How to Do a Hurdler Stretch for Tight Hamstrings

Anyone who has watched a track and field even has seen hurdlers warm up by assuming the hurdlers position while sitting on the ground. Their flexibility is very obvious as they reach down and grab the bottom of their shoes. For the average athlete, trying to emulate that exercise without understand exactly what it does to the muscles of the hip and lower leg can be disastrous. The following tips will help you do a hurdler stretch for tight hamstrings.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Sit on the ground. Bring your knees to your chest. Slowly allow your knees to fall to the ground. The soles of your feet will be facing each other.

2. Straighten your back. Place your hands on your hips. Slowly bend forward from the hips. Hold that position for 15 seconds. Straighten back up.

3. Extend one leg. Leave the other in its forward flexed position. You should not tuck it under and behind you as do hurdlers.

4. Move your hands down your extended leg. Keep your back straight. Bend from the hips. Your will feel a distinct pulling in the hamstring of your extended leg. Reach your point of maximum stretch, don't bounce.

5. Hold that position for 20 to 25 seconds. Slowly straighten back up.

6. Reverse positions and stretch the opposite leg. Repeat three times for each leg.

Tips & Warnings

• Doing the exercise with the knee folded behind you--emulating the hurdlers position, puts significant stress on the inside ligaments of the knee and the muscles of the hip. Hurdlers may need for these to be stretched, but the average athlete does not.

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