Lying Down Hamstring Stretching Exercises with a Partner

Due to long hours spent sitting, the hamstrings have a tendency to become too tight and inflexible. The hamstrings attach up at the back of your pelvis; when they’re too tight, the pull on your pelvic bone and cause you to arch your back slightly. This adjustment to your posture can lead to lower back pain. Stretching your hamstrings consistently on your own can significantly improve your flexibility, but having a partner help you makes your sessions be more effective.

  1. Benefits

    • When you’re stretching on your own, you’re limited on how much you can lengthen your muscles. Having a partner improves your stretching session because he can help you elongate your hamstrings further than you would on your own. In addition, stretching is often an activity tacked on to the end of a workout if there’s time, but a partner can help with motivation, ensuring that you perform the stretches correctly and thoroughly.

    Technique

    • Lie on your back with both legs extended and with your arms down by your sides. Have your partner kneel beside you and lift up one of your legs from the heel as you keep your knee straight. If your leg is difficult for your partner to control, he can brace your ankle against his shoulder. Your partner will slowly lift your leg up to vertical. Let him know when you feel a stretch in your hamstring, and have your partner hold your leg firmly in that position for 30 seconds. Switch legs.

    PNF Stretching

    • Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation is a type of stretching done with a partner that combines both relaxation and contraction. PNF is more effective at increasing flexibility than static stretching. Have your partner put you into the lying hamstring stretch and hold that position for 10 seconds. Then, your partner will hold your leg firmly to provide resistance as you contract your hamstrings, attempting to lower your leg down to the floor. Hold this contraction for 10 seconds and then relax. Your partner will then move your leg slightly higher for a bigger stretch, holding that position for another 10 seconds. Repeat this three to six times, and then switch legs.

    Considerations

    • If you’d like the benefits of stretching with a partner but don’t have anyone available, you can use a towel or rope during the lying hamstring stretch. Lift one of your legs up to vertical and then loop the towel or rope over your foot, grabbing the two ends with your hands. Gently pull the towel or rope toward your chest, elongating your hamstrings. A tough towel may even provide enough resistance to perform a PNF stretch. Hold the towel tightly during the segments where you attempt to lower your leg to the floor and then relax your hamstrings; then gently pull on the towel for a deeper stretch.