Hamstring Flexibility

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Step your right foot forward a short distance and place the heel on the floor with the toes pointing up. Keep the right leg straight and bend your left knee slightly.

1. Inhale — lengthen through your spine and place your hands on your left thigh.
2. Exhale — hinge forward from your hips, sending your sit-bones back. Keep your chest lifted and the right leg straight. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. Inhale to rise, then switch sides.

• Hinge from the hips, not by rounding the spine. A short fold with a long back beats a deep fold with a curved one.
• The standing leg's knee bends to let your hips travel back farther.
• Only go as deep as your hamstrings allow without rounding the spine.

Sit on the floor with your right leg extended straight in front of you and your left knee bent, letting the sole of your left foot rest against your right inner thigh. Sit tall on the front of your sit-bones and flex your right foot toward you.

1. Inhale — lengthen your spine and reach the crown of your head upward.
2. Exhale — hinge forward from your hips over your right leg, reaching your hands toward your shin, ankle, or foot. Keep your spine long. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. Inhale to roll up to seated, then switch sides.

• Hinge from the hips rather than rounding the spine — a short fold with a long back is plenty.
• Keep a soft bend in the extended knee if your hamstrings feel tight.
• Keep the extended foot flexed so the toes point up.

Sit on the floor with both legs extended straight in front of you. Sit tall on the front of your sit-bones, lifting through the crown of your head. Flex both feet toward you with the knees soft.

1. Inhale — lengthen your spine and reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling.
2. Exhale — hinge forward from your hips, reaching your hands toward your shins, ankles, or feet. Keep your spine long. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. To exit, inhale and roll up to seated.

• Hinge from your hips, not by rounding your spine.
• Soften your knees if your hamstrings limit the fold.
• Let the breath ease you deeper over time rather than pulling with your arms.

Sit on the floor (or sit upright on a chair). If you're on the floor, lie back. Cross your right ankle over your left thigh, just above the knee, so your right shin forms a horizontal line across your left thigh.

1. Inhale — flex the right foot to keep the right knee protected. Place your hands behind your left thigh (or on top of it if chair-seated).
2. Exhale — gently draw your left thigh toward your chest (floor variant) or lean forward over your shin (chair variant). Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. To switch sides, release and repeat with the left ankle over the right thigh.

• Keep the right foot flexed — this keeps the right knee aligned.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed; don't shrug them up to your ears.
• Stop where you feel a stretch in the glute, not at the knee joint.

Lie on your back with your legs extended along the floor.

1. Inhale — bend both knees and bring them toward your chest.
2. Exhale — wrap your arms around your shins or behind your thighs and gently draw the knees closer to your chest. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. To exit, release your legs and extend them back along the floor.

• Keep the back of your head and your shoulders resting on the floor.
• If holding the shins compresses your knees, hold behind the thighs instead.
• Let the breath move into your belly and the back of your ribs.

Stand facing a wall about an arm's length away. Place your palms on the wall at shoulder height. Step your right foot back, keeping the back leg straight and the back heel pressed into the floor. Bend your front knee.

1. Inhale — lengthen your spine.
2. Exhale — gently lean your hips toward the wall, keeping the back heel grounded. Hold for the prescribed duration, breathing steadily.
3. Release and switch sides.

• Keep the back leg straight and the back heel rooted to the floor.
• Both feet point forward; the back foot doesn't turn out.
• To target the lower calf, bend the back knee slightly while keeping the heel down.