On #maintenancemonday, I try to help you give your bod a little extra TLC. This week, I show you a way (WAY) more effective hamstring stretch!
As usual, frequently when I use the word ‘stretch’ I really mean a mobilisation, or a dynamic stretch (not a static stretch). Feel free to catch up on my older tirades on why your stretching routine is bogus…
This hamstring ‘mobilisation,’ then, fits the bill for doing things smarter, not harder. By starting the move with a little ‘nerve flossing’ of the sciatic nerve, and then by using the hamstrings’ opposing muscle — our friend the quads — to initiate the lengthening of the hamstring muscle, you will find you get a better range of motion with less effort. And, unlike a static stretch, you can do this one before training (after a little warming up).
Trust me. If you have angry, jerk hamstrings, this could be a gamechanger for you!!
A Better Hamstring Stretch
When to do this: After a light warmup, before a workout, practice, or bout to increase your mobility and range of motion.
Sets/Reps:
- 10 ankle circles each direction
- 10 bend/straighten while supporting your leg
- 10 bend/straighten without support
- Repeat on the other leg
Remember to keep your head lifted off the ground, chin gently tucked in, throughout.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments below, or let me know how this movement works for you!
xo Booty Quake
PS: If the rest of you needs some TLC too, you can get all of the #maintenancemonday videos here.
Thank you thank you
I feel much better now that it’s been a week. I am assessing next weekend !!!
Right on! Good luck this weekend!!
I can’t get my leg up straight like that!
Hey Loki-motive! Sounds like you could use some more of this stretch in that case! To modify it, just bring your straight leg up as high as you can until you feel a stretch. If you need to hang on to a strap or a towel looped around the back of your leg so that you can reach, that works too. Work away at this every day or two, and after a while you should be able to improve your range of motion. If you don’t seem to be able to increase that, or if you have pain, then it would be worth seeking the advice of a physiotherapist who would be able to identify something else that’s standing in your way. Good luck!