Hamstring flexibility

[Debaser]

I'm just wondering what a good benchmark is, especially from bignate/supreme (you guys have been helping me out a lot lately, so thank you).

I'm referring to the simple stretch where you're standing straight up, and you prop one leg onto something. Then you lean forward whilst keeping your lower back straight or arched.

I think hamstring flexibility really is a serious problem of mine as I can't even lean forward at all and already feel an extreme stretch with my leg merely parallel to the ground. It takes all I have to even keep my back straight in this position.

I think this inflexibility is why my lower back starts to round at the bottom of a rock bottom squat. That's why my squats have been put on hiatus until I correct everything.

 

[Bulldog_10]

What kind of stretching have you been doing?

 

[Debaser]

What kind of stretching have you been doing?

Mostly static stretching with a couple PNF stretches. I neglected my hamstrings for a long time, because I mistakenly thought I was flexible enough there or that it simply wasn't a big concern.

 

[Debaser]

Bump.

Thanks for the PM btw Suston.

 

[supreme]

The best hamstring flex. test is the supine 90/90 test where you lie on your back and keep 1 leg straight and raise the other straight without bending at the knee. If you can get the leg you raise to be at 90 degrees (heel pointed at the ceiling) with no bend at the knee consider this full ROM - to go further i.e. your knee to the chest / foot overhead you run the risk of being hyperflexible and can destabilize your knee joint.

Make sure you keep the opposite thigh on the floor, if it pops up, put a towel roll behind it to get your pelvis into neutral or you will not get an accurate test.

The sit & reach and standing toe touch are all inaccurate because they test low back, hip and hamstrings. you can have tight hamstrings and a hyperflexibile lower back and score very high on both these tests.


S

 

[Debaser]

The best hamstring flex. test is the supine 90/90 test where you lie on your back and keep 1 leg straight and raise the other straight without bending at the knee. If you can get the leg you raise to be at 90 degrees (heel pointed at the ceiling) with no bend at the knee consider this full ROM - to go further i.e. your knee to the chest / foot overhead you run the risk of being hyperflexible and can destabilize your knee joint.

Make sure you keep the opposite thigh on the floor, if it pops up, put a towel roll behind it to get your pelvis into neutral or you will not get an accurate test.

The sit & reach and standing toe touch are all inaccurate because they test low back, hip and hamstrings. you can have tight hamstrings and a hyperflexibile lower back and score very high on both these tests.


S

I tried it and get about 60 degrees. So only 2/3rds of the way up. Is this pretty bad or about average (obviously not optimal).

 

[supreme]

I would say average, but think of it this way- lots of room for improvement.

To stretch the hamstring - the best way is to assume the test position & wrap a cord, belt or rope around your calf/ankle and pull the leg gently back. Keep the opposite thigh down. Or you can have a partner do PNF with you.

Do not do the standing or seated ham stretches for they stretch other muscles as well and you often get reflex contraction in the hamstring.

remember a warm muscle stretches better and you need to relax and breath normally - you can't be both at the same time i.e. relaxed or tense; only relaxed muscles can be stretched. the best time is 1-2 hours post workout You need to let neurotransmitter levels drop (so the muscle is not excited) and lactic acid & H+ ions removed from the muscle - all can inhibit relaxation and stretching.

S

P.S. Awesome stretch videos - Pavel Tsatsouline's relax into stretch; forced relaxation and super joints

Great Flex / stretch books : Facilitated Stretching - McAteer? , Russian flexibility breakthrough - Tsatsouline, Stretching Scientifically - Kurz

 

[coolcolj]

3 letters - EQI

ISO hold stretches

 

[b fold the truth]

Working on my hamstring flexibility a lot lately.

I can't keep a completely tight arch in my back on a rock bottom squat either...pretty sure that is fairly common...especially for people with big bellies like myself.

B True

 

[FatRat]

As you probably know, Hamstring flexibility is vital for a healthy lower back. Agree that the supine 90/90 test is best, as other methods alow you to arch your back and give a false indication...

 

[coolcolj]

Working on my hamstring flexibility a lot lately.

I can't keep a completely tight arch in my back on a rock bottom squat either...pretty sure that is fairly common...especially for people with big bellies like myself.

B True

Some RDL/GM and Bulgarian splisquat ISO holds will fix that up pretty quickly.
For at least a minute

What you call EQIs

 

[b fold the truth]

Some RDL/GM and Bulgarian splisquat ISO holds will fix that up pretty quickly.
For at least a minute

What you call EQIs

They are going to get rid of the fact that my belly pushed out hinders the ability to keep my lower back tightly arched when I hit rock bottom???



B True

 

[coolcolj]

It'll lengthen your hammies, hips, hip-flexors etc and re-program neural patterns.

Try it at the every least it will make your muscles stronger at the extreme stretched positions, should help in injury prevention etc