FitSugar

5 Easy Hamstring Stretches

Jenny Sugar — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:42:43 PST

Are the backs of your legs tight? It's important for the health of your back, hips, and knees to keep your hamstrings flexible so do these five easy stretches to target this commonly tight area. Try them at the end of your next workout, when your muscles are warm.

Source: Thinkstock

Strike a Yoga Pose: Quarter Dog

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:30:04 PDT

If you love the way Downward Facing Dog stretches out your hamstrings, calves, and lower back, but don't love the wrist pain the pose can cause, then here's a variation to try. With your forearms on the ground, the quarter dog variation takes the weight out of your hands and wrists. Even though this pose seems relaxing, it's not as easy as it looks. This pose will not only intensely stretch the backs of your legs, but it's also a workout for your arms, shoulders, and upper back.

Sanskrit Name: Catur Svanasana
English Translation: Quarter Dog Pose
Also Called: Dolphin or Puppy

To learn how to do this pose

Begin on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees underneath your hips.
Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into Downward Facing Dog.
Spread your fingers wide and lower your forearms to the mat. Check to make sure you're creating a straight line between your elbows and middle fingers. Try to straighten your legs and lower your heels toward the ground as much as you can. Your heels should be slightly wider than your toes, so the outside edges of your feet are parallel with the outside edges of the mat.
Relax your head between your arms, and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Hold for five breaths.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Foot to Hand

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:00:06 PST

What's not to love about a forward bend? These poses feel so good after a run to lengthen the lower back and hamstrings - just the tight places that need a good stretch. If you liked the variation of the pose known as Big Toe Standing Forward Bend, since you hold your toes to pull yourself more deeply into the pose, then you're going to love this variation for the deeper stretch it provides while simultaneously giving your wrists a sweet release.

Sanskrit Name: Padahastasana
English Translation: Foot to Hand Pose
Also Called: Standing Forward Bend

Learn more details in this pose when you

Begin standing at the front of your mat. Step your feet hip distance apart.
Take a deep breath in extending through your spine, and as you exhale, hinge at your hips, reaching your head out as you fold down. Lift up the front of each foot and place your hands underneath, palms facing up. You want your toes to press on the wrist creases. Bend your knees if you need to in order to place you hands in this position.
Keep your spine long, and if you can, try to straighten your legs.
Tuck your chin in, relaxing the back of your neck and releasing your shoulders away from your ears. Draw the top of your head toward the floor and your torso toward your legs by using your abdominal muscles.
Hold here for five deep breaths. Inhale to straighten your arms, and exhale to come up to standing.

Do you love talking about all things yoga? Then check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

Loosen Tight Hips and Hamstrings With Yoga

Jenny Sugar — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 15:00:46 PST

For me, working out and tight hamstrings seem to go hand in hand. The day after a run or ride almost always equals sore legs, so I created this yoga flow series to ease the tightness in my lower half.

Snow Shovel Stretch: Lower Back

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 04:00:17 PST

This post is dedicated to all on the East Coast. After getting hammered this Winter, I want to give you kudos for all the shoveling you're likely doing. You're burning tons of calories digging out your car and cleaning up the sidewalks. This practical workout will tone your core and buff up your upper body, but all that bending and lifting heavy loads of the white stuff can really do a number on your back. Take a break to relieve your sore low back and tight hamstrings by giving these two stretches a try to relieve your sore lower back and hamstrings. If you don't live in a Winter wonderland, these stretches provide sweet relief when sweeping and mopping.

Here's how to do the first forward bend stretch.

Stand with the shovel in front of you, holding the handle with both hands.
Begin to walk your feet back, lowering your chest, and stopping once your feet are underneath your hips.
Relax your head and draw your shoulders away from your ears. Stay here for at least 30 seconds, breathing deeply and allowing your lower back to release.

For another stretch you can do right after this one to deepen the stretch in your lower back and target your hamstrings, keep reading

Yoga Three Ways: Hamstrings

FitSugar — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 03:05:43 PST

If you've taken a few yoga classes, you'll find that depending on the instructor and the style of yoga, some poses are easy and relaxing, and some are better saved for those with incredible strength and flexibility. That's part of the beauty of yoga - there's a pose fit for everyone's needs and abilities.

Since the backs of our legs are a common tight area, here are three ways you can stretch those hamstrings. Head to Knee A will be the easiest, and allow you to focus on stretching one leg at a time. The middle pose, Intense Side Stretch, is a bit more challenging, and the last pose, Split, is meant for those with very flexible hamstrings. Choose the pose that best suits you, or follow the entire sequence, moving from easiest to hardest.

