13 Yoga Poses To Stretch Your Hamstrings
Specific yoga poses targeting the hamstrings can alleviate tightness and improve flexibility. The hamstrings are the three muscles that run along the back side of your thigh, connecting your pelvis to your knee. Many people have tight hamstrings as a result of repetitive movements or poor posture.
Improving your hamstring flexibility is usually a gradual process, but it's possible with regular practice. Start slow and don't force anything since a hamstring strain is the last thing you want. Use props when appropriate, be consistent and patient, and you will see results.
The poses below are arranged in order from beginning to more advanced. The beginner poses are definitely the place to start. The advanced poses assume that you already have a good deal of mobility in this area. Read through for full instructions for each pose.
1. Reclined Big Toe Pose – Supta Padangusthasana
Hamstring stretches in this position tend to be the most gentle and accessible. A strap is going to be a really useful prop for anyone with tight hamstrings.
1) Begin lying on your back with both legs extended.
2) Exhale, bend your left knee and bring your left thigh into your chest.
3) Inhale, grab the big toe with your two peace fingers or loop a strap around the arch of your left foot;
4) Exhale, straighten your left leg. If you are using a strap, walk your hands up the strap until your arms are fully extended.
5) Inhale, flex your left foot.
6) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
7) Exhale, come out of the pose and repeat on the other side.
Beginners’ tip
· Use a strap to close the distance between your hand and your foot allows you to straighten your legs and get the full benefits of the stretch. If you don't have a yoga strap, don't worry. Any belt, scarf, or towel will work just as well here.
2. Standing Forward Bend – Uttanasana
Uttanasana is an integral part of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations) and vinyasa flows, it’s also an excellent stand-alone pose for stretching the hamstring because gravity lends you a hand.
1) Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your hands on your hips and feet hip distance apart.
2) Exhale, fold forward from the hip joints (not the waist), keeping your shoulders back and chest open and knees micro-bend. Remember do not lock the knees.
3) Lower your hands to the blocks, your shins, feet, or the floor. Or cross your arms and hold both elbows.
4) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
5) Inhale, slowly come out of the pose.
Beginners’ tip
· Use blocks to close the distance between your hand and the floor allows you to relax your shoulders, have a flat back and get the full benefits of the stretch. If you don't have yoga blocks, don't worry. books will work just as well here, just make sure that the two sides are leveled with each other.
3. Standing Wide Legged Forward Bend – Prasarita Padottanasana
Another option for a standing forward fold is to take your legs out wide. This pose will stretch your entire hamstring, plus the hip flexors.
Note: A common mistake in this pose is to take the legs too far apart in an effort to get your head closer to the floor. So find what works best for you, do not force any stretches.
1) Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your hands by your sides.
2) Step your feet out, keeping them parallel, toes in, heels out slightly. Your stance should be significantly wider than shoulder-width, but not so wide that you start losing stability.
3) Exhale, hinge at your hips and bend forward with a neutral spine and an open chest
4) About halfway down, when your back is close to flat, place your hands on the floor or on blocks.
5) Press into the outer soles of your feet.
6) If you can continue without hunching your back or feeling any pain, keep folding forward and walking your hands backward.
7) If your head reaches the ground comfortably, you can rest it gently on the floor.
8) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
9) Inhale, slowly come out of the pose.
Beginners’ tip
· Use blocks to close the distance between your hand and the floor allows you to relax your shoulders, have a flat back and get the full benefits of the stretch. If you don't have yoga blocks, don't worry. books will work just as well here, just make sure that the two sides are leveled with each other.
4. Downward Facing Dog – Adho Mukha Svanasana
Downward Facing Dog Pose is a staple in yoga sequences—and for good reasons. It stretches the entire body and especially the hamstrings, calves, glutes, hips, and back.
1) Begin in Tabletop with your hands and feet shoulder-width apart.
2) Inhale, walk your hands a couple of inches over your shoulders, tuck your toes.
3) Exhale, press into your palms and lift your hips up and back.
4) Spin your biceps forward and draw your shoulders down and away from ears.
5) Lift up through the tailbone and have a flat back even if that means your heels hover off the floor.
6) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
7) Inhale, slowly lower down the knees and come out of the pose.
Beginners’ tip
· Bend your knees generously.
· Hover your heels off the floor as much as is comfortable for you to find the lifting through the tailbone and a flat back. Remember that the goal is to feel the stretch in the hamstrings as much as possible, rather than to have the heels down on the floor.
5. Head to Knee Pose – Janu Sirsasana
This pose stretches the hamstrings, hips, and groin while offering a gentle spinal twist. By elongating one leg at a time instead of both, you can achieve a deeper and more targeted stretch.
1) Sit on a folded blanket/cushion or the floor with both legs outstretched.
2) Bend your right knee and place the right foot against your left inner thigh.
3) Inhale, flex the left foot, press the top of the thigh down, lengthen the spine and raise your arms up and over head.
