Magic Trick for Tight Hamstrings

This past week I discovered a magic trick…Okay not really.  What really happened?  I remembered a few things that I had forgotten, and then once connected these tidbits of information worked as if by magic to release someone’s hamstrings!  It seemed like magic because this person had been doing all the “right” things.  She had been stretching the hamstrings, she had been doing the hamstring release series, and she had been strengthening her body… Yet her hamstrings weren’t budging because we hadn’t put it all together.  Like many things, this magic trick seemed so obvious once it was clear.  Why didn’t I think of it before?  Well, I thought I would point out the pieces of information that connected to develop the hamstring magic trick…Then what I really want to do is ask all of you to try it and see if it really works.  You know another of The Pilates Studio’s forays into uncontrolled pseudo scientific experiments that gather more and more anecdotal information.  That’s what I want!  I look forward to the discussion that occurs at The Pilates Studio this week.  

Or if you are in another place, feel free to post a comment below!

Hamstring Tidbits (Funny none of these tidbits are "about" the hamstrings)

Tidbit #1 – I remember learning once from Elizabeth Larkham.  We were on the trap table at a workshop entitled “The Core has Arms” She talked about the leg spring series and how pressing your hands into the upright poles helps to activate the anterior oblique sling.

Tidbit #2 – I remembered learning about the functional lines from Tom Myers.  These are fascial lines that work together, and in particular I remembered when talking fascial connections that the triceps connect to the serratus anterior which connects to the external obliques, which connect to the internal obliques of the opposite side.

Tidbit #3 – The phrase “Stuck on the Inhale” came to mind.  This idea refers to the efficiency of using the core of the body.  It is much more efficient to find axial length with a strong and efficient core if a person can get all of the air out of the lungs.  Thank you to Tom Myers and Brent Anderson, who have both explained this in completely different ways to me…

Tidbit #4 – The body will recruit global moving muscles to maintain stability if necessary.  And this becomes necessary when the body loses axial length and abdominal strength.  In other words the body uses muscles like the hamstrings and glutes instead of the core of the body.

Wait I thought this post was about loosening the hamstrings…

Okay Try This: 

First don’t think about anything and lift your leg straight into the air.  Ask yourself these questions…

How does the pelvis feel?  How does the hamstring feel?  Where do you feel pain or tightness?

Now with the answers to those questions in mind, Try this:

Lay down on the floor close to the wall.  Place your hands on the wall and push the palms of your hands into the wall, slide your shoulder blades down your back, feel your triceps engage and also feel muscles underneath your shoulder blades engage.  Then exhale all of the air out of your lungs, notice that your ribcage narrows and that your abdominals engage.  Maintain this position and lift your leg again…What happens?  How does it feel?  IS it different?

If the description above is confusing watch the videos below that show the difference.

These videos were shot quickly at The Pilates Studio between classes.  Notice all the chatter of the happy people that love pilates

Task one may look like this:

Notice the popping ribs, and that the thigh bone stops just below the hip.

Here's a video of the next task.  Do you notice a difference?  Now what if you used the breath while stretching the hamstrings? Might life be a little easier in these stretches.?

I can't wait to continue to explore this idea with the clients at The Pilates Studio.  Please feel free to try this and comment below.  The more anecdotal data we can collect the more movement "magic tricks" we can discover.

Katrina Hawley C.M.A, CPT-PMA
Director of Instruction at The Pilates Studio