Behind the Cue: Lift Out of the Hips


Apr 2, 2026

 by Leslie Guerin
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There are moments in movement where everything starts to collapse at once, this is one of them.

Picture a seated fire log stretch: both hips are deeply flexed, the outer hips are opening, and the pelvis is being pulled in multiple directions. Now layer in eagle arms, and suddenly the upper back is asked to stretch and stabilize at the same time. Without intention, the body will default to the path of least resistance, rounding the spine, tucking or dumping the pelvis, and letting gravity win.

This is exactly where the cue “lift out of the hips” matters.

It’s not about forcing a perfect position. It’s about creating an opposing action.

As the hips fold and stretch, the spine responds by organizing upward. The cue invites a sense of lift, not from the shoulders, not from tension, but from deep within the base of the pelvis. It encourages the practitioner to stack the spine rather than sink into it.

In this position, “lifting out of the hips” helps to:

  • Gently guide the pelvis toward a more neutral position

  • Prevent the lower back from collapsing into flexion

  • Support a lengthened, more spacious spine

  • Allow the upper body stretch (eagle arms) to happen without strain

What’s important here is that the lift doesn’t need to be dramatic, or even visible.

In fact, for many bodies, especially in a deep hip stretch like this, the goal isn’t to achieve perfect alignment. It’s to resist the collapse just enough to create support.

That subtle effort is where the work lives.

You might still feel rounded. The pelvis might still shift. The arms might still feel tight and restrictive. But by thinking “lift out of the hips,” you’re giving the body a direction, an intention that organizes the movement from the inside out.

Over time, that intention builds strength, awareness, and control in places that are often overlooked.

Because sometimes, the most powerful part of a movement isn’t how deep you go, it is how well you support yourself while you’re there.