Help your hamstrings - part 2
Part 1 of this blog post shared information about hamstring function and how to stretch hamstrings using yoga poses. In this second section I’m focusing on poses and exercises to strengthen hamstrings - which is definitely something I need to do more of. Like many hyper-mobile people, my hamstrings are a liability! As with the stretching poses, doing a couple of these strengthening exercises for 5-10 minutes, three times a week, is likely to make a significant difference to your hamstring function.
Bridge pose
Almost everyone loves supported bridge, using blocks/blankets/bolsters to lift the hips from the ground, and it’s definitely one of my favourite ways to stretch out my lower back, spending 5-10 minutes in the pose. But an (unsupported!) bridge is BRILLIANT for building hamstring strength, even if you only stay there for one breath!
If the pose feels daunting, begin with a cushion under your hips and lift from there, rather than from the floor.
Try gripping a thin block or cushion between your knees. This helps to maintain alignment through the legs.
A good start point it place the feet running parallel, hip-width apart. But feel free to experiment with different foot placement, including big toes touching if you are feeling brave! Moving your feet further away from your bottom will also change the emphasis, so get creative to test both your balance and your strength.
You can either ‘roll up’ to bridge (left photo), tucking the tail bone slightly, or ‘hinge up’ (right photo) with the spine in neutral. Both are really valuable, so try to vary your approach in to the position.
Over time, build up to holding bridge pose for several seconds.
Finally, remember that this is essentially the same shape as a squat or chair pose! So if you don’t want to try this pose from the floor, bring your attention to your hamstrings as you move into a standing squat. You’ll find lots of the same benefits.
Bird dog pose
We often call this ‘superman’ pose, and it really is super! Remember that it has lots of value as a standing pose, as well as on all fours.
Definitely pad your knees and use blocks or handles to support your wrists. The extra space and comfort this creates helps most of us to use the whole body more safely in the pose.
Lift your belly towards your spine. While that’s not specifically about hamstrings, it helps most of us to protect our lower backs, which in turn means we move our legs within a healthy range.
Lift and lower your leg several times, as slowly as possible. Over time, build up to 10 reps on each leg. Focus on keeping the leg ‘long’ rather than high, with the working foot no higher than the hips.
Try holding the leg out in the superman position as you move the opposite arm to and from the ‘all fours’ position. Again, it’s one to build up over time!
In standing variations of the pose, ‘slide’ your foot back until only the toes are touching the floor. Then lift the toes a centimetre off the ground. Either holds or reps are valuable here, but try to keep your hips even and your shoulders relaxed.
Warrior Three pose
This is similar to my last suggestion for variations of bird dog pose. Practise it using a chair for balance and alignment. The chair can also be a useful support if you want to fold over into standing splits.
As in bird dog pose, think about the working leg long rather than high.
Keep your kneecap and toes facing the floor, rather than rolling the leg outwards or pointing the toes.
Try to keep both hips facing the chair! For lots of us, a chair back is as valuable as a visual cue as it is for balance.
Over time, aim to move your whole body as one smooth line to an L shape (middle picture), and then to fold the head towards the standing foot for standing splits (right picture). Focus on hinging from the hips, with working leg and torso moving at the same speed.
Like all other ‘one-legged’ poses, this is great for building strength in the supporting leg. Remember to check your supporting leg for comfortable alignment, and to use your toes and heel as a secure foundation from which to build the pose.
Three-legged dog pose
Like downward facing dog pose, this offerings a great stretch for hips and hamstrings, with the added benefit of some strengthening work too.
Try this from downward-dog-with-a-chair, instead of having your hands on blocks or the floor. For a lot of us, keeping the head higher makes the pose feel more stable.
Begin by moving as much weight as possible into your supporting leg. Then float your working foot back until it lifts off the floor.
Over time, aim to take the working leg higher and the hands lower (switch to a low table or foot stool, then to blocks). Eventually, you may create one smooth line from foot to shoulder!
To build more hamstring strength, try pulsing the working leg rather like the individual lifts in bird dog pose. You may also like to experiment with ‘opening the hip’ so that you bend your working knee in order to kick the foot back towards your bottom. It’s hard to explain verbally, so please check the right-hand photo! Aim to keep the shoulders level as you turn the hips. It’s a good preparation exercise for wild thing pose, as well as for building leg strength.
As always, let me know how you get on with these ideas. Are there an ideas that need a more detailed explanation, or a picture from a different angle? Would you like similar suggestions for other functional movement exercises for specific body parts? Keep me posted!