8 great exercises to strengthen the hamstring muscle and improve body dynamism
The hamstring muscle plays an important role in the dynamism of the body and the performance of various sports. Almost all professional athletes try to strengthen this muscle and usually suffer from common injuries. Because this muscle is highly active and puts a lot of pressure on you when doing various tasks, it can be damaged and reduce your physical function and athletic performance. For this reason, you should plan to strengthen and flex it.Of course, other muscles, including the quadriceps and calves, also do a lot of activity, and in general, you should have stronger and stronger legs, but strengthen the hamstring muscle. It is very important and is quite visible in sports that include running.
You need to include proper hamstring exercises in your exercise program to improve your athletic performance, increase speed and strength, as well as boost your body flexibility. add. If your hamstring muscle does not have the proper strength and tension, you may experience back pain, knee pain and other ailments. By strengthening this muscle, you can better bear your weight and ensure the health of your back and knees. You also build a firmer body and increase your overall body strength.
In today's post we want to examine this muscle and its function and see how we can increase its strength and flexibility. We also introduce some suitable exercises so that you can use them to build a strong and stable hamstring muscle. So stay tuned.
hamstring muscle function and the importance of its flexibility
Generally, you need strong, ready legs to do most exercises. You may have a lot of problems if your legs do not have the necessary strength and flexibility. As you can see, the hamstrings play an important role in moving the joints and muscles of the legs. If you are an athlete, you are probably familiar with the importance of the hamstring muscle and its function. Most people who exercise professionally usually have an injury to this muscle. Most of these injuries are caused by a weak hamstring muscle.
If you do not strengthen and flex your hamstring muscle, you will not be able to move well and do a variety of exercises. Apart from this, you will also disrupt the function of other organs and muscles. Therefore, it is very important to do proper exercises to strengthen and stretch this muscle.
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The most common injuries hamstring muscle
Injury to the hamstring muscle is more commonly known as a sprain or contusion. This strain has different intensities and is generally divided into three groups:
- Mild muscle damage with high recovery rate
- Partial muscle rupture, pain sensation and decreased physical function
- Complete rupture of muscle tissue, pain, and inability to move
Bruising occurs when an external force strikes a hamstring muscle, similar to what happens in impact sports. it happens. These sports, like martial arts, involve the physical contact of players and athletes. Bruises typically have symptoms such as pain, swelling, stiffness, dryness, and decreased range of motion.
The location of the injury in this muscle depends on the exercise you do. For example, people who do sports such as running, soccer, tennis, etc. often have biceps injuries. Although the root cause is not yet known, experts believe that this muscle exerts more force when running and is therefore at risk for injury. hamstring muscle injuries are common and vary in severity. You can treat mild stretch marks with rest and painkillers. Of course, prevention is always better than cure. You can not only prevent injury by strengthening the hamstring muscle, but you will also have better athletic performance and more progress.
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Benefits of Stretching
In addition to reducing the risk of injury, doing stretching exercises can also have the following benefits:
- Increase blood flow to Muscles
- Increase oxygen levels
- improve flexibility, dynamism and range of motion of joints
- Reduce physical and mental stress
- Increase nutrition of body tissues, Increase energy levels and reduce pain
- Increase excretion of toxins in the body
- improve athletic function and physical activity
Stretching in general has many benefits They are used for health and improving sports function. You can put your muscles in a recovery position and cool your body by doing static stretching exercises after exercise. Performing dynamic stretching exercises before exercise is also associated with benefits such as preparing the body for exercise, increasing flexibility and range of motion of the limbs, improving athletic function and preventing injury. Depending on the sport you want to do and the goal you have, you can go for dynamic or static stretching exercises.
Doing these exercises also has its benefits. For example, doing stretching exercises after waking up can help you start your day with more energy and get on with your daily routine better. This morning refreshment leads you to stop drinking coffee and caffeine and naturally increase your energy levels. In addition, morning exercise helps you feel better about yourself and boosts your self-confidence.
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Best exercises to improve Flexibility and hamstring muscle Strength
Before doing these exercises or any other exercise, first go for dynamic stretching exercises. It will be very useful and effective to sit down and perform exercises such as long jump and squat to warm up and prepare the body before exercise.
