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Tight hamstrings are a common side effect of most activities, ranging from an intense workout like running to a sedentary one like sitting at a desk for a long time. Stretching is a great way to loosen up tight hamstrings, and many common yoga poses can help you feel better rightaway.
The hamstring bends the knee and extends the hip. You use them every day when you walk, climb stairs, or ride your bike, so it's important to take care of them so you can keep moving efficiently.
Yoga Poses and Exercises to Fix Tight Hamstrings
1) Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
One of the best poses you can do to loosen your hamstrings, this pose also stretches your glutes, lower back, calves, and abdominal muscles.
Here's how you can do this pose to fix tight hamstrings:
- Start with your hands on your hips in Tadasana (Mountain Pose).
- On an exhale, fold forward from the hip joints (not the waist), keeping your shoulders back and your chest wide.
- Lower your hands to the floor in front of or next to your feet, or cross your arms and hold both elbows.
2) Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
This pose stretches the groin, hips, and hamstrings and gives the spine a gentle twist. In a Seated Forward Bend, you can get a deeper and more targeted stretch by extending one leg at a time instead of both.
Here's how you can do this pose to fix tight hamstrings:
- Sit with both legs stretched out on a blanket or the floor.
- You should bend your right knee and pull your right heel back so it rests on the inside of your left thigh.
- As you let your breath out, turn your torso slightly to the left so that the middle of your left thigh lines up with your navel.
- On an inhale, lift your torso while keeping your back straight and your chest wide, and fold forward from your groin.
- Reach forward toward the left foot with your hands. Bend your elbows out to the sides and lift them off the floor as you go down.
3) Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose
This pose will give a good stretch to your tight hamstrings, groin, inner thighs, and lower back. As you bring the leg back to the middle, you work your abs and adductors (the muscles on the inside of your thighs).
Here's how you can do this pose to fix tight hamstrings:
- Lay down on the ground with your legs spread out.
- Hold one knee close to your chest and keep both corners of your hips on the ground.
- Wrap a yoga strap around the ball of your foot, holding one end in each hand, or hook your big toe with your index and middle fingers.
- Press through the ball of your foot and bring your leg and torso up toward the ceiling.
- As you make the transition, ground and centre your shoulders and hips.
- Take 5-7 deep breaths, let go with awareness, and then switch sides.
4) Wide Legged Standing Forward Bend
This relaxing pose makes your legs and spine stronger and stretches them out. It also strengthens the organs in the abdomen and can ease mild backaches.
Here's how you can do this pose to fix tight hamstrings:
- Stand with your feet about 3 to 4 feet apart and in line with each other.
- Turn at the hips and fold with your spine long.
- Put your hands right under your shoulders on the blocks or on the ground.
- To stretch your hamstrings more, bend your elbows back and move your hands toward the space between your feet.
- Make sure to fold deeper from the hips, not by rounding your back.
- Root firmly through all four corners of your feet, continue to engage your quads, brace your core, and lengthen your spine.
- Take 5–7 breaths, then move backwards until you're standing and let go of the pose.
5) Triangle Pose
In triangle pose, the hamstrings, groin, glutes, hips, and ankles are all stretched. The quadriceps of the legs work to lift the knees and stretch the lower hamstrings of both legs. When you bend your hip, you stretch the back leg's upper hamstring and the front of the gluteus maximus muscle.
Here's how you can do this pose to fix tight hamstrings:
- Stand with your feet 3–4 feet apart and parallel to each other, facing the long edge of your mat.
- Turn your left heel in and your toes out so that your left foot is now parallel to the long edge of your mat.
- Fold sideways over your left leg by bending deeply at the corner of your left hip.
- Put your right hand on a block on the outside of your right foot, and reach your left hand directly over and in line with your left shoulder.
- Keep your back straight from the base to the top of your head.
- Spin away from the ground on the left side of your body.
- Lift the inside arch of your left foot as you firmly plant the big toe mound.
- To get stable, use your quadriceps and brace your core.
- Take 5-7 deep breaths, then come out of the pose. Change sides.
Be careful not to push yourself too hard in these poses, because that can hurt you. Always pay attention to what your body is telling you and take steps to protect your hamstrings. Use blocks and blankets as supports to help you stretch safely and more effectively.
