Tight Hamstrings
- IronGoddess
- Jerome Drayton
- Posts: 4533
- Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:12 am
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Tight Hamstrings
Last week after a bootcamp class that included dead lifts my hamstrings were super tight so I rolled and stretched and found some relieve but then two days later had a killer speed workout at the track since then I have iced, rolled and stretched but so far no relieve. My last run was on Wednesday and it was awful so I put the running aside for 2 days and just swam. Today I went to my speed work group and found that after the warmup I was so tight I could not do the speed session. It is both hamstrings equally so my coach does not think it is a pull or a tear. Any ideas, suggestions? I do have a RMT session but not until Friday.
IMC 2015
- marymac442
- Jerome Drayton
- Posts: 4660
- Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:13 am
- Location: Burnaby, BC
Re: Tight Hamstrings
I couldn't bike and do speed work last year as my hamstrings complained too much. I would say definitely ease up on the intensity until the recover.
Bonsor Breakfast Club
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
- IronGoddess
- Jerome Drayton
- Posts: 4533
- Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:12 am
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Agh not what I wanted to hear. But could you still manage long distances.
IMC 2015
Re: Tight Hamstrings
I constantly battle tight hamstrings and glutes. When I was younger I never had to stretch. I was the person who everyone called "Gumby". I could bend anyway I wanted. Now, if I miss a day or two of stretching my hamstrings and glutes I tighten right up.
Sitting on the floor and lowering your head to your knee will stretch the hamstring near your knee.
Standing up and putting your leg up on a table or ledge will stretch the hamstring near the glute. (Be very careful with this one though as it's easy to over stretch). Another variation of this would laying on your back, legs out straight and hooking a towel around one foot and bringing your leg up to a 90 degree angle. You have more control this way.
I don't know if I explained those right or not, but in my mind I can see what I mean.
Patience, and just keep working at it without forcing the stretch.
Sitting on the floor and lowering your head to your knee will stretch the hamstring near your knee.
Standing up and putting your leg up on a table or ledge will stretch the hamstring near the glute. (Be very careful with this one though as it's easy to over stretch). Another variation of this would laying on your back, legs out straight and hooking a towel around one foot and bringing your leg up to a 90 degree angle. You have more control this way.
I don't know if I explained those right or not, but in my mind I can see what I mean.
Patience, and just keep working at it without forcing the stretch.
I wanna live like there's no tomorrow
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Running Goddess wrote:Agh not what I wanted to hear. But could you still manage long distances.
You how how far I run!
I wanna live like there's no tomorrow
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
Love, like I'm on borrowed time
It's good to be alive, yeah....Jason Gray
Running is a conversation with your body. Sometimes you listen and sometimes you tell it to stop whining and do something. - Ian
- marymac442
- Jerome Drayton
- Posts: 4660
- Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 10:13 am
- Location: Burnaby, BC
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Running Goddess wrote:Agh not what I wanted to hear. But could you still manage long distances.
I did fine as long as I didn't push the speed too much, but you may need to let your hamstrings heal a bit first if they are really sore right now.
Bonsor Breakfast Club
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
"It's All About the Food
2019 plans - Sun Run Clinic (as usual), make it past tax season with sanity intact, start training, Chicago Marathon !!!
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Three words. Downward facing dogs. Great for the hammies
It's not the size of the dog in the fight...it's the size of the fight in the dog! 11K Marker post - 2010 ATB.
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
Introducing 2017
GoodLife Half Marathon.
TBD
Re: Tight Hamstrings
purdy65 wrote:Three words. Downward facing dogs. Great for the hammies
This. I find that doing sun salutations semi-regularly really helps out with tightness all down the back of the legs.
The road to hell is paved. Run trails.
Re: Tight Hamstrings
I do the hamstring stretches Habs mentions above, because they allow me to stretch the hamstrings gently without straining the lower back. I agree with marymace, though, it sounds like your hammies are asking for a little reprieve right now. Hope you're feeling better soon!
"We are made of dreams and bones."
--The Garden Song
"By perseverance, the snail reached the ark."
--Charles H. Spurgeon
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
--Pablo Picasso
--The Garden Song
"By perseverance, the snail reached the ark."
--Charles H. Spurgeon
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
--Pablo Picasso
- IronGoddess
- Jerome Drayton
- Posts: 4533
- Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 1:12 am
- Location: Victoria, B.C.
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Well I did my LSD yesterday all 2 hrs of it. I went really slow and did 10 and 1's. Followed it up with a soak in the ocean and stretches, foam roller and my usual core work and today I feel no worse and even maybe a bit better. Today is a swim day so maybe tomorrow will be even better.
IMC 2015
Re: Tight Hamstrings
A little late to the discussion, but good to hear that you're able to keep going. I get really tight (and sometimes sore) hamstrings as well, and I think it's because they do extra work to compensate for other weaker muscles. Mine have improved a bit since I got a yoga DVD that has a "happy hips" program on it. Because yoga works on strength, flexibility, and balance, I think it not only stretches my hamstrings, but works out a few of the muscles that I don't normally do much for by mostly running. It might all be placebo effect, but whatever keeps you happy & running!
2014: the year of new awesomeness!
Rogers Insurance Run for L'Arche Half March 22 - done
Calgary Marathon Wild Rose 50k June 1 - done
Stampede Road Race 5k July 6 - done
Magrath sprint tri July 12 - done!!