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Do the following exercises when your body is warm. We have divided these exercises into two groups. The first group is suitable for stretching and flexibility of the hamstring muscle, and the second group focuses on increasing the strength and power of this muscle.
1. Leaning forward
To perform this exercise, first stand and spread your legs hip-width apart. do. Keep your legs straight or slightly bent at the knees. Now bend your hips, lower your chin and move to your toes. Then loosen the neck slightly and feel the stretch in the back of the legs. If the stretching pressure is too intense, bend your knees more to put less pressure on the hamstring muscle.
Hold this position for 20 to 30 seconds, then stand and rest a little. Repeat this cycle for 5 times.
2. Balancing the hamstring muscle
To perform this exercise, first stand up and spread your legs hip-width apart. do. Bend your right leg back about 30 cm and bend your left knee. Then place both hands on the left thigh.
Now bend at the hips and bring the upper body forward. Push your hips back to feel the hamstring muscle stretch. You can also raise your toes a little to put more pressure on the muscle.
Stay in this position for 20 to 30 seconds, then move on to stretching the other foot.
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3. Stretching with a bent leg
To perform this exercise, first sit down and stretch your right leg in front of you. Bend the left knee and attach the sole of the left foot to the right thigh. Now bend over on your right foot and keep your back as straight as possible. If the pressure is too high, bend the right knee slightly to feel less traction.
Hold this position for 30 seconds, then move to the left leg.
4. Lying down with your legs raised
To do this exercise, first lie on your back. Stretch your right leg up and keep it as flat as possible. Now hold the back of the right thigh with your hands and press the foot forward. Your hands and feet should be pressed so that your feet are flat in the air.
Stay in this position for 20 seconds, then rest a little. Do the same with your left foot now.
5. Swinging the legs
To perform this exercise, first stand up and spread your legs hip-width apart. Now swing your right leg back and forth to stretch the hamstring muscle. Do this slowly and do not put too much pressure on yourself. If you adapt to this intense exercise, you can flex your legs more to feel more pressure. You can also use a chair to help balance it Lean back.
Repeat this cycle 10 times for each leg.
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1. Keep your legs up and move
To perform this exercise, first lie on your chest and Keep your hands close to your body or above your head. Now raise your upper body and lower body at the same time so that you feel comfortable. Then spread your legs apart, hold for 5 seconds, and then bring your legs together without hitting the ground. Your legs should open and close like scissors to activate and strengthen the hamstring muscle.
Repeat this cycle 10 times.
2. Scott leaning against the wall
Lean against the wall first to run Scott, then lower your body Cut so that the knees are at a 90-degree angle and the thighs are parallel to the ground. Be sure to stick your back flat to the wall and hang your arms next to your body. Also, your knees should be straight and not protrude beyond the toes. Leaning fully against the wall can help you balance and support your weight better.
Hold this stretch for 15 seconds and then stand. Over time, you can increase the hamstring muscle strength to perform this exercise for longer.
3. Bridging and raising and lowering the hips
Begin this exercise by lying on the floor. Keep your knees bent while lying on your back. Now engage the core muscles to make your body more stable. Then tighten your hips and abdomen, bring your hips up and hold as high as possible. Stay in this position for 10 seconds, then lower your hips. You can also apply more pressure to the hamstring muscle by straightening your right leg as you raise your hips.
Repeat this movement 10 times. If you want to stretch your legs as well, you can do 10 reps for the right leg and 10 reps for the left leg.
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Concluding remarks
You should add proper hamstring exercises to your exercise program to improve your athletic performance, increase speed and strength, as well as boost your body flexibility. If your hamstring muscle does not have the proper strength and tension, you may experience back pain, knee pain, and other aches and pains.
You should go for hamstring strengthening exercises to prevent injury. The exercises we discussed in this article are a great option to start to increase the strength and flexibility of this muscle and have better physical activity.
Before doing these exercises, of course, consult a sports coach and a specialist doctor And if you do not have problems to do them, add them to your exercise program to build a stronger and stronger body for yourself.
This article is for training and information only. Be sure to consult a specialist before using the recommendations in this article. For more information, read the Digitica Magazine Disclaimer .Sources: Dr. Ax, Healthline
Source: Petitedressing