Movement · Wake Up Your Hips

Wake Up Your Hips

5 moves · about 10 minutes

Before you begin

A gentle lift, throughout. On every move, lightly draw up through your pelvic floor — a soft lift from the base, never a clench, while you keep breathing. New to it? Start with Pelvic Floor Foundations →

Breathe. One rule runs through every move — inhale to prepare, exhale to execute. It’s taught step by step in Pilates for Beginners →; everywhere after, it’s simply understood. Hold the stretches for about 5 slow breaths — that’s at least 30 seconds; if you finish quicker, you’re breathing too fast, so slow it down. For a calming anchor, try Five Finger Breathing: with a fingertip, trace up each finger as you breathe in and down as you breathe out — five fingers, five breaths.

Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor & Psoas Reach

Hold 30–45 sec each side

Move 1 →

90/90 Hip Switch

8–10 sets

Move 2 →

Open Doorway Deep Squat

Hold 30–45 sec

Move 3 →

Spiderman Lunge with Thoracic Reach

8–10 sets

Move 4 →

Prone Frog Stretch

Hold 30–45 sec

Move 5 →

Wake Up Your Hips

1. Half-Kneeling Hip Flexor & Psoas Reach · Hold 30–45 sec each side— Tuck your tailbone under before you shift forward — don’t arch your lower back to get deeper.

2. 90/90 Hip Switch · 8–10 sets— Drive your back buttock down toward the floor as you rotate to open up the joint space.

3. Open Doorway Deep Squat · Hold 30–45 sec— Use the frame to pull your chest upright, so your lower back doesn’t round at the bottom.

4. Spiderman Lunge with Thoracic Reach · 8–10 sets— Push your front knee gently outward against your arm to lock the hip open as you twist.

5. Prone Frog Stretch · Hold 30–45 sec— Keep your belly button drawn in slightly — don’t let your lower back sag into a deep arch.

The Way · by Gina Santangelo · ginasantangelo.com · Learn each move at ginasantangelo.com/movement