Yoga has a great number of benefits such as stress relief, weight loss, lean muscle gain, better sleep, and increased flexibility. When beginning yoga, you may not have a lot of flexibility, but over time you will be able to get deeper into your poses. To help with your yoga poses and to increase hip flexibility there are some stretches you can do at home. See below for helpful instructions for each of these hip flexibility stretches.

1. Open Lizard Stretch. Standing with your feet hip width apart, slowly bend at the waist and touch the floor with your hands. Walk your hands out to a plank position, then lower your legs to the floor, keeping your chest high and your hands planted firmly on the floor. Bring one foot up to your hand on the same side allowing your hip flexor to stretch. Hold this position for 5–10 seconds and switch to the other side.
2. Happy Baby. Lay on your back and bring your legs up towards your head. Bend your knees so they are touching just the outside your chest, hold your feet in each hand and to help hold your body steady. Hold this position for about 10 seconds, trying to pull your legs closer to your chest.
3. Wide Squat. Standing with your feet hip width apart, lower your body into a deep squat position so your bottom is close to the floor. Move your arms out in front of you extending them fully and touching as far out in front of you as possible. Move deeper into the position by arching your back and reaching further. Hold the position for 10 seconds.
4. Single Leg Stretch. Sitting on your bottom, pull one leg in and extend the other one out fully. Bend at the waist, holding your core tight and try to touch your head to your knee. Hold steady in the position without bouncing. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then switch legs.
5. Butterfly Stretch. Sitting again on your bottom, pull both legs in so your feet touch. Holding your core tight, slowly bend over your legs as far as you can go without your bottom coming up off of the floor. Try your best to keep your knees close to the floor. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds.
6. Pigeon. Similar to the first stretch, you will begin in a plank position. Pull one knee in, then bring your foot close to the opposite hip. Lower your hips and the opposite leg to the floor (so you have one leg pulled in and the other one is stretched behind you). Try to lower your upper body down onto the floor if you can. If your hips are still tight, just try to hold the stretch with one leg bent in front of you and other other behind you. As you gain flexibility, try to lower your chest until you can do this stretch completely. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat on the other side. 

These stretches will increase your hip flexibility, which can help you stretch deeper into your yoga poses.