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Tight groin and gluteal muscles can lead to back pain, which is why it’s important to target the muscles around your back, such as your glutes, glutes, and hamstrings, rather than just stretching your lumbar spine.
There is a practice in the yoga world that is the gold standard for glute exercises that eliminate tension and release tight muscles. It’s called Frog Pose, and I’m very, very obsessed with it.
I’m met with groans every time I introduce it to a client’s session, but if you suffer from lower body tightness or sciatica symptoms, this may help. While I use it with my clients, I recommend that anyone trying this for the first time clear it from a qualified medical professional when dealing with any medical condition, pregnancy, or injury, as what may work for some may not work for others.
Translated as Mandukasana in Sanskrit, this popular yoga pose packs benefits beyond just relieving hip tension. It also stretches the adductors and groin and helps relax the lower back. Below, I’ve included four of my favorite frog pose variations so you can become more familiar with them.
Grab one of the best yoga mats and read on.
How to do Frog Pose and 4 variations to try
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Start in tabletop position, on hands and knees
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Shift your weight forward and slide your knees to the sides, hugging your inner knees into the mat
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Gently move your feet outwards so that they are aligned with your knees and the insides of your feet are against the mat or floor
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Place your hands on the floor, then gently push your hips back toward your feet
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If you can, lower your elbows and relax your neck.
The frog pose is uncomfortable, looks a little weird, and feels almost unbearable at times (what sells it), but it’s great for developing a healthy butt. If you have difficulty with the intensity, move your knees or ankles slightly closer together to reduce range of motion. Most importantly, it should not cause pain, sharp sensations, or pinching.
Once you’re comfortable with the static frog, try the other variations I demonstrated above. the first variant after you static frog is a “Bend back” frog, This basically means supporting your hands and leaning back slightly to help stretch your lower back more. It may feel tense, so only move to a place where you feel you can hold it for at least 30 seconds.
The frog position is uncomfortable, looks a little weird and feels almost unbearable at times (what’s selling)…
Next, we have a dynamic frogwhich involves moving your hips forward and backward, adding gentle movement to your pelvis; this turns the frog into more of a hip mobility exercise, but don’t push your hips too far as you may find this painful.
Instead, exhale as you push your hips back and reach extreme range, then inhale as you counter-stretch by shifting your weight forward.
And finally my favorite: cat cow frog. The cat-cow is a popular spinal mobilizer in yoga that helps stretch the front and back of the body while bringing gentle movement to the back.
It may feel more challenging to find more movement from starting in frog pose, but it’s a great way to bring dynamic movement into your spine while extending your hips. Focus on moving most of the way from your mid-back to your upper back, rather than arching your lower back, creating a gentle up-and-down movement with your hips.
The stretch relies on external rotation of the hips at the sides of the body, coupled with a gentle push back. It can be mentally and physically challenging, but done regularly, it can counteract the negative effects of weak hip flexors and a sedentary lifestyle.
Take long, deep breaths and use your exhales to deepen the pose. I highly recommend focusing on your breathing and closing your eyes to help you stay grounded and drown out the external noise that is making you give up!
Yoga teachers call the hips the “seat of emotions” and refer to them as a storage place for stress and anxiety. The psoas (hip flexor) muscle, also known as the “fight or flight muscle,” tightens during stress or sudden movements. Hip stretches have long been linked to releasing trapped emotions in yoga, but whether this is supported by clear research is still debated.
Some studies show that slower-paced yin yoga can relieve stress and improve sleep due to its meditative nature and focus on breathing. From my perspective, when I do Frog Pose for a few minutes, I experience a huge release of emotions. Give it a try and let us know how you get on in the comments.
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