4) Exhale, rotate your upper body slightly so you are facing the left leg and then fold forward from the hips.
5) Keep your spine long, chest open and shoulders relaxed.
6) Place your hands down, framing your left leg, or take hold of your ankle or foot.
7) Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
8) Inhale, come out of the pose.
Beginners’ Tips
If you find it difficult to tilt the pelvis forward, sit up on a folded blanket or cushion. Work on maintaining length in your spine, sitting upright rather than folding forward.
Loop a strap around your flexed foot. Hold one end of the strap in each hand, pull firmly not forcefully, and only come as far forward as you can keep your spine straight and pain-free.
Bend your knee as much as you need to fold from the hips.
6. Seated Forward Bend – Paschimottanasana
This pose stretches your calves, hamstring, and back and can be modified with a block or strap depending on your reach.
1) Sit on a blanket or the floor with both legs stretched out in front of you.
2) Inhale, lift your torso, lengthen your spine and open the chest, feet flexed.
3) Exhale, lean forward at the hips and reach forward with your arms as far as is comfortable while maintaining an upright posture.
4) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
5) Inhale, come out of the pose.
Beginners’ Tips
If you find it difficult to tilt the pelvis forward, sit up on a folded blanket or cushion. Work on maintaining length in your spine, sitting upright rather than folding forward.
Loop a strap around your flexed feet. Hold one end of the strap in each hand, pull firmly not forcefully, and only come as far forward as you can keep your spine straight and pain-free.
Bend your knee as much as you need to fold from the hips.
7. Wide Legged Forward Fold – Upavistha Konasana
This pose stretches your calves, hamstring, and back and can be modified with a block or strap depending on your reach.
1) Sit on a blanket or the floor with your legs open as wide as is comfortable.
2) Inhale, reach your arms up overhead, lift your torso, lengthen your spine and open the chest, feet flexed.
3) Exhale, fold forward at the hips and reach forward with your arms as far as is comfortable while maintaining an upright posture.
4) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
5) Inhale, come out of the pose.
Beginners’ Tips
If you find it difficult to tilt the pelvis forward, sit up on a folded blanket or cushion. Work on maintaining length in your spine, sitting upright rather than folding forward.
Blocks can be useful here as it shortens the distance between your hands and the floor. Place the blocks under your palms at whichever height is most appropriate and relax the shoulders down and away from the ears.
8. Pyramid Pose – Parsvottonasana
1) Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Step your left foot forward about three feet/one meter apart, toes pointed to the front of the mat. Keep the feet separated toward the sides of the mat as much as you need, back foot at an angle of 30-45 degrees out. Hands at hips.
2) Inhale, lift your torso, lengthen your spine and open the chest.
3) Exhale, micro bend the front knee, fold forward at the hips and let the hands rest on the shin, maybe grab the ankle or on the floor while maintaining a flat back.
4) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
5) Inhale, come out of the pose.
Beginners’ Tips
· In standing forward bends like pyramid pose, make sure you are not hyperextending in your knee. Even though your leg might not look as straight, a micro bend, which is a slight softening, at the knee is a safer position for your joint health.
· Blocks will absolutely be your best friends here. Use them under your hands at whichever height is most appropriate.
· Hips are facing forward to the front of the mat.
9. Triangle Pose – Trikonasana
This pose offers a deep hamstring stretch, one leg at a time.
1) Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Exhale, step your feet about 4 inches apart and raise your arms by your sides.
2) Inhale, turn your left foot in slightly to the right and rotate your right foot 90 degrees, aligning the right heel with the left heel.
3) Exhale, hinge over at the hips. Micro bend the right knee. Lower your right hand to a block, or your shin or the floor while reaching your left arm up to the ceiling.
4) Inhale, reach left hand towards the ceiling.
5) Exhale, draw the shoulders down and away from ears. Roll the left shoulder towards the left.
6) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
7) Inhale, slowly come out of the pose.
8) Repeat on the other side.
Beginners’ Tips
· As in pyramid pose (above), make sure not to lock your knees in triangle.
· Blocks will absolutely be your best friends here. Place a block next to the front foot on the inside at whichever height is most appropriate and place your hand on top of it to really open your chest to the ceiling.
· The hips are stacked on top of one another rather than squared to the floor.
10.Side Lunge – Skandasana
Skandasana is a great one for the inner upper thigh. Again, it's not about how low you can go. Don't worry for a minute of you're not in a full squat. As long as you feel the stretch, you're benefiting.
1) Inhale, begin in Wide-Legged Forward Bend (Prasarita Padottanasana).
2) Exhale, bend your left knee into a half-squat. Keep your right leg straight and flex your right foot so that your toes leave the floor so you are rooting into the right heel.
3) Inhale, press hips back while keeping the spine lifted. Root into your feet so that your body is lifted, instead of sinking.
