Dippy Birds

Flexopedia > Hip Flexors & Hamstrings

Dippy Birds

Muscle Group Stretched: Hip Flexors, Hamstrings

Muscle Group Strengthened: Glutes, Hip Flexors

Type of Stretch: Dynamic Active

Difficulty: All Levels

Suggested Prerequisites: none

Dippy birds are a great conditioning combo / warm up for splits because they go through a range of motion that strengthens both the front and back leg in the hip position we use in a front split. Even if your front splits are miles away from flat, you can work through a range of motion that will challenge and strengthen your hips to support a deeper stretch!

How To

Step 1

Start standing with both legs straight. You may want to do this exercise near a wall or something you can place your hand on for balance.

Keeping your legs straight and hips level, lift one leg up in front of you, as high as you can with control without bending either of your knees. This should feel like a squeeze in your thighs (quads) and front of the hip (hip flexors). Don’t worry if you can’t lift the leg very high!

Step 2

Start to lower the lifted leg toward the floor. As you lower the leg, flex your foot so your foot doesn’t touch the floor, and extend the leg behind you as you lean your torso forwards, hinging on your hips. Try to keep a straight line from your shoulders to your hips to the lifting leg’s heel. Lean forwards as far as you can with control, looking to feel a stretch in the backside of the base leg’s thigh (hamstrings). Squeeze your glutes in the lifting leg to lift it as high as you can without tilting your hips.

Step 3

Lift your torso back up as you lower the extended leg back to the floor, either ending standing, or continuing to lift the leg forwards to repeat a second time.

Repeat for 5-12 leg-lifts-then-standing-split-forward-folds.

Modifications

Need to make it easier?

Keep your hand on a wall for balance, and keep the leg lifts small.

Separate the movements: break this down into a set of standing leg lifts and then a set of standing split kicks (instead of combining them together)

Want to make it harder?

Add a deeper forward fold so you’re kicking into a standing split.

Stand on a yoga block to add a balance challenge to the base leg

Related Content

• Flexopedia: Standing Leg Lifts

• Flexopedia: Standing Split Kicks

• Blog Post: How to Tell if Your Split is “Square” (the “Butt Cheek Test” and More!)

• Blog Post: What Muscles Do I Need to Stretch for the Front Splits?