8 Of The Best Hamstring Stretches To Release Tight Muscles

Got tight hamstrings? You’re not alone. Having tight hamstrings is incredibly common, whether you’re someone who works out regularly, enjoys running or cycling, or spends a lot of time sitting during the day. Any of these factors might lead to tightness in your hips, glutes and hamstrings. 

Because your hamstrings are such a large lower body muscle group, tightness in this area can also lead to pain and issues in other parts of your legs, glutes, hips or back, or mean you’re engaging the wrong muscles during your workouts to compensate. That’s why it’s so important to stretch!

Where are your hamstrings and what causes tightness? 

The hamstrings are a group of muscles on the back of your thigh that extend from your hip to your knee.  The hamstrings work closely with your glutes and quads to move your legs. They help to flex your knee joint and to extend your leg backwards — you use them when walking, running, cycling, jumping and performing leg exercises. Yep, pretty much all the time.

Without proper warm-ups, recovery time and stretching, you’ve got yourself a recipe for some very tight hammies. On the flip side, tight hamstrings can also be caused by prolonged periods of sitting, so knowing a few good hamstring stretches is great to have up your sleeve if you have a desk job or work from home, too. 

These stretches can help reduce stiffness, boost overall mobility and increase flexibility in your hamstrings.

Dynamic hamstring stretches

Dynamic stretching means you continue to move throughout the stretch, rather than holding a fixed position. This type of stretching is ideal to do before you exercise to warm up the muscles and joints and increase blood flow.

Foam rolling

Foam rolling is another way to help increase blood flow to your hamstrings and loosen the connective tissue around the muscles to enable smooth movement. Foam rolling can be performed before your workout as part of your warm-up, during your cooldown, or as a dedicated recovery session.

Here’s how to foam roll your hamstrings:

1. Position the foam roller horizontally in front of you. Extend both legs and place them on top of the roller, crossing your left ankle over your right.

2. Allow the foam roller to press into the middle part of your hamstring muscle (about [10cm] below your glute). This may require you to lift your body off the floor, as shown.

3. Slowly roll the foam roller along the length of your hamstring. Once you reach a point of tenderness (called a trigger point), pause and hold that position for ~60 seconds or until the pressure/pain is significantly reduced. You can choose to perform small strokes over the point of tenderness if you would prefer.

4. Continue to roll down the length of your hamstring, pausing on trigger points as needed.

5. Repeat on the other side.

Alternate hamstring stretch

This stretch helps to get the blood flowing to your hamstrings and calves. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Plant both feet on the floor, hip-width apart.

2. While keeping your legs straight, bend forward from your hips and reach for your toes with both hands (or as far as you can). Rest your hands on the mat, feet, or on your shins — whichever is most comfortable.

3. Press further into your left heel and bend your right knee. Press further into your right heel and bend your left knee. 

4. Press further into your left heel and bend your right knee. Press further into your right heel and bend your left knee.

5. Continue alternating between right and left for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout.

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

This exercise can be performed mid-workout or as a way to warm up your hamstrings and help engage your lower body and core in preparation for your workout. Aim to keep your hips even and aligned throughout the movement. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2.  Bend your left knee slightly and set this as a fixed angle. Without changing the angle of your left knee, hinge forward from your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor, extending your right leg behind you. 

3. At the same time, extend your arms towards the floor. Ensure you keep your hips level, maintain a proud chest and that your head is an extension of your spine. You should feel tension in your left hamstring (back of your leg).

4. Push through your left heel and, using your glute and hamstrings, extend your hips to return to the starting position.

Inchworm

Activate your entire posterior chain, including your hamstrings, with this full-body stretching and strengthening exercise. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. Bend at the hips and while keeping your legs as straight as possible, place your hands on the floor directly in front of your feet. This is your starting position.

2. Without moving your feet, walk your hands forward until your body is in a high plank position, forming one straight line from your head to your heels, resting on the balls of your feet with your legs as straight as possible.

3. Without moving your feet, walk your hands backwards to return to the starting position, once again, ensuring your legs remain as straight as possible.

