Have you noticed pain when walking or running? Do you have fallen arches in your feet? Do you have a nagging knee or hip pain? Then let’s talk hamstrings!
If you’ve said yes to any of the questions above, it is possible that your hamstrings are not functioning optimally and can use some training. Hamstrings are notorious for being super tight on a lot of us and they often take the blame for making our downward dogs uncomfortable during yoga. But this group of 3 muscles in the back of our thighs is very important for movement and function! In particular, our hamstrings play a crucial role in slowing down the action of our hip flexors as we take each step during gait. Hamstrings also help slow down the action of pronation, or flattening of the foot, that occurs as we load the leg that just stepped forward. Without the action of hamstrings decelerating these motions, the forces going through our joints will not be balanced. Then we can potentially run into some problems, like pain when walking. In this video, I go through a super functional exercise that pertains to this function of the hamstrings. Using this exercise, you will not only activate and strengthen the hamstrings, but you will also be able to train them to optimize your body mechanics during everyday activities. Check it out and let us know how you liked it!
