Hamstrings

Day 2


Before you begin, repeat the stretches you’ve already learned. When you’re finished, practice these two new exercises. Stay in your comfort zone, both for the range of stretching and the number of times you repeat the stretch.


Half Leg Hamstrings


1.Lie on your back with your legs straight out in front of you.

  1. 2.Loop the rope around the foot of your exercising leg.

  2. 3.Exhale your leg up, your knee bent at a 90-degree angle.

  3. 4.Continue to exhale your knee up to form a straight line with your thigh.

  4. 5.Pull lightly on the rope for a gentle assist at the end of the stretch.

6.Inhale your foreleg back to a 90-degree angle, thigh still vertical.

7. Repeat steps 4-6 five to ten times.

  1. 8.Repeat steps 3-7 for the other leg.


Note


In these two exercises and others in the program, your nonexercising leg remains straight out in front of you and flat on the ground. Depending on your back condition, this position could add an extra strain on your back. Bending the knee of your nonexercising leg so that your foot is flat against the floor could reduce that strain. If in doubt, try bending your knee to see if it makes a difference.

 

Full Leg Hamstrings


1.Lie on your back with both legs straight out on the ground.

2.Loop the rope around the foot of your exercising leg..

3.Exhale your leg straight up as far as you comfortably can, toes aiming for the ceiling.

4.Pull lightly on the rope for a gentle assist at the end of the stretch.

5.Inhale your straight leg back to the ground.

6.Repeat steps 3-5 five to ten times.

7.Repeat steps 2-6 for the other leg.


Note


In a perfect world, you want the bottom of the foot on your stretched leg pointing at the ceiling, a 90° angle. But not all worlds are perfect. If you can’t comfortably reach that 90°, that’s okay. As long as you’re stretching comfortably near the upper end of your range—whatever that range is—you’re getting the stretch your body needs.


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