Short Class 32: Hip Flexion (Hamstring Specific)
45m
This is a hamstring specific mobility class
Equipment Needed: Yoga blocks, a box to place your leg up on. Tennis ball, extra padding for your ankle/knee, and sticks for balance are optional…you can use a wall for balance, and get creative with the padding.
Time Markers:
0:30 CARs (warm up)
8:35 Pelvic Tilts (Quadruped Base)
10:20 Hip Flexion PAILs/RAILs + Lift Offs (Standing Base)
31:15 Passive Range Holds (Half Kneeling Base)
35:35 Straight Leg Lift Offs (Seated Base Against Wall)
38:30 Finishing CARs
A lot of people deal with “tight” hamstrings. Though typically tightness = weakness, so utilizing the drills in this class will greatly help remedy “tightness” by strengthening and expanding range of motion in this specific area.
It’s important to note - if this a weak and problematic area for you, you will definitely want to go at your own pace so limit your intensity if you have to. In the class we do 3 rounds of PAILs/RAILs, but listen to your body and only do as many rounds as you feel is appropriate for yourself - maybe that’s 2 rounds, maybe that’s 1 round. Or maybe you limit the intensity each round. It’s important to gradually build up to more workload and intensity over time. Progressive overload is key, especially in areas with past issues and weakness. Over time you will get stronger and stronger.
In our PAILs/RAILs base we really want to feel the stretch in our hamstring, and not behind the knee. If you feel a pulling sensation behind your knee try to bend your knee to take that sensation away and focus the stretch on the hamstring instead.
In our lift offs, we’re working the opposite side of the hamstring - the hip flexors. It’s important to have strong hip flexors (in a shortened position) in order to access your hamstrings actively. So in this class we’ll work both sides - posterior (hamstrings) and anterior (hip flexors).
I hope those hammies feel all kinds of buttered up after this!