Hamstring Mobility – It’s Important

Besides showing fellow athletes how to use a lacrosse ball to help with mobility, I also have shown many of them a really good hamstring stretch. Many people don’t realize how back problems are often associated with tight hamstrings.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine “Tight hamstrings can restrict movement of the pelvis, which can cause a compensatory increase in rounding of the low back. This increases the forces on the lumbar spine during forward bending, which can lead to injuries in the low back.”

I have learned how PNF stretches can really help with mobility.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation or PNF stretching is where you actively contract then passively stretch the muscle you are trying to lengthen. The technique targets muscular nerve receptors to increase the muscle reach and muscle flexibility. You basically trick the muscle into thinking it is just going to relax after exerting effort, and then you lengthen the muscles while they are relaxed.  

At CrossFit Impavidus, I use the column of the rig but you can use just your hand or or press your heel into a wall or even a door jamb.

Found this info on FitSugar:

To Stretch the hamstrings: 

• Contract the muscle you want to stretch. In the photo above the muscle group being targeted is the hamstrings — the back of the thigh. The leg is held up to the end range of flexibility (where you start to feel the stretch), then you try to press the leg down to the ground which engages the hamstrings. You can press the leg into your own hands with fingers laces holding the back of the leg between the booty and the knee (but not on the knee joint!) or press your heel into a wall. Hold the contraction for 7–10 seconds.
• Release the contraction. Then stretch the hamstring by bringing the leg closer to the torso. Careful here – do not force the leg. Hold the stretch for 10–15 seconds.
• Repeat the cycle three to five times, then switch legs.

To give you a visual —

Fitness journal star date 12.18

warmup

• 800m jog
• broad jumps
• high knees
• heel to butt
• inch worms
• rockette kicks
• 10 Hand stand holds

skill

• Press/Push Press
• Kipping Pull Ups

WOD
17m AMRAP

• 10 box jumps
• 10 push press 65#
• 10 pull ups

rounds: 6+23 reps (almost made it to 7!)