This is a good hamstring stretch.
Your hamstrings consist of a group of muscles situated at the back of your upper legs, which help you bend and rotate your knees and extend your hips. Because most people spend prolonged periods of time sitting instead of on the ground, and no longer perform manual labor requiring them to bend over, the hamstrings tend to get stiff. Keeping your hamstrings strong and flexible will help you walk better, stabilize your knees and give you better balance.
Instructions
1. Start strengthening your hamstrings doing static exercises if you are deconditioned. If you are physically fit, start with the intermediate exercises. Strengthen your hamstrings individually by sitting on a chair while keeping the sole of one foot on the floor and the other leg bent to about 45 degrees, only your heel touching the floor. Push your heel so hard into the floor that the back of your thigh tightens. Hold for five seconds and repeat 10 times on each leg, three times daily. As your hamstrings get stronger, hold longer, press harder and add more sets.
2. Add intermediate hamstring exercises, all done in a controlled manner, to further strengthen your hamstrings by doing bridges and using resistance bands. A bridge is done lying face-up on the floor, your arms along your sides and your knees bent. Imagine the starting position of a traditional sit-up exercise. Lift your hips toward the ceiling pushing through your feet until your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line. Hold for two seconds then lower your bottom back down. Repeat 10 to 15 times for one to three sets. Flip over on your stomach and hook your foot around a resistance band that you have attached to a sturdy pipe or a pole-shaped object. Bring your heel toward your buttock and lower it back as far as you can without the band slipping off your foot 10 to 15 times for one to three sets.
3. Do squats on your own or with an exercise partner, who would be standing in front of you, holding onto your arms as you both squat. This will integrate your newly developed hamstring strength into functional movement patterns such as when you are sitting and standing up. The easiest way to perform a squat is to place a chair behind you and sit down and stand up repeatedly. Challenge yourself by not sitting down but only touching the seat of the chair lightly and stand back up. If you find it difficult to do this, lean forward and extend your arms straight in front of you while performing the movement.
4. Include plyometrics to your routine to achieve maximal functional hamstring strength. "Also known as jump training, plyometrics involve stretching the muscles prior to contracting them," according to the American Council of Exercise. Done correctly, plyometrics will strengthen your muscles, increase the height of your jump and help protect your joints. According to the American Council of Exercise, plyometrics combined with weight training might increase your hamstring strength by up to 44 percent. Jumping onto and off a box is an example of a plyometric exercise.
5. Stretch your hamstrings after each workout to keep them flexible and functional.
Tags: your hamstrings, your knees, your arms, your heel, American Council, American Council Exercise