The Best Hamstring Stretches You’re Not Doing (Yet)

Tight hamstrings can mess with your entire body—your back, your knees, and of course, your butt. And if you’ve been trying the same old stretches without much success, you’re not alone.

Even if you can touch your toes, you might still feel stiffness when you change angles, twist, or try to shift your weight forward. That’s exactly the kind of hamstring frustration I’ve dealt with over the years. But I’ve recently added two new stretches that have made a huge difference—and they just might do the same for you.

Stretch #1: The Rotational Hamstring Stretch

This stretch starts simple: foot up on a low surface, with an optional stick or support. But the magic is in the twist—literally. You’ll rotate your pelvis toward the leg, not just your upper body, to create a deep stretch through the hamstrings and into the glutes.

To level it up, you can:

• Hinge forward with your whole pelvis, not just your ribcage
• Add contractions by bending the knee or driving the foot down
• Explore different angles and intensities

If standing isn’t comfortable, there’s a strap-based floor version that gives you more control. It’s great for exploring angles and breathing through tight spots (perfect for the bed or living room floor).

Stretch #2: The Supported Forward Lean and Hinge

This stretch uses a countertop, table, or similar sturdy surface to help you safely explore hamstring length and control. It’s not just about folding forward—it's about challenging your hamstrings while keeping your hips forward and your spine in a deep arch.

Here’s how to do it:

• Place your hands on a sturdy surface and walk your feet back
• Keep your lower back arched like you're trying to hold water in it
• Maintain your hips slightly in front of your feet—not way behind
• Keep weight in your toes to really load the hamstrings

You’ll feel this light up your hamstrings—and if they’re weak in this position, you may even shake a little. That’s your body learning.

Progressions you can try:

• Get light on your fingertips to shift more work to the hamstrings
• Do small pulses up and down to build strength in the lengthened position
• Drive your feet down and slightly back to activate the muscles more deeply

You can also experiment with different knee angles and lateral shifts to find hidden tight spots—just keep the arch in your back and avoid collapsing your spine.

This variation is great for training your body to maintain hamstring tension while balancing forward—a skill that can protect you from injury and help you recover better from unexpected stumbles or intense sport movements.

How Often Should You Do These?

Start with 2–3 sets of 30 seconds to 2 minutes on each side for Stretch #1. For Stretch #2, you’re targeting both legs at once, so use similar total volume. New to stretching? Stick with 2x/week and slowly ramp up.

Use light contractions and slowly increase the challenge over time. Don’t rush it—slow is safe, fast is foolish.

Want More Help With Your Hips?

If you want to rebuild your hips from the ground up, get the Healthy Hips program. It’s packed with smart training strategies to help you move, stretch, and strengthen the right way—on your own time.

And if you want a free kickstart to feeling better, check out Body Rebuilding Basics for exercises, tips, and guidance you can start using today.

Try the stretches, explore your limits, and let your hamstrings finally chill out. Your back, hips, and knees will thank you.