Hamstring Pull
Plane of Motion
Sagittal
Muscle Focus
Anterior Spinal Stabilizer
Transversus Abdominis
To maintain the lumbo-pelvic stabilization.
Spinal Flexors
Rectus Abdominis, Internal Oblique, External Oblique
To keep the spine in flexion.
Hip Flexors
Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae, Pectineus
To keep the legs off the floor resisting gravity.
Lift the leg in a scissor kick motion.
Other Muscles at Play
Knee extensors keep the knees straight.
Hip extensors receive a stretch & engage to lower the leg toward the floor.
Plantar flexors to point the feet.
Shoulder flexors & shoulder extensors to pull the leg to the chest & stabilize the scapula.
Objectives
Focus on maintaining a stable trunk in flexion and the hips stable with the tailbone anchored as the legs scissor and stretch.
Develop differentiation of femur in pelvis.
The hands pull the top leg to increase hamstring flexibility with a stable pelvis.
The lower leg is controlled and stabilized by the hip flexors.
Engaging the deep abdominal muscles while the legs move in opposite directions ensures pelvic stability.
The lower back is imprinted while the pelvic remains in neutral to ensure a strong connection to the core. Cueing to work from the pelvic floor muscles helps to provide lumbo-pelvic stabilization.
Focus on breathing to synchronize the movement.