Lent: Hip-Top Shape

Your hips allow you to sit, stand, walk, run, dance, and kick. While your hip joints can withstand these repeated movements and everyday wear and tear, they're not indestructible. Thankfully, the stretching and strengthening exercises in Lent: Hip-Top Shape are one way to restore joint mobility, keep your hips strong, and relieve hip pain. You will begin this 33-minute workout in a comfortable cross-legged seated position, practicing deep breathing and focusing on the many blessings in your life. After a short warm up to loosen and gently stretch your muscles, you will flow right into a series of half squats, raising your arms to get your upper back and shoulders involved. Transition into low lunge for a deep stretch on your inner thighs, and then work your hips with a sequence of fire hydrants. You will spend the rest of the class on the floor, but don't let that fool you. Your hip joints, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and inner thighs are about to go to work. Wind down with feel good stretches on the muscles you just engaged—which are probably burning—and then relax into hip release for the long hold. A few final stretches and twists will have you comfortably walking, running—maybe skipping—into the rest of the day. The Scriptures and meditations will remind you of the purpose of Lent and invite you to make changes in your life so you can draw closer to God.