Static hamstring stretches

For best results and injury prevention, static stretching should be done when your muscles are warm after your workout, as part of your cool down. 

Always remember to keep breathing naturally throughout each stretch and avoid any bouncing motions which can increase your risk of muscle tears. You should feel a gentle pulling of the muscle or slight discomfort, but never pain.

Lats and hamstrings

This stretch targets the side of the body, as well as the hamstrings. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. While seated on a yoga mat, extend your left leg out to the side. Lift and turn out your right leg so that your foot is resting against the inside of your left leg.

2. Extend your arms towards the ceiling and rotate your body towards your right (bent) leg.

3. While maintaining the rotation, lower your torso towards your left (straight) leg, ensuring your left leg remains straight and your arms are extended.

4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout.

Single leg calves and hamstrings

This is a stretch you can do anywhere without lying, sitting or touching the ground. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Plant both feet on the floor, hip-width apart.

2. Take a small step forward with your right leg, resting your heel on the floor with your foot flexed.

3. Hinge forward from the hips and reach your right hand towards your right foot. If you can reach your foot, gently pull your toes back towards you for an extra stretch. 

4. Hold this position for 30 seconds before repeating it on the other side.

Lying single-leg hamstring stretch

Relax into this stretch during your cool-down or evening routine to loosen tight hamstrings. You can increase the intensity of this stretch by using a strap or towel lopped over your foot. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. 

2. Extend your right leg towards the ceiling and place your hands behind your knee, shin or ankle — whichever is most comfortable, ensuring your tailbone remains on the floor.

3. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds or until the tension eases, breathing deeply throughout. 

4. Each time you exhale, draw your leg in towards your torso if you want to increase the stretch, ensuring your spine remains in a neutral position and your tailbone remains on the floor.

5. Repeat on the other side.

Standing wide-stance hamstring stretch

Relieve tension in your hamstrings and lower back with this standing hamstring stretch. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Plant both feet on the floor hip-width apart. Take a large step out to the side with your left leg. Ensure both feet are facing forwards. 

2. Bending from the hips, reach down to the mat (or as far as you can), placing your hands on the floor or on the opposite elbow — whichever is most comfortable.

3. Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout.

4. Each time you exhale, you can bring your torso further towards the mat to increase the stretch, ensuring you are bending from the hips and not rounding through your spine.

Seated single-leg hamstring stretch (Hurdler stretch)

This stretch targets one leg at a time, and is especially effective if you have really tight hamstrings. You don’t have to touch your toes, simply reaching towards your feet as far as you can will be enough to feel the stretch in the back of your legs! 

Here’s how to do it:  

1. While seated on a yoga mat, extend both legs out in front of you.

2. Lift and turn out your right leg so that your foot is resting against the inside of your left leg, as shown.

3. Bending from the hips, reach for your left foot with your left hand. If you can reach your toe and want more of a stretch, gently pull it back towards you. 

4. To increase the stretch further, try to lower your torso towards your left leg, once again ensuring that you are bending from the hips.

5. Hold for 20-30 seconds before repeating on the other side.

Forward follow (Rag doll)

This gentle stretch for your hamstrings is perfect if you struggle to touch your toes. 

Here’s how to do it: 

1. Stand with your feet, hip-width apart and arms resting by your sides. 

2. With your legs as straight as possible, hinge forward from the hips as far as you can so that you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and lower back. 

3. At the same time, bend your elbows to rest each hand on the opposite elbow.

4. Hold this position for 30 seconds, breathing deeply throughout.

Stretch your hamstrings to help keep your hips flexible! 

Tight hips are a common issue for many people, especially as so many of us spend a lot of time sitting. Even a few minutes of stretching your glutes, hamstrings and quads each day can help improve your hip mobility. 

Using these hamstring stretches regularly can help to prevent lower back pain, reduce the risk of injury and improve your posture. 

Looking for more stretches to release tight hips and boost your flexibility? Try these hip flexor stretches post-workout or after a long day of sitting. Your future self will thank you!