Jog for the Bog 10k July 27 - done
Seawheeze Half Marathon August 23 - done
Subaru Banff Sprint Triathlon September 6 - done
Blitz Duathlon September 21 - registered
Portland Marathon October 5 - registered
Rogers Insurance Run for L'Arche Half March 22 - done
Calgary Marathon Wild Rose 50k June 1 - done
Stampede Road Race 5k July 6 - done
Magrath sprint tri July 12 - done!!
Jog for the Bog 10k July 27 - done
Seawheeze Half Marathon August 23 - done
Subaru Banff Sprint Triathlon September 6 - done
Blitz Duathlon September 21 - registered
Portland Marathon October 5 - registered
Re: Tight Hamstrings
When I had pain up high in my hamstrings, the PT said it was because my hip flexors were tight (and tilting my pelvis, which put strain on the hamstrings). So, rather than stretching the hamstrings themselves (and risk injury to an already sore muscle group), stretch the opposite (for lack of a better word) muscle group: the hip flexors.
Tight hip flexors are common among cyclists and people who sit all day long.
Tight hip flexors are common among cyclists and people who sit all day long.
"Maybe I will be my own inspiration." - UltraMonk (Laura)
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
"Everywhere is walking distance if you have enough time." - Steven Wright
Re: Tight Hamstrings
La wrote:When I had pain up high in my hamstrings, the PT said it was because my hip flexors were tight (and tilting my pelvis, which put strain on the hamstrings). So, rather than stretching the hamstrings themselves (and risk injury to an already sore muscle group), stretch the opposite (for lack of a better word) muscle group: the hip flexors.
Tight hip flexors are common among cyclists and people who sit all day long.
This.
I find that sitting in a chair all day at the office, plus time on the bike makes my hip flexors very tight and messes everything else up.
Colleen
Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
Curious what I am up to? https://www.strava.com/athletes/5493183
Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
Curious what I am up to? https://www.strava.com/athletes/5493183
Re: Tight Hamstrings
eme wrote:La wrote:When I had pain up high in my hamstrings, the PT said it was because my hip flexors were tight (and tilting my pelvis, which put strain on the hamstrings). So, rather than stretching the hamstrings themselves (and risk injury to an already sore muscle group), stretch the opposite (for lack of a better word) muscle group: the hip flexors.
Tight hip flexors are common among cyclists and people who sit all day long.
This.
I find that sitting in a chair all day at the office, plus time on the bike makes my hip flexors very tight and messes everything else up.
Stupid question: Are the hip flexors the same thing as the quads?
--Curious (and tight all over) in Sherbrooke
"We are made of dreams and bones."
--The Garden Song
"By perseverance, the snail reached the ark."
--Charles H. Spurgeon
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
--Pablo Picasso
--The Garden Song
"By perseverance, the snail reached the ark."
--Charles H. Spurgeon
"I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it."
--Pablo Picasso
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Avis wrote:eme wrote:La wrote:When I had pain up high in my hamstrings, the PT said it was because my hip flexors were tight (and tilting my pelvis, which put strain on the hamstrings). So, rather than stretching the hamstrings themselves (and risk injury to an already sore muscle group), stretch the opposite (for lack of a better word) muscle group: the hip flexors.
Tight hip flexors are common among cyclists and people who sit all day long.
This.
I find that sitting in a chair all day at the office, plus time on the bike makes my hip flexors very tight and messes everything else up.
Stupid question: Are the hip flexors the same thing as the quads?
--Curious (and tight all over) in Sherbrooke
Nope. They are at the front of your hips, above your quads.
Colleen
Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
Curious what I am up to? https://www.strava.com/athletes/5493183
Iron Sherpa Travel - Triathlete and Travel Agent!
Curious what I am up to? https://www.strava.com/athletes/5493183
- ultraslacker
- Site Admin
- Posts: 46890
- Joined: Tue Jul 26, 2005 5:33 pm
- Location: paradise
- Contact:
Re: Tight Hamstrings
but closely related, and the stretches often overlap.
my worst running injury was in a quad but I often felt it in my hip flexor.
my worst running injury was in a quad but I often felt it in my hip flexor.
"You're an ultrarunner, normal rules don't apply to you." (Doonst)
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. ~Epictetus
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do. ~Epictetus
Re: Tight Hamstrings
I've been having a lot of success with active isolated stretching (AIS), proponets - Phil Wharton, Meb, and my coach. Honestly, since doing it 3-4x a week (before after runs, etc off days), for the first time in forever I really have no long term muscle tightness anywhere. Doing it after a run is also key to help relax the muscles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LTZamXGp_A
And I've become faster again as a result of attaining full range of motion.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LTZamXGp_A
And I've become faster again as a result of attaining full range of motion.
Re: Tight Hamstrings
Tight hamstrings can also come from the hamstrings overworking to compensate for weak and lazy glutes. I just read an interesting article in RW about how so many runners don't develop their glutes properly and end up compensating with hamstrings and other muscles, causing injuries elsewhere.
Support me in my fundraising for the Boston Marathon, Boston Public Library team:
https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign ... iferwolf11
https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign ... iferwolf11
Return to “General Running Discussion”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 46 guests