To relieve stiffness or an attempt to prevent injury are the top reason people stretch.
However, there is more to the process of stretching, which is lost due to the name stretching.
A more effective and accurate term would be restoring the length-tension relation within the muscles.
What happens when you feel tightness in your hamstring? Your hamstring is shortened to less than optimal.
So what?
It is in partial contraction, which prevents it from the full range of motion. With a shortened hamstring, you will have a hard time bending forward; you will have low back pain occurrences, your knee is under stress, your hamstring development is hampered, you are prone to cramps, and so on.
What happens if one hamstring is shortened more than the other?
The same problems listed above is magnified and your gate during walking and running is impacted negatively, and you become prone to injury during rotation.
What I mentioned here is just an example of one muscle being in a state dysfunctional length-tension relation.
Imagine how many problems happen if your calves, quads, glutes, piriformis, adductors, and abductors are in a state of dysfunctional length-tension relation.
Below are a few stretches aimed to restore length-tension relation in your legs to optimal.
You can call it leg stretches, but I call them by the long name of leg muscles length-tension restorers.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms above your head.
- Exhale as you bend forward at the hips. Keep your back flat and your hands extended. The focus is only hinging at the hips.
- Inhale and return to a standing position.
- If extended hands strain you too much, drop your hands but do not round your back.
Stretches glutes, hamstrings, calves
Piriformis Stretch
Located on the outer side of the buttocks, the piriformis muscle is a deep internal hip rotator. External rotation is its primary function.
- Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you.
- Cross one leg over the other, rotate your body in the opposite direction.
- Inhale and place your hand on the ground as shown.
- Exhale and return to the center.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Stretches hips, back, glutes
Butterfly Stretch
- Sit tall on the floor with the soles of your feet together, knees bent out to sides.
- Hold your feet, push your knees toward the ground, exhale and lower your chest toward the ground. Do not bring your head toward your feet. By lowering your chest to the ground, you are hinging at the hips and creating a stretch in your hips, glutes, and inner thighs. By lowering your head, you are flexing your spine and weakening your back.
- Bend only as much as you can with a flat back.
- When you reach your limit press your knees down.
- Do not bounce.
- Hold the stretch for a minimum of thirty seconds. You will benefit most by holding the stretch for a minute. After that the law of diminishing returns takes over.
