15 minutes to stretch your hamstrings

Got tight hamstrings and 15 minutes?

Your hamstrings are a group of muscles that run along the back of your upper leg. They’re used for walking, running, flexing the knee, and adduction (bringing the leg towards the midline of the body) of the leg. If you are doing activities that are taxing your quads, you’ll want to be sure to pay some attention to your hamstrings and give them a stretch, as they are the antagonist muscles to your quadriceps. (Stretching them can also be good for your back!) If you’re curious to know more details on each muscle of the group, check out this post from Very Well Fit. If you’re ready to stretch this group of muscles, grab a mat, yoga strap, and two yoga blocks, and we’ll get started!

Start by laying down on your mat. Stretch your legs long in front of you and let you body relax. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Start to notice how your body feels. Do you feel a difference from the back of one leg to the other? Just take notice on what you find. You’ll come back to this later.

• Start to wiggle through your fingers and toes.
• Blink your eyes open and bend your knees.

Supta Padangustasana A (Modified Reclined Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)

• Take your yoga strap, and place it around the ball of your right foot.
• Press your heel towards the sky and walk your hands towards the ends of the strap. Gently pull the strap towards you, bringing your thigh closer to your chest, until you feel a stretch through your hamstrings.
• Keep your left foot on the floor or extend your left leg long on the mat.
• Hold for 5-8 breaths.
• Bend your right knee, remove the strap, and stretch both legs out in front of you. Notice if you feel a difference from one to the other.
  Bend your knees, and repeat this on the left leg.

Roll to one side for a few breaths and then press up to a seat.

Virasana (Hero Pose)

• Sit on your heels. Let your palms rest face-up on your thighs.
• Breathe here for 5-8 breaths.

Place your hands by your knees, tuck your toes underneath, and lift your hips as you straighten your legs. You’ll be in a forward fold, Uttanasana.

Hold here – noting how things feel through the backs of your legs – for 5-8 breaths.

• Bend your right knee, as your left leg straightens. You can hold here for as long as it feels like a good stretch.
• Bend your left knee, as your right leg straightens. Hold this for as long as it feels like a good stretch.
• Bend one knee at a time as you move with your breath, and do this for 3-4 times on each side.

Parsvottanasana with Blocks (Pyramid with Blocks)

*Bring your blocks to the top corners of your mat.

• From Uttanasana, step your right foot back, and bring your right heel to the floor at a slight angle.
• Step your right foot slightly wider.
• Bend your left knee, so that it is stacked over your left ankle.
• Take your hands to the blocks.
• Lift your hips up, and send them back while you straighten your left leg.
• Move your blocks and /or hands back so that your wrists are under your shoulders.
• Keep your hips square, and be sure to draw your left hip back as your right hip wraps forward.
• Lengthen your spine as your heart reaches forward, and then fold over your left leg. Adjust your hand placement if needed, and /or change the height of your blocks.
• Press firmly into your back (right) foot.
• Hold for 5-8 breaths.
• Bend your left knee as you walk your hands forward.
• Lift your right heel, turn your toes to face the front of your mat, and step your right foot to meet your left.
• Stay in Uttanasana (forward fold) for a few breaths, being aware of how your left hamstrings feel in relationship to your right.

Repeat on the other side.

• From Uttanasana, bend your right knee and walk your hands around your right foot.
• As you do this, straighten through your left leg.
• Continue to walk your hands to the right until you feel the desired stretch through the left hamstrings.
• Hold for 5-8 breaths.

Bring your hands back to centre, and repeat on the other side, bending your right knee, and then walking your hands around your right foot.

Ardha Hanumanasana (Half Splits)

• From Uttanasana, step your left foot back and lower your left knee.
• Straighten your right leg by walking your foot forward, 6-8 inches.
• Take your hands to your blocks and then draw your hands towards you until your wrists are underneath your shoulders.
• Lift up through your chest and stay light on your fingertips.
• Flex your right ankle as you draw your toes away from the floor.
• Draw your right hip back as your left hip wraps forward.
• You can stay upright through your torso, or hinge from your hips to fold over your right leg. Feel free to change the height of the blocks as you fold, depending on your depth.
• Hold for 5-8 breaths.

Slowly lift your chest, move your hands and / or blocks forward, bend into your right knee, lift your back knee, and step your left foot forward.

From Uttanasana, repeat on the other side.

Savasana (Corpse Pose)

• Lay down on the mat.
• Reach your legs long in front of you as you draw your shoulders away from your ears.
• Let your body relax into the mat.
• Stay here for 2-5 minutes.
• Slowly move your body, roll to one side, and press to a seat.

When you stand up, take note on how your hamstrings feel. You might even notice that as you bend over to roll your mat or pick up your props, your legs feel more spacious. Enjoy this flexibility and come back to this routine any time your hamstrings need some love!