Hamstrings feeling more like guitar strings isn’t conducive to whizzing around your local track. Bringing strength and effectiveness back to this area will improve your running stride, plus help reduce pressure and potential injury in your lower back.
1/ Foam rolling
Before focusing on increasing hamstring mobility, it is important to create blood flow and release areas that are locked. Foam rolling your hamstrings is one of the easier areas on which you can perform self massage, so start doing it now. From a seated position, tuck a roller under the back of your legs popping yourself up on to your hands to roll out both hamstrings. Rotate your legs to hit different angles and spend more time on areas that you feel bite. Once your tolerance is up and pain level decreasing, do this drill but on one leg at a time.
2/ Hamstring driver
Suitable for all levels, you can start small and aim big with this floor-based movement. Place your left knee on the floor and right leg in a lunge position in front of you. Push forward before swaying back and straightening your front leg to mobilise your hamstring. Create a seesaw motion, repeating the flow six times, aiming to get a straighter right leg with each sit back. Repeat on both sides.
3/ Warrior 3
Adding movement to this yoga pose will not only lengthen your hamstrings but work your ankle stability and posterior chain alignment. Stand on your right leg, reach your hands overhead before folding forward with your body and hands in front of you, left leg raising up behind, aiming to create a perfect T shape with your body before returning to normal standing position. Repeat for six reps on each leg.
Just because your hamstrings are hiding behind you doesn’t mean they can be ignored. Tight hamstrings will eventually play havoc with your running ability and overall posture. Adding these three techniques into your weekly routine will stand you in good stead for avoiding tightness in future.
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