Best Stretches For Tight Hamstrings

Running puts a lot of stress on your hamstrings, which can cause them to tighten and get injured. A few methods that have helped those who struggle with tightness are incorporating foam rolling techniques into their running regimen, and using the muscles in their calves to contract instead of the ones in their quads. This group of three muscles is involved in many activities, including running, walking, and jumping.

Because people use their hamstrings in everyday movements such as walking, it is important to keep these muscles loose. Stretching will help people avoid strains and muscle tears. When hams become too tight, you can lose control of your muscular contraction. Stretching them out before running a race is one way to relieve these tight muscles and achieve better results, rather than running more riskily or just stopping all together.

For Best Quality Orgain Organic Protein + Superfoods Powder

7 best hamstring stretches

People should avoid stretching past a gentle level of tension. Stretches should be done to gradually increase the range of motion within the muscles. This increases flexibility and helps with mobility and performance.

Use the following stretches to loosen muscle tightness in the hamstrings:

1. Lying hamstring stretch

1. There are many benefits to a foam roller. It is quite simple to use and can provide relief for sore muscles, tension, and it helps improve mobility.
2. To stretch the right leg, hold the back of the right knee with both hands, pull the leg up toward the chest, and slowly straighten the knee until it feels as though it is stretching.
3. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.

For Best Quality Orgain Organic Protein + Superfoods Powder

2. Lying hamstring stretch using a strap

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs fully straightened.
2. With your right leg bent, put the ankle strap around your right ankle and stretch the hamstring muscle
3. Hold the strap in both hands.
4. Raise your left leg and make sure your foot is flexed toward the ground. This will raise your inner thigh and calf.
5. Extend and flex your right leg as you are instructed. When the foot is facing the ceiling, make sure that both of your knees are straight.
6. Gently pull the strap until there is a slight tension in the hamstrings.
7. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
8. Repeat two to four times.

3. Lying hamstring stretch using a wall

1. Find an open doorway.
2. Lie on the ground or a mat, with the back flat and extend your left leg through the doorway.
3. Lean the right leg against the wall next to the doorway.
4. Consider adjusting the distance between your body and the wall to make it easier for you to achieve mild tension in your right leg.
5. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
6. Repeat three times.

4. Sitting hamstring stretch

1. To stretch the right leg, sit on the ground with the left leg bent at the knee with the foot facing inward. This is called the butterfly position.
2. Extend the right leg, keeping it slightly bent at the knee.
3. Bend forward at the waist, making sure to keep the back straight.
4. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
5. Repeat two to three times.

5. Sitting hamstring stretch using a chair

1. Sit with the back straight near the edge of the chair.
2. Keep the feet flat on the floor.
3. To stretch the right leg, straighten it with the heel on the floor and the toes pointing toward the ceiling.
4. Bend forward at the hip and place the hands on the left leg for support.
5. Make sure the spine is in a neutral position.
6. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
7. Repeat two to four times.

6. Standing hamstring stretch

1. Stand upright with the spine in a neutral position.
2. Place the right leg in front of the body with the foot flexed, the heel pushed into the ground, and the toe pointing toward the ceiling.
3. Slightly bend the left knee.
4. Gently lean forward and place the hands on the straight right leg.
5. Keep a neutral spine.
6. Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
7. Repeat two to four times.

7. Standing hamstring stretch using a table

1. Find a table that is just shorter than hip height.
2. Stand upright with the spine in a neutral position.
3. Place the right leg on the table with the foot flexed so the toes point toward the ceiling. Stand far enough away from the table so that only the foot and part of the calf rest on the table.
4. Bend forward at the waist until there is a stretch in the hamstring muscle.
5. To increase the intensity of the stretch, bend forward slightly, placing the hands on the leg or the table for support.
6. Hold the stretch for up to 30 seconds.
7. Wait 15 seconds then repeat three times.

Benefits of hamstring stretches

Hamstring stretches can keep the hamstrings loose and flexible. Flexible hamstrings have many benefits, such as:

Preventing lower back pain

To keep your hamstrings strong and prevent them from becoming too tight, it’s important to strengthen them regularly and stretch frequently.

Reducing injuries

Knees up, chest out, arms extended in front of your body with your elbows locked. Your back should be flat and the balls of your feet firmly planted to increase the stability of your posterior-chain muscles. Straining or injuring those muscles will not only decrease performance but may also lead to future physical problems.

Increasing flexibility

Hamstring stretching can improve flexibility and help people move more easily. By increasing range of motion, it also helps with several daily tasks like walking, climbing stairs or bending over.

Improving posture

When the hamstrings are too tight, it can cause poor sitting and standing posture. Tightening exercises can help loosen them up.

When to use hamstring stretches

People should aim to stretch their muscles, including the hamstrings, daily. Even short stretches can have a serious impact on mobility and overall health. If someone experiences lasting tightness in their hamstrings, it may be worth speaking to their doctor. Persistent tightness in the hamstrings may indicate that the muscles are overstretched. Strength is a key factor in stretching for hamstring injuries. To help remedy this, a person can wear a tens machine to help improve on their stability.

Tips for stretching

Good time to practice hamstring stretches is before and after exercising. People should prepare properly before being active. A proper warmup will help them increase their heart rate and supply the muscles with more oxygen to prepare for a good workout. Stretching thoroughly will allow your muscles to start working properly, and this helps make your workout more productive. If you’re not careful, stretching may cause muscle tears or even strain the muscles.

Most studies suggest that pre-exercise stretches don’t provide a significant amount of benefits. Other conflicting studies suggest that pre-exercise stretches can prevent injury. Which states that athletes and those who participate in strenuous activities need warm-up to prepare the muscles beforehand. However, dance and gymnastics will require stretching beforehand if they are your chosen athletic activities. Consuming adequate amounts of protein after a workout may help ease muscle pain and speed up the repair process. Hamstring stretches are beneficial for athletes and those who do not play sports, like busy care workers. They help to improve blood flow throughout the body and prevent stiffening in muscles when they have been sitting down for a long time.

Summary

Although there are many different opinions on whether or not stretching is good for your health, the benefits of it far outweigh its risks. It helps improve flexibility and protects against potential injury. Hamstrings are the muscles that connect your hips to your legs and help improve posture by keeping them flexible. They also help prevent lower back pain.