Fix Your Tight Hamstrings

If you've exercised at least once in your life you've probably experienced tight hamstrings. It's one of the most common causes of complaints among active individuals - right after shoulder pain and low back pain. In fact, tight hamstrings can be a leading CAUSE of low back pain. Even if you're not a regular exerciser, sitting too often can cause tight hamstrings and low back pain. It's a no-win situation.

So let me start off by saying: Your hamstrings are probably tight. You need to stretch them. However, it may not be the hamstring muscle itself that's tight. Plus you're probably stretching it incorrectly anyway.

So let's start at the beginning and fix those tight hammies.

Anatomy

I won't bore you with a long anatomy lesson, but we do need a brief overview with what's going on with that whole problem area. Most people complain about "tightness" in their hamstrings. Yet the hamstrings themselves are just one muscle group in a long kinetic chain of muscles that extend from the back of your head all the way down to your heels.

This is called the posterior chain.

The posterior chain is one of the most influential muscle groups in the entire body, as it affects everything from walking, to sitting, to your posture. Every action you take is influenced in some way by the posterior chain.

In the diagram above, you'll see the calves, hamstrings, low back, erector spinea (spine muscles), glutes, lats, neck, and a few other muscles all highlighted. Basically everything "behind you".

These muscles are all synergistic and no muscle works in isolation. Each muscle group has some sort of connection with the other muscles during movement. Hence the term posterior chain.

Often tightness or limited range of motion in ONE part of the kinetic chain can be felt in ANOTHER part of the chain. Usually near the center of the chain, which is conveniently our problem areas of the low back, glutes, and hamstrings.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings themselves are actually a complex muscle group. In each hamstring there are three separate muscles that run down the back of your leg. This large group of muscles cross your hip joint AND your knee joint in the back, making them one of the longest-running muscle groups in your body.

Because the hamstrings cross two separate joints, isolating and stretching them becomes problematic. Any attempt to stretch the hamstrings can be, ahem, hamstrung by small adjustments in the low back, hips, or knees.

For instance, here are a few common hamstring stretches we've all done at some point.

Unfortunately, neither of these actually target the hamstrings. And while you might feel a slight stretch in that area, it won't lead to long-term lengthening or pain reduction in the hamstrings.

The reason these stretches are "bad"? Take a look at each picture and note the upper back posture. See how it's rounded? A rounded back often means the hip joint is no longer in a neutral position. This means the pelvis is also "rounded", which takes the stretch out of the hamstrings. In addition, if you were to slightly unlock or bend the knees, the hamstrings would no longer be stretched.

In an effort to take the stress off the hamstrings, your body makes subconscious adjustments throughout the posterior chain. It rounds the back, unlocks the knees, tilts the pelvis, and relaxes the ankle. All of this to prevent the hamstring from stretching too far.

How many people do these stretches with perfectly straight backs, no pelvic tilt, and locked knees? I never see it.

Does that means these exercises are useless? Not at all! It's a fine way to loosen up the whole kinetic chain - but it won't target your hamstrings.

Hammer Those Hammies

So let's look at the right way to fix your hamstrings: Attacking them from all sides! Here's a 15 minute sequence that will loosen up all of your posterior chain and remove any potential limitations from the calves, low back, and pelvis.

First, start with a brief foam roll session

Target your back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
This will make the muscles more pliable and open to stretching.

Second, test your starting flexibility

Place your hands together in front of you, one hand over the other.
Keep your back perfectly straight
Lock your knees out
Slide your palms down until your range of motion stops (or until you touch your toes)
Most people will NOT be able to touch their toes unless they bend the knees or round the back.
Use a mirror to spot your form. Are you bending your knees or rounding your back?

Correct

INCORRECT

Third, stretch the calves

As part of the kinetic chain, tight calves can compromise hamstring flexibility.
Elevate your toes on a stair, ledge, or tall weight-plate.
Lean into the stretch until you feel it in your calves / back of the knee.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, rest, repeat 2 more times.

Fourth, stretch the antagonist muscles

The antagonist muscles are those that work "against" our focus muscle.
Tight antagonist muscles can impede flexibility in our focus muscle (hamstrings).
In this case, the quads / hip flexors are the antagonist.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, rest, repeat 2 more times.

Finally, target the hamstrings DIRECTLY with the 90/90 Hamstring Stretch!

Lay flat on your back for a neutral spine & pelvis.
Bring one knee up and bend it so that it's at a 90 degree angle.
Brace the leg in place with your hands.
Extend your leg straight up as far as the hamstring will allow.
Go slow, don't rush this move.
Perform a few sets of 10 reps each side.

Retest your standing flexibility

Has anything changed?

Conclusion

If you suffer from chronic low back pain and tight hamstrings, you'll need a more targeted approach. Stretching the hamstrings is more than just bending over to touch your toes. Accurately targeting and lengthening the hamstrings require coordination between the hips, knees, ankles, upper back, lower back, and even your neck.

Make sure you target the WHOLE kinetic chain!

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