How would you feel about being able to lengthen your hamstrings without actually stretching your hamstrings?
Mysterious, right? That’s the technique I’ll be showing you today!
Before we get into the HOW, let’s talk about WHO needs to try this. Bend over from your lower back and try to touch the floor. If your hands are nowhere near reaching it, you’ve probably got tight hamstrings.
Your hamstrings aren’t the only part at play, though. Another way to lengthen your reach is to strengthen your hip flexors and bring the pelvis forward. Work that builds these hip muscles will also increase flexibility in your hamstrings without putting pressure on them.
And that’s the secret behind why this exercise works so well! We’re taking the hamstrings out of the equation while focusing on complementary muscle groups.
As an added bonus – you’ll also be getting some scapula retraction in there!
Ready for the HOW? Let’s dive in! Make sure to watch the video below for a demonstration of exactly how to do this:
- Start on all fours – knees under hips and hands under shoulders.
- Move your hands 2-3 inches forward with shoulders forward over wrists. Now the hips should be a couple inches in front of the knees.
- Tilt pelvis the forward, back not rounded or neutral. Use muscles in the hips to bring it forward.
- Drop the head down and squeeze shoulder blades together. The chest is pushing down, straight arms, scapula squeezed tightly.
- Hold this position for 1-2 minutes.
Now stand up and reach towards the floor again. Your hands are closer, right? It worked! Make this exercise part of your daily posture friendly routine to lengthen your hamstrings and the results will get better and better!
