Yoga for Hamstrings
Stretch Out after You Work Out for Overall Health
Are you firm and fit from all that fitness, but not flexible? Target your hamstrings with simple yoga asanas to prevent injury, soreness, and stiffness.
Running, biking, weightlifting, sports… many of our favorite physical activities build our strength, but make us less flexible. Maintaining flexibility is an integral part of overall health. Tight hamstrings are a common side effect of many forms of exercise. Take a break in your day for a few yoga poses that will limber up those muscles that work so hard for you.
Hanging forward bend
Forget about touching your toes. You’ll get there, but don’t worry if you’re not there yet. Stop straining for your little piggies and just focus on letting go of the tension in the neck, spine, and the back of the legs. Stand with your feet hip width apart, hands at the hips. Take a moment to feel your feet solidly rooted into the earth, toes spread wide, weight balanced across the balls of the feet, the heels, and the inner and outer arches. Inhale, lift the chest, and look up, then bend forward as you exhale with a flat back. When you can bend no further, relax and round the spine, letting the head and arms fall to the earth. Bring your weight slightly into the balls of your feet while keeping your heels firmly rooted into the earth. Breathe and just hang out for a minute or more, enjoying the release in the back body.
Downward Facing Dog Pose
Downward Dog can be a challenging pose for some, particularly for those whose muscles try to “hold on” and resist stretching. Begin in a tabletop position, hands spread wide on the mat directly beneath your shoulders. Make sure you feet are hip-width apart and that your knees are directly beneath your hips. Curl your toes under and lift your tailbone skyward, straightening the arms completely and the legs as much as you are able. The head should come between the upper arms. Ideally, your body is in an inverted V shape, but the knees may be bent initially. Move your hips and bend your knees alternately to “walk your dog” and loosen the back body. Concentrate on balancing your weight between your hands and feet and keeping the spine straight by rolling the pelvis back and moving your shoulder blades together and down your back. This pose is a wonderful release for the connective tissues in the back of the knees.
Reclined Big Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana)
Lie on the floor, straighten your left leg and bend your right knee. Take a yoga strap, scarf, or necktie around the balls of your right foot and take both ends of it in your right hand. Place your left hand on top of your left leg to keep the left hip from rising up. With the head, back, and hips remaining on the floor, lift the right leg up so that it is at a 90-degree angle with the floor. Press out through the heel and flex the toes toward your head. Hold the strap with the right hand at what ever position is comfortable, as long as the leg is straight and your head remains on the floor. Breathe slowly and steadily. With each exhalation, try to bring your leg closer to your head. Repeat on the opposite side
Pyramid Pose/Intense Stretch Pose (Parsvottanasana)
Stand with your feet wide apart, about the distance from wrist to wrist when your arms are extended out to your sides or slightly less. Turn your hips and both feet to the left; your right foot will be at a 45-degree angle from the direction you are facing. Take each elbow in the opposite hand behind your back. As you inhale, arch back and lift the chest skyward as you look up. On the exhale, fold forward at the hips with a straight spine; be careful to keep the back of the neck long and in line with the rest of your spine. When you can bend no further, relax the spine, let the head fall towards the left leg and root firmly through your feet. Concentrate on breathing into the stretch in the back of the leg and also on bringing the left hip back and the right hip forward to square the hips in the direction you are facing. A challenging pose, but a great stretch! Repeat on the opposite side.
