Release Your Hamstring Muscles to Improve Posture and MUCH More!
The Release your Hamstring Muscles (the back of your legs) also happens to be a part of the 90 Days 5 Simple Exercises Series.
LinK: 90 โ๏ธ Days 5๐๐ผ Exercises Series
90 Days 5 Simple Exercises
This SIMPLE Self Care Exercise 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 here) evenly.
We will
- Strategically position ourselves so we can gently, equally stretch the muscles on the back of our legs.
- Using the simple action of sliding our buttocks up the wall will release the tight muscles on the back of our legs in a balanced way.
Hereโs whatโs in this post for you:
- Hamstring Release Written Instruction and 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 section of the Instruction video showing the pre-check position. (Video Cued to start point for easy access).
- 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
- Trying the Stretch-45 Sec Stretch section of the Instructional (Video Cued to start point for easy access).
- Links to the
- 1 min Video Category;
- Weeks 4-7 Daily Exercise video and
- Choice of Tracking PDF (a 30 day or if you are doing the series the week 4-6 pdf)
Hamstring Muscles: Release the Back of Your Legs Instruction Video.
โฐ 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 โ๏ธโs ๐๐ผ SIMPLE Exercises Week 4 Routine with the Butt slide built-in Goes Here
Positioning on the Wall is KEY to Equal Stretching
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 isnโt further back than the other.
An unbalanced stretch can happen easily when we stretch one leg and then the other.
Stretching one leg at a time can mean unequal stretching
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 Quick Check: Written Instructions are below the video
Video is cued to Start at 02:20, which is the beginning of the Quick Check.
Youโll be amazed at how the hamstring muscles impact your entire body.
โ Run through this quick video clip so you can check on a few key elements thatโll help you choose your prop.
โ After youโve done the hamstring stretch exercise a few times
โ Repeat the check.
Itโll be motivating!
Two More Things that are Motivating
Different ways of Tracking.
- We cannot rely on memory. Other Subscribers Share their SURPRISE RESULTS here on the SUBSCRIBERS SHARE RESULTS page.
They each ran through Head to Toe and made a list of their body status in each region. This Head to Toe Form, where you can jot down notes and have them emailed to you, is a tool subscribers asked for, and it’s been a favorite.
I recommend using it BEFORE you begin stretching and, after 30 Days of using this stretch, revisit what you wrote down.
2. The MOtivator APP
Adding up all the Good Micro Decisions you make in a Day, a Week, Month, EVER! It is a way to FOCUS the brain on getting another and another GOOD MOOD Hormone Hit for all the fantastic Micro Decisions made throughout the day, like Stretching your Hamstrings!
It’s another FREE Tool from me to YOU to help Simplify creating your Self Care Lifestyle. To get on the notify list, let me know you’d like a shout-out when it releases here:
The Simple Self Care Lifestyle
MOtivator APP
Now for The Quick Check Written Instructions:
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.
Lower them until the back of your legs are touching the floor. (if possible)
Once you have your legs straightened as far as they can โ 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 in contact with the wall?
These are important to:
- Track your advances
- And help you decide on what YOUR best prop.
I 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 an 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 rewardingโฆ
Many would come in in tears because their shoulder and neck pain was so uncomfortable.
Massaging their shoulders wasnโt helping, and that’s what was suggested to them to do.
I would have them do this exact check-in and have them sit on the floor, arms at 90, to 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 Voila! For another great Prenatal Exercise, read: Pregnant? The ABSOLUTE Best Pelvic Floor Exercise that May Surprise You!
Pregnant? The BEST Pelvic Floor Exercise may surprise you!
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.
Eliminating 1 discrepancy helps us to identify and rebalance others because they are all connected to how we move. Going after the big influencer muscles first, one being your Hamstrings- the back of your legs, is very efficient, effective, and empowering.
Use 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; Iโd suggest you gather your yoga blocks or something around that height that is stable for your prop. Youโll 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, Iโd suggest using a sturdy ottoman or chair that doesnโt slide around. This will initially be your positioning prop.
Please know a Lower prop is NOT better.
Using the wall & your prop, itโs 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 cheeks 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. (Canโt quite reach- no problem, get a taller prop)
Itโs 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, and lower backโฆ.
Everything about this position and action should feel comfortable.
Maybe awkward but comfortable.
Your arms are controlling how much your back is stretched, and 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 focus again on relaxing your head, neck, and jaw.
Getting back out
Bend your knees โ this will have your butt sliding back down the wall
Slowly roll up.
Try the Exercise. Cued to Start 05:23
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 or use the Head to Toe Form; our memories cannot be trusted!
This Weekโs Self Care Tip:
Each day gently release your tight hamstring muscles to positively impact your entire body.
To Use the 1 Min Daily Video
Head to the 1 Minute Exercises Category on the Video Topics page.
Video Topics Page
Videos are linked for you by category.
Hard to believe less than 1 minute a day will get you results; read the research on 1 Minute Stretching Gets results!
1 Minute Gets You Results
Research shows 1 Minute gets results. It is the day-in and day-out Micro Decisions that add up to results! See the research here.
Feel, Look, LIVE better. The Simple Self Care Lifestyle
How to Relieve Neck Pain
Visit this Hamstring Stretch to help you relieve Upper shoulder and neck aches, and pains.
Feel, Look, LIVE better. The Simple Self Care Lifestyle
If You are in the 90 Days 5 Simple Exercises series
For those of you using the 90โ๏ธ days ๐๐ผ 5 Exercises Series, we will be advancing from this butt slide in 2 weeks to using an entire back-of-body stretch that includes the back of legs. Using the Quick Check we learned today will help guide you.
Link to Week 4 Daily Exercise video
๐ LINK Week 4 DAILY Routine Video and pdf calendar to download is below for you as well.
Have a great day!
P.S. The Newest FREE Self Care Tool for you from me:
Read about it on the Micro Decisions Post
The Simple Self Care Lifestyle
MOtivator APP
Link 90 Days โ๏ธ 5 ๐๐ผ Exercises Series
90 Days 5 Simple Exercises
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