Tight hamstrings can cause lots of problems such as knee or lower back pain and most people have them! In the two videos below we show several tried and true methods for dealing with our tight hamstrings.
Contrary to popular belief it is VERY DIFFICULT to actually STRETCH a muscle (especially our hamstrings and especially if you are older) what you actually want to do is get more blood flow to that muscle and break up any stickiness of your skin against the muscle (AKA your fascia) as well as letting your brain know that it is OK to let go of the tension in the muscle that it is holding on to for some reason as a protective measure. This is what foam rolling and "stretching" for LONGER THAN 2 minutes will do.
In addition, before trying any stretching or mobility techniques PLEASE make sure you are warmed up or they are done AFTER your workout or sport for the best results!
In the Foam Rolling Technique video below pay specific attention to the calf and hamstring rolling techniques.
Comments