doing that pose. Take the left leg back, level your hips, left leg horizontal to the floor, circle your ankle, go slow. Change direction, circle the other way. And flex your heel strongly, point the toes strong, flex the heel, point the toes. Lift your left leg, lift your left hip as high as you can, flex the heel, move the foot behind you a little, slowly drop the heel to the floor. Coming up quickly, one, two, three, four, five, six, hold. Take the foot up higher, hip higher, keep both arms straight. And dropping the left hip, bend the knee, curl the foot, big toe reaches for your left shoulder, left hip drops a little, left knee lifts a little. And lifting your hip, big toe reaches for the right shoulder, keep both arms straight. Keeping your left knee as high as you can, pull it forward, try to touch your left shoulder, and slowly extend the heel out to the side, heel flexed, drop the foot to the floor, coming up, one, two, three, four, five, hold. Take the leg back, walk the hands back, pull the leg through the arms, point the toes, heel to the floor, coming up, one, two, three, four, five, six, hold. Then taking the leg back, hands forward, drop your head forward, pull the knee, and try and touch your nose. Pull the navel up strongly, one in the spine. And then leg back, head up, mouth open, tongue out, shake. And again, coming onto your knees, toes tucked forward, sit up, interlock your fingers, press the palms up, drop through the chest, soften through the collarbones, press your hands higher. Breathe into the front side and back of the lungs, the full length of your torso. Each exhale, release the diaphragm, organs drop, soften the collarbones, armpits drop, press your hands higher. And now inhale slowly, exhale, twist to the right, chest dropping, shoulders turning, inhale to the center, exhale to the left, chest drops, shoulders turn. Inhale to the center, exhale, slowly lean back, hold the breath out, and if you can, slowly pull the knees up into a squat, keep your heels up. And then slowly keeping the heels up, stand, go slow, keep your heels off the floor. At the top, press your palms higher, lift your heels higher, squeeze your inner ankles together. Then slowly lower the hands, lower the heels. Place your hands on the hips, feet together. And now slowly bend your right leg, take the weight onto the left foot. When you feel steady, slowly lift your right leg, thigh horizontal to the floor. Keeping your hips level, slowly extend the shin bone forward, pointing the toe. Slowly lean to your left, take the right leg to the side. Take your torso as low as you can, take your foot as high as you can. And slowly leaning forward, take the leg back, drop your torso as low as you can, lift your leg as high as you can. And then standing, torso upright. Pull the knee up, try to touch your chin, and slowly lower the foot without looking. And then look down, see if your toes line up. And now slowly bend your left leg, shift the weight onto your right foot. Fix your gaze to a point on the floor in front of you, 8-10 feet. When your balance is steady, slowly lift your left leg, thigh horizontal to the floor, hips level. And then slowly extending the shin bone forward, pointing the toes. Slowly lean to the right, take the leg to the left. And slowly leaning the torso forward, take the leg back. Lower the torso as low as you want to go, foot as high in the back. And then slowly standing, torso upright. Pull the left knee, try to touch your chin. And slowly lower the foot without looking, placing the left foot beside the right. And then look down, see if your toes line up. Release your hands. Close your eyes. Keep your attention on the navel. Thank you for your practice.

Namaste.