The hamstring muscles in the back of your thighs play vital roles in lower-body strength and agility, helping you flex your knees and extend your hips. Hamstring pulls and strains are common injuries for runners and other athletes, while hamstring tightness can develop simply from sitting at your desk at work. You can stretch and strengthen your hamstrings to avoid painful injuries and improve your flexibility and mobility.
Kneeling Stretch
Kneel on the ground and extend one leg in front of you with your heel pressed against the ground. Keep your back straight and your toes pointing up. Reach for your toes with one arm, keeping your other hand on the ground for balance. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides. Repeat the stretch three times on each side.
Chair Stretch
In this stretch you use a chair as a prop. Standing in front of the chair, raise one leg and place your toes on the edge of the seat, letting your heel drop off the edge toward the ground while slightly bending your knee. Lean forward by moving your chest toward the leg on the chair. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds, then switch sides. Repeat the stretch three times on each side.
Bench Stretch
Sitting on a bench, extend one leg along the length of the bench with your toes pointing straight up. You may feel a stretch just by assuming this position, in which case hold it for 20 to 30 seconds. If you do not feel a stretch, try leaning forward at the hips until you feel it. Be sure to lean with your hips, not your waist. Switch legs and repeat. Perform the stretch three times with each leg.
Leg Curl
After stretching your hamstrings, you can move on to strengthening them. You'll find leg curl machines in virtually any gym. Lying face down on the bench, extend your legs straight and place the backs of your ankles under the curling bar. Use your legs to curl the bar as far as you can until your heels are facing your buttocks, then slowly lower the bar back down. You can select the amount of weight you want to curl. Try a weight that allows you to do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.
Straight-Legged Dead Lift
This variation of the standard dead lift emphasizes the hamstrings. It is a difficult exercise, and you must use proper technique or you will risk injuring your lower back. Place a barbell at your feet and grab it by bending over at the waist while keeping your legs straight. Continue to keep your legs and back straight as you lift the weight until you are standing upright, then slowly lower the bar back down by bending at the waist. When your torso is parallel to the floor, you have completed a repetition. Do three sets of 10 repetitions each if you can. Use lighter weights until you master the technique, always keeping your knees locked and your back straight.
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