Hamstring Tightness

[Zschnack87]

Hey guys.

So I went many years not giving my glutes and hamstrings the attention they needed. So lately, I've been really trying to kick butt at it. (Haha. Pun)

My glutes seem to working great but my hamstrings have been so bad. I use to stay away from squats and deadlifts because once I got to a certain spot, my hamstrings would get painful which mis-cued my body and rounded my lower back. I'm starting to get the form better when using my hips but I still notice my hamstrings really not wanting to agree with me.

Stiff legged dumb bell dead lifts have been working pretty good as I feel good soreness in the hamstrings for a few days.

I'm just curious if you guys knew some good ways to help either loosen my hamstrings up, or some kind of trick to not make them so tight.

[SuffolkPunch]

Flexibility needs to match the usable range of motion of a muscle. We have tension in muscles for a reason - too much flexibility can actually be harmful for a joint.

It is not stretching that makes permanent changes, that only happens when you utilise a muscle through its fullest possible range of motion under load. My approach would be:

- aerobic warm up
- brief stretching - nothing more than basic limbering to test the range of motion of your hamstrings - touch your toes - or better still see how low you go WITHOUT rounding your lower back, it's hamstring ROM we are addressing here, not lower back ROM
- do SLDL or RDL - smooth tempo, 8 - 15 rep sets, every rep should test the limits of your ROM without allowing your lumbar spine to move into flexion.
- maybe also use the hamstring isolation machine for a couple of 10-20 rep sets

[jaxqen]

Tom Merrick has some hamstring mobility routines on youtube.

too much flexibility can actually be harmful for a joint.

Indeed!
At the same time I wonder how many people have too much flexibility.
Especially in the hamstring area.

[Zschnack87]

Flexibility needs to match the usable range of motion of a muscle. We have tension in muscles for a reason - too much flexibility can actually be harmful for a joint.

It is not stretching that makes permanent changes, that only happens when you utilise a muscle through its fullest possible range of motion under load. My approach would be:

- aerobic warm up
- brief stretching - nothing more than basic limbering to test the range of motion of your hamstrings - touch your toes - or better still see how low you go WITHOUT rounding your lower back, it's hamstring ROM we are addressing here, not lower back ROM
- do SLDL or RDL - smooth tempo, 8 - 15 rep sets, every rep should test the limits of your ROM without allowing your lumbar spine to move into flexion.
- maybe also use the hamstring isolation machine for a couple of 10-20 rep sets

Thanks for the help. Yeah, I really kicked my hamstrings butt last week when I did some DB Stiff Legged Deadlifts then went and did lying leg curls.

At least this seems normal then.. I really thought something was wrong with how much resistance I was getting. Do you think one of those foam rollers would help or is that kind of a gimmick?

[SuffolkPunch]

Foam rollers fall into the same category as stretching. Muscle knots are a real phenomenon - but everyone has them and you can never get rid of all of them - it would be a waste of time trying. Sometimes however, they appear to be implicated in problems like spams and cramp. Although I suspect they are a symptom not a cause - from not developing strength throughout the ROM.

I would take the same approach - only use stretching or foam rolling if you can't easily get ready to perform a full ROM exercise by a simple warmup procedure like I describe above.

In the past when I've felt like my quads would not articulate freely without shooting pains, I have foam rollered them between warmup sets of squats. That (maybe) had a positive effect.

[Zschnack87]

Foam rollers fall into the same category as stretching. Muscle knots are a real phenomenon - but everyone has them and you can never get rid of all of them - it would be a waste of time trying. Sometimes however, they appear to be implicated in problems like spams and cramp. Although I suspect they are a symptom not a cause - from not developing strength throughout the ROM.

I would take the same approach - only use stretching or foam rolling if you can't easily get ready to perform a full ROM exercise by a simple warmup procedure like I describe above.

In the past when I've felt like my quads would not articulate freely without shooting pains, I have foam rollered them between warmup sets of squats. That (maybe) had a positive effect.

Thank you! I appreciate your input and will this out!