Head to Knee A

Intense Side Stretch

Split

If yoga is one of your favorite forms of fitness, then check out the Yoga Stretch and Tell group. And tell us which hamstring stretch is your fave.

Avoid the Hamstring Cramp When Stretching Your Quads

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:59 PDT

Post-workout, the two most common stretches seem to be the standing quad stretch and just about any hamstring stretch, and they are usually done in that order. But if you tend to cramp in the backs of your legs, I highly suggest switching it up. Since the quads, on the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings, on the back, are antagonist, one tends to engage as the other stretches. If you have really tight hamstrings, pulling your heel to your booty to stretch your quad can engage muscles on the back of the thigh, making it cramp unpleasantly. Before you stretch your quads, lengthen the back of your legs first with one of these easy hamstring stretches. Once you have stretched your hamstrings, then move on to stretch the front of your legs.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Sleeping Yogi

FitSugar — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:00:42 PDT

I know what you're thinking. But before you start the snickers and jokes about the Kama Sutra and such, let me say that this pose isn't just a prep for some crazy tantric sex technique designed to help you achieve the best orgasm of your life. It is an actual yoga pose that you'd find in the second series of Ashtanga yoga. Its purpose is not to turn you into a pretzel, but rather to deeply stretch your lower back and hamstrings. I'm not expecting the average Joe to be able to get into it, since it requires extreme flexibility in the hips and backs of the legs, but just attempting this pose, and taking it as far as you can will do wonders for a tight lower back.

Sanskrit Name: Yoga Nidrasana
English Translation: Yogic Sleep Pose
Also Called: Sleeping Yogi

To learn a much easier version of this pose

Begin lying flat on your back.
Bend both knees and hold onto the outside edges of your flexed feet with your hands. Keep your arms on the outsides of your legs. Gently use your upper body strength to equally press both knees to the floor below your armpits. Try not to tense your shoulders or chest but keep everything relaxed. This pose is called Happy Baby, and it's a great prep for Sleeping Yogi.
From here, move your arms to the insides of your legs. Use both hands to help your left knee come behind your left shoulder, and eventually your foot behind your head. Then bring the right knee behind your right shoulder, and your right ankle behind your left ankle.
Whether both legs are behind your head or not, bring both hands to your lower back, and try to clasp them together.
Stay like this for five deep breaths. To release, bring both legs to the floor. For a counter-pose, do Fish.

This is one of my favorite challenging poses. Do you have one? Share it in the Yoga Stretch and Tell Group.

Stretch It: Straight Leg Hamstring Stretch

FitSugar — Thu, 27 May 2010 10:00:21 PDT

I've been exploring new trails in the woods near my house for hiking and running, and man, are my hamstrings sore from all those steep hills. If the backs of your legs could use a good stretch, try this one that will effectively target that area and challenge your core a bit as you balance during the stretch.

To learn how to do this stretch and to also see a more relaxing variation,

Sit on the floor, extending both legs straight out in front of you. Sit up tall, lengthening the crown of the head away from the hips. Relax the shoulders away from the ears.
Bend your right knee and draw it into your chest. Hold the sole of your right foot with both hands.
Keeping the spine straight, begin to straighten the right leg. If your hamstrings are tight, hold your leg lower behind the calf or back of the thigh. If your hamstrings are extremely tight, wrap a towel or strap around your leg and hold on to that. The goal is to keep the right leg straight, to target the back of your right leg.
Draw the right leg as close as you can toward your torso without rounding the spine. Hold for 30 seconds, and then gently release the leg back to the floor.
Repeat this stretch with the left leg.
You can also do a variation of this stretch by lying on your back.

Stretch It: Reclining Splits

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:00:57 PDT

My tight legs crave a good hamstring stretch, and doing the splits is one of my favorite stretches because it's so effective at increasing flexibility in that area. Here's a variation that will stretch the backs of your legs in a more gentle fashion than the splits - you might even find yourself relaxing in this stretch. You can also use this stretch to increase the flexibility of your hamstrings while you work up to the full splits.

For details on why you might need a strap to do this stretch,

Lie on your back with your legs straight. Bend your right knee and hug it into your chest to stretch your lower back.
Then straighten your right leg up toward the ceiling. Without lifting your shoulders off the floor, reach your hands around the back of your hamstring. If you're more flexible, reach for your calf, your ankle, or your foot. I like to hold the same spot on my leg with both hands, but you can separate your hands as shown in the photo above. If you're not very flexible, wrap a strap or towel around your leg and hold on to either end.
As you breathe deeply, slowly pull your leg closer to your torso, deepening the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and then release your leg to the floor.
Relax for a minute or so and then repeat this stretch with the left leg.