Is Stretching Enough for your Tight Hamstrings?
And the short response is “NO.”
You most likely stretched out your hamstrings and experienced momentary relief but not lasting comfort.
Tight hamstrings are one of the most common problems for all of us with tight and achy bodies. Whether you’re overweight, super thin, have a desk job, or sit in your car for hours, we all suffer from this problem.
Hamstrings play a crucial role in almost every activity we perform daily. From walking up the stairs to running in the park, these muscles help us perform any activity. Even sitting down is not possible without your hamstrings!
So, what can you do if you suffer from tight hamstrings? Is stretching enough, or do you need to stretch after running or some other exercise? Let’s find out.
CLICK HERE to watch the YouTube video.
If you have tight hamstrings, you need to do two things other than stretching. You keep doing the stretching, but you need to combine these two other exercises.
I got Orsy to demonstrate.
1. Foam Rolling
She is rolling the foam roller from her sit bones down to just above her knee and back. Now, she is working throughout the whole hamstring area. She can start with both legs at the same time. She can progress to one leg at a time. Perform one set of 5 repetitions and then progress up to 10 repetitions.
When we are foam rolling, we are relaxing the hamstring muscle. We are working on the tension in the muscle. We are also helping when it comes to circulation and working on improving the tissue quality in the hamstrings.
As it turns out, there is much information online about foam rolls. We take it for granted that we know how to do this right, how to do it the right way, and how to do it safely. This blog post is for you!
2. Leg In The Air Hamstring Stretch
Bend your knees, straighten your leg out and then bring your leg up above. We are stretching the hamstring area. Hold the end position for 20 seconds and do it twice on each side, alternating back and forth. We are looking for a light stretch. With this hamstring stretch, we are lengthening the muscle.
Hamstrings are one of the most important muscles in the body for flexibility and strength. It is also the most neglected muscle group in the gym, even though it can be helpful to stretch them.
3. Single Leg Bridge Exercise
If you have a more stable pelvis, core, and back, you will need decreased tension and tightness in your hamstrings.
Your leg should be positioned straight as you raise your body up and down. Concentrate on controlled movements. Start with one set on each side and finish with ten repetitions. You may increase to two or three sets to strengthen the hamstrings and glutes.
Rotational stability is our goal. By working on rotational stability, we will strengthen the hip, core, and back, reducing the need for the hamstrings to be tight to keep them secure.
Here’s how to attack your tight hamstrings in three ways. First, do Foam Rolling to loosen up the muscles, then Stretch those hamstrings, and finally, do more unilateral Core Stability exercises!
Want to eliminate your stubborn hamstring injury permanently? Check out the Hamstring Injury Solution program here:
Rick Kaselj, MS
