The Roots of Movement How Your Hips Shape Your Posture, Breath, and Mind (And How to Free Them)

Shahid Khan - Yogveda Yoga
Jan 21
2 min read

Left: The physical reality of a deep opening in Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge). Right: The anatomical truth—the glowing orange psoas muscle as the crucial connection between legs, pelvis, and spine.

"Stand still long enough — and your hips will tell you where you’re stuck."

We live in a modern paradox. We spend 8 to 10 hours a day sitting—at work, in the car, on the sofa. We act like sedentary creatures. And then, on the weekend or in the evening, we suddenly try to be active—running, hiking, hitting the gym.

The result? The chair acts like a cast. Our hip flexors "freeze" in a shortened position, and our glutes "fall asleep" (glute amnesia). We lose the very foundation of our movement.

Tight hips don't just limit movement—they limit how alive you feel.

The Domino Effect: How a "Frozen" Foundation Breaks the Body

It is not just about feeling "stiff." Chronic sitting leads to structural problems that cascade through the entire body.

The Postural Collapse (The Sway Back)

When the hip flexors (specifically the psoas, as seen in the image above) are shortened, they pull the pelvis forward. At the same time, glutes weakened by sitting are unable to stabilize the pelvis. The result is an exaggerated arch in the lower back, misaligning the entire spine.

The Breath Blockade (The Shallow Ribcage)

This is the connection that surprises many: The pelvis is the floor of your core. If the hips are restricted, the pelvis cannot tilt properly to allow the diaphragm space to descend. The result is shallow, compressed breathing leading to chronic low energy and internal restlessness.

H3: The Mental Storage (Hip Stress)

As the saying goes, "Your walk reveals your hips — but your hips can change your walk." The pelvis is a center for our "fight or flight" system. Chronic tension in this area stores emotional stress, creating a restless mind and blocking grounded presence.

The Solution: Re-Engineering from the Roots Up

You cannot solve a years-long lifestyle problem with 5 minutes of stretching before a run. You need a deep intervention to release, lengthen, and stabilize.

The "ROOTS OF MOVEMENT" Workshop (14.02.2026)

In this specialized workshop, we explore the musculature of the hips, thighs, and lower back. We teach you not just how to move, but why you are stuck.

What to Expect:

Anatomical Understanding: Meet the key players—psoas, glutes, hamstrings, and adductors—and how they interact, as shown in the image above.
Targeted Asana Practice: Step-by-step guidance with hands-on adjustments to safely release deep-seated tension.
Breath & Mind: Integrative pranayama techniques to restore the breathing capacity lost to sitting and to calm the mind.

Restore the freedom of your movement—from root to crown.