With the help of these traditional yoga poses, you may relax and relieve your hamstrings. Use yoga for hamstring tightness and give yourself a better quality of life.
We’re going to assume that you, like so many of us, have hamstring stiffness. Simply going about your daily business tends to overtax these group of muscles, regardless of whether you engage in vigorous exercise or are forced to spend more time than you’d want at your computer. A frustrating lack of flexibility frequently follows, which may tempt a person to exercise even less.
That would be erroneous.
Yoga positions that stretch out tight hamstrings on a daily basis are the answer, not just ignoring the problem.
What causes hamstring tightness?
The hamstrings need to tighten up in order to bend your knees. This causes the muscles to shorten, which in turn causes the lower leg and hip, which are where the hamstrings originate, to move closer to one another. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing—walking, hiking, jogging, climbing stairs, cycling, or even sitting down—this is generally true. In other words, almost always.
The strength of this muscle group increases with regular exercise, but to counterbalance this, you need to straighten and stretch your legs more from the rear. This helps create balance, which is elusive but essential for both our daily lives and the health of our muscles.
It’s important to stretch your hamstrings frequently rather than simply when they hurt or you detect a lack of flexibility since they spend so much time constricted. How you stretch is just as crucial as when you stretch. Less can be more. Keep your body at a stretch rather than a strain by paying attention to it. Overextending yourself when in a stretch can actually make it less effective or even detrimental. After all, it was overuse that led to your current predicament.
The top 7 yoga positions for hamstring tightness
No of your level of yoga experience, you may perform the following hamstring stretch poses, which will lessen pain and improve your capacity to do the activities you want.
Use props, such blocks and blankets, to give support in order to be proactive in protecting this set of muscles.
By bending his knees and placing his hands on the hardwood floor, a man with black hair stretches his hamstrings by leaning forward.
1. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: Most vinyasa yoga courses include a standing forward bend, but you can also do it on your own whenever you choose, even in between appointments. It’s a great yoga pose for tight hamstrings.
How to: Start in the mountain pose, or Tadasana, with your hands on your hips. Fold forward from the hip joints, bringing your chest toward your thighs and your hands to the floor next to your feet on an exhalation. As much as necessary, bend your knees so that you experience some stretching without experiencing any pain. Let your neck go.
2. Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: Another standing forward bend that stretches the length of your hamstrings is Prasarita Padottanasana. Bonus: Stretching your hip flexors occurs when you extend your legs away from your torso, as in this yoga pose.
How to: Start in the Tadasana position with your arms out to the sides. Step your feet apart while maintaining them parallel so they are in line with your wrists. Fold forward from the hip joints while maintaining an open torso on an exhalation. Your fingertips should touch the ground.
3. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: It’s simple to perform Paschimottanasana, a seated forward stretch, in bed or while lounging on the floor and binge-watching Netflix. Your back, hamstrings, and calves are stretched in this pose.
How to: Spread your legs out in front of you while you sit on the floor or the edge of a folded blanket. Maintaining a bend in your knees is quite acceptable. Lean forward at the hips while maintaining a straight back as you inhale. Instead of lowering your chest toward your thighs, do so forward toward your toes. Your hands can rest on your shins, or you can grasp onto the ends of a strap, belt, or cloth that you have wrapped around your feet.
4. Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: Janu Sirsasana provides a minor spine twist while stretching the hamstrings, hips, and inner thighs. You can get a deeper and more precise stretch in your hamstrings by elongating one leg at a time rather than both.
How to: Extend both legs while sitting on a blanket on the ground. To lay your heel on your left inner thigh, bring your right heel back while bending your right knee. When you exhale, tilt your torso to the left so that your navel is in line with the middle of your left thigh. Fold forward from your hips while maintaining a straight back and a wide chest on an inhalation. Forward, toward your left foot, extend your hands. Bend your elbows out to the sides as you descend. Place your hands on your shins, or wrap your foot in a strap, belt, or towel.
5. Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: The traditional stretching position for runners, Supta Padangusthasana, provides a deep stretch for both the hamstrings and the calves.
How to: Lie down with your back to the ground, your legs extended, and your head resting on a blanket. Put your left foot on the ground while bending your left knee. Then, while you wrap a strap, belt, or towel around the arch of your right foot, bend your right knee and pull it up to your chest. Holding the strap’s ends in your hands, thrust your right heel up toward the ceiling as you inhale. You’re free to maintain your right knee’s bent. When your arms are completely extended, walk your hands up the strap.
6. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: Yoga routines frequently include the Downward-Facing Dog Pose because it stretches the entire rear body, including the hamstrings, calves, glutes, hips, and back. While returning to your breath, it also enables you to find length and space in your body.
How to: Place your hands and feet shoulder-width apart in the tabletop position. Take a breath in and tuck your toes. To enter Down Dog, lift your hips up and back as you exhale, pressing through your fingers. Even though they don’t have to touch the ground, release your heels toward it.
Bending your knees will change the yoga position if your hamstrings are tight. By bending one knee and straightening the other, then repeating on the other side, you can either remain stationary or walk it out. Go back to being still. Breathe in here and relax your neck.
7. Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose)
How this yoga position relieves hamstring tension: Hamstrings are stretched fairly deeply in Triangle Pose. Blocks under your front hand are advised because they allow you to concentrate on the feelings in your leg rather than expending excessive effort to extend your hand to the ground.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose) should be performed at the front of the mat. As if you were entering Virabhadrasana 2, step your right feet back approximately 4 feet (Warrior 2 Pose). Step your right foot slightly inward. Straighten your arms out from the shoulders. Move your hips toward the back of the mat, hinge at the hips to lean forward, and stretch your chest over your left thigh. Do this while exhaling. While raising your left arm to the ceiling, lower your left hand to the floor, a block, or your shin. Maintaining a bend in your front knee is acceptable.