Hamstrings

[Becks]

Can anybody suggest some good things to do for tight hamstrings? We have a vibrating plaform thing that I can use first thing in the morning at the Uni gym, but something I can do at home would also be good.

Also, will using toe grips on a bike when you're used to just plain old pedals mean you engage them more in the pulling up movement? Might be why they seem to be worse now than before - they tightened at the end of marathon training but have put up with far more than my present training in the past!

[SJ]

I get tight hamstrings regularly...since I started cycling more. I guess you already stretch plenty and regularly but I've also been told (by the orthotics specialist as she recorded my gait) that I should stretch my glut muscles as well as the tightness could come from there. She also said to make sure my saddle was positioned at the correct height.

For the tightness some people roll on a medicine ball.

The hamstrings are used a lot more on pulling up whilst using cleats/cages.

Tightness can also come from an inbalance, ie the quads being much stronger than the hamstrings...I haven't worked out a way to get around this yet (so if you do, let me know!) but maybe the extra utilisation from clipping into pedals eventually lets them catch up some way?

[Kitch]

side on to a mirror

feet at shoulder width apart
slight bend at knee
hands on hips
back straight
bend from the waist
head up
keep back straight and level
as soon as you start to bend at the base of your spine stop bending forward
hold.
repeat.

to increase the stretch slightly strighten your knees.

you should feel this through gluts and hams

[mappingmum]

Also, will using toe grips on a bike when you're used to just plain old pedals mean you engage them more in the pulling up movement?

I think it means you may utilise upward force. But I never do because any more than a couple of rotations of upwards effort just hurts the calves. Doesn't have any effect on your hamstrings.

Toe clips are brilliant. You gain a 50% improvement on pedalling efficiency with them and another 50% when you upgrade to SPDs. Once you try them you'll wonder how you managed so long without!

[mharky]

I think it means you may utilise upward force. But I never do because any more than a couple of rotations of upwards effort just hurts the calves. Doesn't have any effect on your hamstrings.

???

Do you know what the calf muscle does?

[SeanC]

I've had tight hamstring problems in the past. The physio was fairly certain that the cause was sitting down all day (office job). He tells me that too much sitting tightens the hip flexor, can cause the hips to rotate (bad posture no doubt) and causes various other imbalances that tighten the hamstring. Treatment involved being elbowed at various pressure points and lots of hip flexor stretching. Posh office chairs which are very adjustable (eg allow the seat base to be angled downwards) will help and are also better for the back, but the price may make you cry.

I find tight hamstrings return if I don't do daily hip flexor stretching, but your cause may be completely different of course.