Root & Release: Why Your Hips Might Be Affecting Your Lower Back
If you’ve ever felt tension or discomfort in your lower back, you’re not alone.
It’s one of the most common things people mention when they come to class. And often, the natural instinct is to focus directly on the area that hurts—stretching the back, trying to “loosen” it, or even avoiding movement altogether.
But what if your lower back isn’t actually the problem?
What if it’s simply the area that’s been working a little too hard for a little too long?
Looking Beyond the Lower Back
In the body, everything is connected—especially when it comes to how we move and support ourselves.
Your hips, pelvis, and core are designed to work together to create stability and ease in movement. When that system is functioning well, the lower back doesn’t need to grip, brace, or compensate.
But modern life doesn’t always support that balance.
Long periods of sitting, reduced variability in movement, and even the way we exercise can lead to hips that are either stiff, underused, or lacking support. At the same time, our deeper core connection can become a little “quiet.”
So the lower back steps in.
It stabilises. It works harder. It tries to help.
And over time, that can show up as tension, fatigue, or discomfort.
It’s Not Just About Stretching
A common belief is that tightness—especially in the hamstrings or hips—is the main issue, and that the solution is to stretch more or go deeper.
But more range doesn’t always mean more support.
In fact, what many bodies are really asking for is a combination of mobility and strength, working together in a coordinated way.
It’s not about forcing flexibility.
It’s about creating balanced support
This is where functional movement becomes so powerful.
Rather than isolating one area, we begin to explore how the hips, core, and spine communicate—how they share load, respond to breath, and move with intention.
Reconnecting to Support
When we slow things down and bring awareness to how we move, something shifts.
We begin to notice:
Where we might be gripping instead of supporting
Where movement feels disconnected or rushed
Where the body is trying to help, but doesn’t quite have the support it needs
Through small, intentional movements—like exploring hip mobility with control, or connecting breath to core—we start to rebuild that foundation.
This is something I often bring into class through movements like the 90/90 low lunge, where we can gently explore both mobility and stability in the hips, while supporting the spine.
Not pushing. Not forcing. Just reconnecting.
Holding and Letting Go
The hips and lower back are also areas where we tend to hold tension without even realising.
Sometimes that’s physical—patterns built over time.
Sometimes it’s linked to how we respond to stress or how safe the body feels to soften.
Letting go isn’t just about stretching deeper.
It’s about creating the conditions where the body feels supported enough to release what it’s been holding.
An Invitation to Move Differently
This month’s theme, Root & Release, is an invitation to explore that idea.
To build support from the ground up.
To reconnect with your centre.
And to allow the lower back to do less, by giving the hips and core the support they need to do more.
If your lower back has been asking for a bit more care—or if you simply want to move with more ease and awareness—you’re very welcome to join me in class.
We’ll be moving gently, intentionally, and in a way that supports your body for real life.
