Stretch Hamstrings Correctly: 3 Doofus & 3 Expert Ways

Stretch Hamstrings the Right Way

Want more benefit from your hamstring stretches? (You are devoting some of your workout time to stretching, right?) Avoid the most common form faults. Be uncommon, just like us! Flexible hamstrings reduce tension on the lower back, allow for good alignment and posture, and enhance your physical performance.

Being flexible in general helps reduce injury, enhance movement capability, and increase physical comfort. Flexibility is joint specific, meaning you might have gumby range of motion at the hip, but be tight as a new pair of shoes at the shoulder.  Maybe you can do the splits, but barely bend over to pick up something off the floor. Different joints; different muscles; different range of motion.

Stretch Hamstrings and Elsewhere

Try this hamstring stretch as one part of a complete set of stretching exercises. If you need ideas and great stretches to achieve more of your flexibility goals, try our friend and colleague, Aileen Sheron’s program Flexibility Fast. Trust us that you can trust what she offers and knows how to help you reach your goals.

Don’t take our word for it. Watch our short video on the hamstrings. Then you can take our image and word for what good form requires. After that, click on the link to Flexibility Fast.

Most hamstring stretch mistakes are related to:

1. Knee joint bent too much
2. Hips and buttocks up in the air
3. Neck and shoulder hunching

Fit-tastic, ham-tacular form involves:

1. Holding the leg at muscles, not joints
2. Relaxing the head and neck
3. Lengthening the leg, even if it means moving the leg away from your body

ACTION: The best stretch of all is the one your fingers make when you subscribe to our YouTube channel and this blog.  Enter your email in any of the subscription boxes to get access to fitness advice tailored to midlife women.

Readers: Do you have a favorite stretch? 

Photo credit: Us. Yeah, we took a screen shot from our video. Bet you could tell. Real credit goes to Rancho la Puerta fitness resort in Tecate, Mexico for allowing us to shoot this video while visiting as guest instructors.

By Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA

The post Stretch Hamstrings Correctly: 3 Doofus & 3 Expert Ways appeared first on Fun and Fit: Active Aging Answers for Boom Chicka Boomers.