[BeginnerGainz]

I found doing exercises properly really stretches out the muscle, SLDLs, RDLs, good mornings, band good mornings, back extensions, etc.

In time the flexibility will get there. I used to have the same problem you have.

[Zschnack87]

I found doing exercises properly really stretches out the muscle, SLDLs, RDLs, good mornings, band good mornings, back extensions, etc.

In time the flexibility will get there. I used to have the same problem you have.

I appreciate that. I was really worried I was screwed with a lot of this because even without lifting and trying to practice my form with no weight, my hamstrings would feel sore as heck and I would find my self rounding my back to adapt to it which of course ruins my form. I'm going to work more on maybe doing Romanian dead lifts to strengthen the hamstring more and hope it improves!

[Dranseth]

Flexibility needs to match the usable range of motion of a muscle. We have tension in muscles for a reason - too much flexibility can actually be harmful for a joint.

It is not stretching that makes permanent changes, that only happens when you utilise a muscle through its fullest possible range of motion under load. My approach would be:

- aerobic warm up
- brief stretching - nothing more than basic limbering to test the range of motion of your hamstrings - touch your toes - or better still see how low you go WITHOUT rounding your lower back, it's hamstring ROM we are addressing here, not lower back ROM
- do SLDL or RDL - smooth tempo, 8 - 15 rep sets, every rep should test the limits of your ROM without allowing your lumbar spine to move into flexion.
- maybe also use the hamstring isolation machine for a couple of 10-20 rep sets

How long after following this advise until one would see improvement? I also am having mobility issues with squats and deadlifts. For me, lower back rounding is not dependent on load. I cant even grab the bar with a neutral spine. I have no issues engaging my lats, but I do have issues setting my lower back.

[SuffolkPunch]

How long after following this advise until one would see improvement? I also am having mobility issues with squats and deadlifts. For me, lower back rounding is not dependent on load. I cant even grab the bar with a neutral spine. I have no issues engaging my lats, but I do have issues setting my lower back.

That could be a coordination issue rather than a resting muscle tension or knot issue. Can you do a RDL (which starts from the top) and see how far down you can get without spine rounding

[Dranseth]

That could be a coordination issue rather than a resting muscle tension or knot issue. Can you do a RDL (which starts from the top) and see how far down you can get without spine rounding

Yes, I can do that. I also can raise the bar to do a reverse deficit deadlift with success. I have spent countless hours watching form videos with no success. I also have spent hours in front of my camera trying to correct it. It seems that once my hips lower beyond a certain point it tilts irrespective of load. It applies to my squat and deadlift variations. I thought it could be related to sitting at a desk for the last 10 years, but I could be wrong.

When I say my pelvis tilts it is not always noticeable when I have a shirt on. My form still produces a straight line but I lose the natural curve of my lower spine when I reach depth, and it is especially noticeable when I have my shirt off.

I need to figure something out ASAP before I injur myself as I am in the 300's on both lifts. I just started a small stretching routine to work on my hammies.

[WolfRose7]

Yes, I can do that. I also can raise the bar to do a reverse deficit deadlift with success. I have spent countless hours watching form videos with no success. I also have spent hours in front of my camera trying to correct it. It seems that once my hips lower beyond a certain point it tilts irrespective of load. It applies to my squat and deadlift variations. I thought it could be related to sitting at a desk for the last 10 years, but I could be wrong.

When I say my pelvis tilts it is not always noticeable when I have a shirt on. My form still produces a straight line but I lose the natural curve of my lower spine when I reach depth, and it is especially noticeable when I have my shirt off.

I need to figure something out ASAP before I injur myself as I am in the 300's on both lifts. I just started a small stretching routine to work on my hammies.

Pelvic tilt doesn't = injury regardless. Especially if it's normal for you at that load.
do you have squat and deadlift videos?

[Dranseth]

Pelvic tilt doesn't = injury regardless. Especially if it's normal for you at that load.
do you have squat and deadlift videos?

I can get this week. It is an issue for me because it is causing me slight pain during the lifts, which is not normal.