How to stretch a sore hamstring?

How can you stretch your hamstring?

• I run track. Has been sore for awhile.

• Answer:

  While warming up to run, jog, walk or what ever. I sit in an office chair and stretch by pointing my toes like a ballet dancer and holding for a count of 5 or 10. Then I point my toes toward me while pushing down on my heals and tightening the muscles in my legs. I flex them back and forth several times while I stretch my arms over my head and shrugg my shoulders slowly. I also rotate my ankles toward and away from each other to relax my ankles. Then I pull my feet back under the chair and let it put weight on the muscles in the back of my legs, I walk from 6, 10, or 12 miles at a time depending on the weather. Oh, and here is a good one for speed in running. When you run, start off running loose and relaxed, that means puting your foot completely down to leave a whole print. Keep your stride, but as the last 1/4 or the track comes into view rise up on the balls of your feet to run. And you just may find yourself passing all the competition like they are standing still. I used to run track,not against others, just against myself. But when both pe classes ran against each other, they made the girls run last because the boys were supposed to be the fastest runners. When I crossed the finish line I was several lengths ahead of the fastest guy. I actually came from the very back of the girls and passed the fastest guy like he was standing still. When I passed him, he was so surprised that he stopped for about 5 strides before trying to catch up. I learned this from a cousin who ran track, shotput, pole-vaulted and broad jumped among other things. Oh, and another thing I used for hamstrings. Take care with this one. Stand with your feet planted under your shoulders; streach your hands over your head, like you are trying to touch the stars. Then keeping your knees locked, reach down to touch your toes. Bounce your way down till you can place your hands flat out in front of your feet and keep them there for a count of say 5 or 10 count. This I learned from my grandmother who was champion broadjumper at her highschool. She could jump over the wide double side walk in front of the school office. No one ever could top this jump for lenght either. She could stand on a balance beam, lock her knees, bend over and drive nails up from the bottom side of the beam. She stayed that limber up until she died at the age of 77. I don't think she ever weighed more than 95 pounds from teens til death. I can hold my own in a fencing match with a 24 year old using wooden Kendo pracice swords and not even breath hard. Can't say the same for the 24 year old tho. And I am older than he is,is that scary? Now make yourself some southern comfort. Get some tube socks and fill them nearly full of INSTANT rice. Tie the ends in a knot and when your hams howl at you; micro them for 1 min. and lie side by side down the back of your leg. Drape a towel over them incase they might be too hot for your skin then lay your sore hams on the warm moist heat, and say ....ahhhhhhhhh. Hope this helps, let me know if it does your body good as well as your track record. Good luck on your meets! *^* :-)