PILATES SAN FRANCISCO

Some clients (and especially men) have a predisposition to
tight hamstrings.

 

Almost everyone can achieve improvement.

 

Evaluation:

Check standing alignment.

 

Weight should be placed between the front of the heel to the back of the ball of the foot.

Standing with weight at the back of the heel with locked knees stresses hamstrings.

Check sitting alignment:

 

Cue client to keep seated weight on between the front and mid sitz bones.

Recommend ergonomic seating for the computer-bound and use pillows and wedges to help during seated exercises.

Many clients learn to find their sitz bones while seated on a fitness ball.

Tight hamstrings are not necessarily strong and you must remember to work on strengthening and stretching at the same time.

 

For instance: cramping during a bridging exercise might mean that the hamstrings are tired and stressed or that they are very weak.

 

Remember to continue stretching and strengthening the quads, calves, IT band, ankles and feet as you address the hamstrings.
It all works together.

 

Exercises:

These exercises are ones that most clients can do successfully.

 

Against the wall:

 

Stand on slant board with heels against the wall. Slowly bend to flat back from the hip crease.

6” Roller:

 

Marching and dead bug.

Foot as a fish

Bridging

Psoas stretch

Tissue release/massage (sitting with weight on hands)

 

 

Cadillac/trap table:

 

Shoulder stand

Hamstring tower

Monkey

Parakeet

Sissors

Legsprings

Ballet stretches in sling

Bridging in sling (straight knees)

 

Ladder Barrel:

 

Climb a tree

Ballet stretches

 

Step Barrel

 

V-sit

Shoulder stand

Leg circles

Airplane

Can can

 

Reformer

 

Legwork

Releves and running

Leg circles in straps

Shortspine

Stomach massage 1 & 2

Ham stretch in straps

Bridging

Side lying legwork

Psoas stretch (Eve's lunge)

Scooter

Climb a tree

Split

Elephant

Upstretch

Arabesque

Tendon Stretch

 

Mat:

 

Stretch with theraband or fitness band

Rollup

Sitz bone walk

V-sit

Pilates Chair:

 

Ham stretch 1 & 2

Tendon stretch

Upstretch

Foot and Legwork

 

Reminders:

Tight hamstrings are a very common complaint among many different kinds of clients – the super athletic to the sedentary. It is extremely important to keep the hamstrings long and supple. The muscle shortness can indicate not just overuse but the even more serious issue of an extremely tucked pelvis which can lead to low back complications.

 

Posture -- both sitting and standing -- is often the cause of the problem.

 

Core exercises are vital to improvement.