Release Your Hamstring Muscles to Improve Posture and MUCH More!
Release your hamstring muscles! We’re adding another SIMPLE Self Care Exercise that gives you exponential results!
Today the exact positioning and action to release tight hamstring muscles (and over time all the muscles on the back of your legs shown above).
We will
- strategically position ourselves so we can gently, equally,
- use the simple action of sliding our buttocks up the wall to release the tight muscles on the back of our legs.
Here’s what’s in this post for you:
- Hamstring Release Instruction Video
- Why use the wall and prop to release the muscles on the back of our legs
- How to use a very simple position to get feedback from our body so we can choose the best prop.
- 60 sec clip from Instruction video showing the pre-check position.
- How to get in and out of the position for the stretch using the prop that is right for you to release your hamstring muscles
- 45 Sec Practice Video Clip
- Link to this Week’s Daily Exercise video
- New 90 Day Tracking PDFs for Weeks 4 – 7
🎯 This Week’s Self Care Tip:
Each day strategically, gently, release tight hamstring muscles to positively impact your entire body.
This is a super exercise on its own. It is also a part of the 90 ☀️ Days 5 🖐🏼 SIMPLE Exercises series.
A series you can start or RE-start at ANY time.
Hamstring Muscles: Release the Back of Your Legs Instruction Video.
⏰ Video Section Times:
00:00 Intro: Why and How we position ourselves to release tight leg muscles.
02:20 Position Check tool to be sure we are using the right front prop
05:23 Getting in and out of the muscle releasing position
10:14 90 ☀️’s 🖐🏼 SIMPLE Exercises Week 4 Routine with the Butt slide built-in Goes Here
Starting with Why use the wall and prop?
We use the wall so our efforts to release the tightness on the back of our legs will be balanced.
Positioning our buttocks against the wall helps us know we have both legs stretching along a similar plane.
When each buttock cheek is in contact with the wall we know one isn’t further back than the other.
An unbalanced stretch can happen easily when we stretch one leg then the other.
Stretching one leg at a time can mean unequal stretching if our hips do not remain squared. This often leads to a right and left discrepancy which can cause unintended imbalances.
The imbalances can create aches and pains elsewhere.
Unintended imbalances can create uneven joint use, as well as, uneven overall posture.
This is why gently, equally stretching your hamstring muscles using the wall as a guide can result in the reduction of aches and pains throughout your body.
Why Use a Prop?
We use a prop in front of us to place our hands on so we can control the stretch.
It is important to avoid hanging because hanging can lead to unintended overstraining or twisting of our back.
It can also place an unequal stretch on one leg or the other.
Our goal is to release the tightness in a strategic, balanced way that provides optimal benefit to our entire body. Using the prop in front of us helps us do that.
The 60 sec Check video clip:
You’ll be amazed how the hamstring muscles impact your entire body.
– Run through this quick video clip so you can check on a few key elements that’ll help you choose your prop.
– Then after you’ve done the hamstring stretch exercise either
- a few times using the 45 sec Practice video below
- or using your 90 Day 5 Exercises Routine
– Repeat the check.
It’ll be motivating!
There is also the Head to Toe Form you can use to jot down notes.
60 Sec Clip: The Quick Check
The Quick Check: Sit with your back against the wall.
Walk over to a spot where you can sit on the floor with your back against a wall.
Scooch your buttocks all the way back so it too touches the wall. Then bring your arms up to shoulder height bending at the elbow. Place them against the wall too.
Straighten your legs, so they are directly in front of you.
Lowering them until the back of your legs are touching the floor. (if possible)
Once you have your legs straightened as far as they can – while continuously keeping your entire back on the wall.
Take a moment to make note of where your legs are in relation to the floor.
Notice if they lay comfortably on the floor or if they are bent a little or maybe they are a lot.
- Maybe one is bent.
- What about your wrists?
- Slowly turn your head to the left and then the right to see if your wrists are able to touch the wall
- Comfortably?
- Equally?
Another thing to make note of is what happened to your back when you straightened your legs?
- Did it become uncomfortable to keep your back on the wall?
These are important to:
- Track your advances
- And help you decide on what YOUR best prop.
I myself still do this quick check often
After sitting at my computer for too long I still find it so cool to have a way to see immediate improvement of multiple body parts simply using the butt slide hamstring release and simple check,
Huge Benefit to Pregnant and New Moms!
Sharing this technique with prenatal and postnatal moms was always so rewarding…
Many would come in in tears because their shoulder neck pain was so uncomfortable.
Massaging their shoulders wasn’t helping and thats what was suggested to them to do.
I would have them do this exact check in have them sit on the floor arms at 90 see where their hands and wrists were in relation to the wall.
Then the butt slide exercise, slowly, gently intermittently over the hour we were together and waalaa!
SIMPLE exercises positioned and executed well WORK!
When they came in they truly believed to reduce the pain in their neck and shoulder they needed to do an upper body exercise.
But our aches and pains can originate from a multitude of muscle tension & discrepancies.
Especially the 3 Biggest Influencer Muscles we cover in 52 Weeks of Self Care.
So if you know a mom or mom-to be they’ll thank you for sharing this exercise!
Going after the big influencer muscles first like the back of your legs is very efficient, effective and empowering.
Using the information we just gathered to choose your prop. If your
- legs were able to straighten comfortably and your wrist and back of hands were about 4 inches or less away from the wall I’d suggest you gather your yoga blocks or something around that height that is stable for your prop. You’ll use it for the first few times on the highest level.
- now if your legs were bent in order to keep your back on the wall I’d suggest using a sturdy ottoman, or chair that doesn’t slide around. This will initially be your positioning prop.
Please know a Lower prop is NOT better.
Using the wall & your prop it’s time to get into the exercise position
1. Place your Yoga Blocks, Stable Stool or Chair in front of you.
2. Place your feet with your heels 5- 6 inches in front of the wall. (Whatever is a comfortable distance where your butt can touch the wall when you bend forward).
3. Slowly bend your knees and you will feel both your butt come in contact with the wall.
4. Slowly fold forward so your belly moves close to your thighs.
5. Place your hands on your prop at this point. (Can’t quite reach- no problem get a taller prop)
It’s Action time!
Now slide your buttocks up the wall.
Your legs will straighten.
Relax for a moment take time for a nice deep 4-7-8 breath or two. As you exhale relax everything, your shoulders, jaw, lower back….
Everything about this position and action should feel comfortable.
Maybe awkward but comfortable.
Your arms are controlling how much your back is stretched, the height your butt slides up is controlling the stretch you feel in the back of your legs.
Pause where you find a nice stretch take a moment to again focus on relaxing your head, neck and jaw.
Getting back out
Bend your knees – this will have your butt sliding back down the wall
Slowly roll up.
45 sec Practice clip
What to expect:
Maybe you feel one side stretching, and not the other
Maybe you feel your lower calf stretching as they are tighter than your hamstrings.
It is all good!
Give your body a chance to get into and out of and do the exercise for this first week.
Use the Quick check at the end of the week and you will notice differences. Be sure to jot them down our memories cannot be trusted!
For those of you using the 90☀️ days 🖐🏼 5 Exercises Series We will advance this butt slide in 2 weeks.
Link to this Week’s Daily Exercise video
Have a great day!
