A common struggle for many yoga students is hamstring flexibility. Active people often have tight hamstrings, which can limit your yoga practice and cause you to compromise your lower back in many poses. The key to improving your practice and hamstring flexibility is patience and practice, however there are some poses which are especially effective in getting you there a little faster.
The mini flow outlined below takes you through 4 poses that, if practiced frequently, will give you noticeable results. Start on the Right side, then do the entire flow again on the Left side. Hold each pose for as long as desired, the longer you hold, the deeper into the stretch you will get.
1) Extended Triangle Pose {Utthita Trikonasana}
This pose targets the thighs and helps to increase flexibility in the hamstrings, groin and shoulders. The slight twist stimulates the organs in your abdomen, which can improve digestion.
How to get into Utthita Trikonasana:
- Start in Mountain pose/Tadasana (simply standing, feet hip width apart, at the front of your mat)
- On exhalation, step your left foot back at a 45º angle, coming into Warrior 2 pose with your arms extended in line with your shoulders and parallel to the floor, palms down
- Right foot is in front, knee bent at 90º (careful not to bring the knee forward over your right foot)
- Transition to triangle pose by straightening your right leg, keeping the right knee in line with your right ankle
- On your next exhalation reach toward the front of your mat, moving your torso forward while keeping in line with your right leg, you should be moving from your hips (not waist)
- Root down through your left foot, keeping the left leg straight and strong while pressing the heel of your foot down
- Rotate your torso to the left, leading this movement with your left shoulder, keep both sides of your torso long
- Bring your right hand down on your shin, ankle, foot or floor (maintaining length in both sides of your torso)
- Extend the left arm towards the sky, fingers together pointing upwards and shoulders in one line
2) Intense Side Stretch {Parsvottanasana}
This pose targets your outer hamstrings and can also help stretch out your IT band (aka iliotibial).
How to get into Parsvottanasana:
- From Extended triangle pose; exhale (gazing at the right foot) and slowly lower your fingertips on your left hand to the floor on the inside of your right foot while rotating your torso to the right, right fingertips on the outside of your right foot (if you cannot reach the floor place two blocks on either side of your right foot)
- Square your hips by turning the heel of your left foot (your back leg) so that it is in line with the toes and pointing towards the front of your mat (the same direction as your right foot)
- Adjust the distance between both feet so that you can comfortably straighten both legs, keep feet hip width apart and press down through the big toes and heel
- Firm your thighs, slightly squeezing them inward as if you are holding a block between them
- Ensure both knee caps are in line with the ankle of the corresponding leg
- Check your hips, they should be in line parallel to the front of your mat, make sure you’re not rotating the pelvis reaching one hip toward the front more than another
- Keep your torso parallel to the floor over the right extended leg, reaching forward from the grion/hips
- Inhale and on your next exhale slowly lower your torso as close as is comfortable towards the right thigh
3) Low Lunge {Anjaneyasna}
This pose targets your groin and thighs, the deeper you sink into your hips the deeper stretch.
How to get into Anjanevasana:
- From Intense Side Stretch; bring your gaze to the floor just past the toes on your right foot
- Press the big toe and heel of your right foot firmly into the ground, exhale and slowly shift your weight forward, bending the right knee and moving your torso over the right thigh
- Stop when your right knee is at a 90º angle, knee directly above your right ankle
- Keep the right knee fixed in this position and slide the left foot away from you while lowering the left knee to the floor, you should feel a nice stretch in the thigh and groin (if there is any pain, shorten the distance between your left knee and right foot)
- Flatten the left foot so that the top of the foot is on the floor
- From here you can place both hands on the inside of your right foot, for a deeper stretch lower your forearms to the floor (watch that the right knee does not extend over the right ankle towards the front of your mat)
- Lift your chest and firm your shoulders blades, as if you are squeezing a pencil between them
4) Half Front Splits {Ardha Hanumanasana}
This Pose strengthens your hamstrings and focuses on your hips, hamstrings and calves.
How to get into Ardha Hanumanasana:
- From Low Lunge; place your right hand on the outside of the right foot, left hand on the inside
- Inhale and lift your torso up at the same time lifting your right toes off the mat and shifting the weight to your right heel, flex your foot
- Slide your left knee forward on the mat so that it is directly under your hips
- Bring your torso stacked on top of your pelvis, hands on your hips and spine in a straight line
- Square your hips with the front of your mat
- Engage the muscles of your thigh and core
- Moving from the pelvis, exhale and slowly fold over your right thigh, placing your hands on the floor (or on blocks) on either side of your extended leg
- Check in with your hips, make sure they are even by pressing the right hip back and drawing the left hip slightly forward
- Breathe deeply, and when you’re ready, inhale bring the right knee forward to a 90º angle
- Tuck the toes on the left foot under, and lift the left knee of the mat transitioning into lunge
- Step the right foot back, transitioning into downdog