How to Do Standing Hamstring Stretches

Whether you are rehabbing your knees and doing physical therapy or getting ready to play in the big game, you must stretch before you exercise. It is imperative to help ward off injury, especially as you get older. Here's how to perform some standing hamstring stretches next time you are getting ready to exercise.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. If you have trouble reaching your toes from this position, you can spread your legs out. This will make the distance you must reach to complete the stretch shorter.

2. Slowly reach down toward your feet. A nice way to ease into this stretch is to slide your hands down your legs. This will not only help stabilize you as you reach, but ensure that you don't move too quickly, thus injuring the very hamstring you are trying to stretch.

3. Keep your knees straight as you reach to the ground. Bending your knees will essentially defeat the whole purpose of the stretch, as the bent legs will allow the hamstrings to relax.

4. Hold the stretch when you've reached your maximum distance. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither do your stretches have to be all the way to the ground. Find the spot where you feel your hamstrings stretching. Then try to stretch a little further the next day. Eventually you will be able to touch your toes.

5. Roll back up to the standing position to complete the stretch. Make sure to return slowly to your standing position. You don't want to suddenly "jerk" your body back up.

6. Repeat the stretch 2 more times to complete a set of stretching your hamstrings while standing. Then you'll be ready to exercise.

Tips & Warnings

• You may also stretch your hamstrings by sitting on the ground and reaching to touch your toes. Just remember to keep your knees straight.

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