Lying hamstring stretch: how to do it
A stretch on your back where you lift one leg and use a towel around your foot to hold it up. Works: legs, hips and lower back.
How to do it
- Lie on your back on a mat or folded towel on a non-slip floor. Get down to the floor slowly. Bend both knees, feet flat.
- Loop a towel around the ball of one foot and hold both ends.
- Lift that leg toward the ceiling, keeping the knee soft, not locked.
- Gently draw the towel toward you until you feel a mild stretch along the back of your thigh.
- Stay for 5 slow breaths, never bouncing, then lower your foot and switch sides.
As you go
- Keep your knee soft and your shoulders and neck relaxed.
- Breathe out slowly. Keep breathing the whole time.
- A mild stretch is plenty. Never bounce.
What it works
- Works
- legs, hips and lower back
- Position
- On the floor
- Have nearby
- a mat, a towel
- Effort
- Gentle
An easier and a harder version
Keep your other knee bent with the foot flat, and hold the towel around the back of your thigh instead of your foot.
Stay for 8 breaths, or straighten your knee a little more, as long as it stays soft.
Take care
- Back: keep your lower back resting on the mat. If it aches, bend the knee more.
- Hips: stop short of any pinch at the front of the hip.
- Neck: let your head rest on the mat. Never pull on your head.
Where it is in the plans
In our calisthenics plan: 8 of 28 days, first on day 2, Squat and bridge.
| Plan | Days | First time | How much, that day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calisthenics plan | 8 of 28 days: 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25 | Day 2, week 1: Squat and bridge | 45 s each side |
| Calisthenics plan, round 2 | 10 of 28 days: 2, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23 and 25 | Day 2, week 1: Squat and wall sit | 45 s each side |
| Week | Day | How much | The plan's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 45 s each side | On your back, one leg up with a towel. Knee soft. |
| 2 | 9 | 45 s each side | On your back, one leg up with a towel. Knee soft. |
| 3 | 16 | 45 s each side | On your back, one leg up with a towel. Knee soft. |
| 4 | 23 | 45 s each side | On your back, one leg up with a towel. Knee soft. |
In the plan, this move plays as a looping video with a spoken cue.
Lying hamstring stretch: day 2 of a 28-day calisthenics plan
Short daily sessions at home, a step harder as you get stronger.
What the guidelines say
Any amount of activity is better than none, and all activity counts.
World Health Organization, Physical activity, fact sheet
Stop if anything hurts, or if you feel dizzy, short of breath or chest pressure.
General information, not medical advice.