4) Exhale, bring your hands together into anjali mudra (palms together) with the left elbow pressing against the inside of the left knee in a kind of half Garland Pose (Malasana). Or, extend arms out wide with left arm to the floor against the inside of your left thigh, right arm reaching towards the ceiling. Inhale.
5) Exhale, drop your hands to the floor for support and shift to the other side.
Beginners’ tips
· place a rolled-up blanket/towel/block under your heel with the bent leg for support.
· Keep your hands on the floor for balance or on a block if that is helpful.
11.Revolved Triangle – Parivrtta Trikonasana
Although it's called revolved triangle, the root of this pose is actually closer to pyramid pose (shown above). The set up of the legs is the same. Also, the position of the hips is like pyramid—squared hips to the front of the mat.
This pose is often very challenging, even for experienced yoga students. A block under your hand and/or taking the hand to the inside of your front foot are both good options to keep your hips from going all cockeyed.
1) You can start in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) like it is shown in Pyramid Pose above. Or start facing the long edge of the mat in a wide leg stance about a meter apart, heels in line with each other, toes pointing forwards.
2) Turn your right foot 90 degrees to point towards the short end of the mat and your left foot in about 45 degrees. Square your hips to the right.
3) Inhale, root down through your feet, engage your legs, lengthen the spine and extend both arms to the side.
4) Exhale as you hinge from the hips to bring your upper body parallel with the floor – placing the left hand on a block or the floor on the outside edge of the right foot, bringing your right hand onto your lower back or reaching it up and back.
5) Press firmly through both feet and drive the right hip towards the back.
6) Inhale, keep lengthening the spine.
7) Exhale, twist to the right, rolling your right shoulder back.
8) If you are feeling steady turn your head to look to the side, or up to your top hand.
9) Stay for 5-10 breaths, keeping your legs strong, and your pelvic floor and core muscles engaged.
10) Exhale as you lower your right arm and come out of the twist. Bring your hands back to your hips. Inhale, come up to standing.
11) Pivot your feet and repeat on the other side.
Beginners’ tips
This is a complex pose which challenges your balance and flexibility in the hamstrings, hips, spine, shoulders and neck.
Break it down into two parts by first working on the position of the legs and back, before adding the twist when you feel ready:
Start by practicing Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana). Place blocks on either side of your front foot for support.
Add the twist only if you can do so without compromising the length in your spine.
12.Sleeping Vishnu – Anantasana
Sleeping Vishnu always looks easier than it is. If you keep the side of your body very straight, balancing becomes a real challenge. Use a strap around your foot if you can't reach your toe with the leg straight. Keep both feet flexed and your thighs engaged throughout.
1) Begin by lying on your back.
2) Stretch your right arm to the back of your mat. Roll over onto your right side. Your head will rest on your upper arm.
3) Bend your right arm and lift your head. Bring your right hand to cup and support the side of your head where it feels comfortable.
4) Flex both feet. Keep them flexed throughout this pose.
5) Try to keep your whole body in one line from elbow to heels. Don't tip forward or backward. Inhale.
6) Exhale, bend your left knee and take hold of the big toe with the two peace fingers of your left hand in a yogi toe lock. Inhale.
7) Exhale, straighten your left leg toward the ceiling as much as possible.
8) Firmly rooting your thigh bone and upper arm into the ground to maintain the balance on your side.
9) Stay for 5-10 breaths.
10) Slowly Release your toe and roll to your back. Repeat the pose lying on your left side.
Beginners’ tips
· If it is challenging to keep balanced when keeping your head up with your hand, then keep your arm down on your mat with your cheek resting on your arm instead.
· Make a loop in the strap and slide it to the ball of your raised foot. Hold the strap in your same hand and straighten your leg, using the strap to give yourself as much extra arm length as you need.
· You can use bolsters to prop your back or place the sole of your extended foot against a wall to provide balance.
13.Standing Big Toe Pose – Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
1) From Mountain Pose (Tadasana), press into the earth through your feet, tuck your tailbone in slightly and observe the evenness on the two sides of the torso.
2) Firm the left leg without hyperextending the left knee, then bend the right leg and clasp the big toe with the two peace fingers of the right hand.
3) Exhale, press the right foot forward and notice the effect throughout the rest of the body.
4) Inhale, lift the chest up and maintain the balance.
5) Exhale, draw your tailbone down.
6) Inhale, notice if the right hip is higher than the left.
7) Exhale, bring the right hip down in line with the left hip; keep the left leg straight.
8) Hold for 5-10 breaths.
9) Release and repeat on the other side.
Beginner’s Tip
· You can hold this pose longer by supporting the raised-leg foot on the top edge of a chair back (padded with a blanket/towel). Set the back of the chair an inch or two from a wall and press your raised heel firmly to the wall.
· One of the biggest alignment challenges is to do this pose without leaning too far back, which is the natural inclination to counter the weight of your leg in front. Stand with your back against a wall to see what this feels like.