Welcome, to the second year of Coaches Corner!  Our goal is to provide coaches with effective, easy to implement training and nutritional advice that will help their athletes and teams perform better.  The Coaches Corner page will be updated, monthly, allowing access to the information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Hamstrings:  How To Keep Them Strong, Healthy, and Performing, Optimally

     Hamstring pulls and strains have to be the most common injury we see, regardless of sport.  Even amongst the healthy (or uninjured) populations, it is evident this area is a trouble spot.  Simply ask one of your players to 'touch his or her toes' (especially him) and you will be able to read the uncomfort on his or her contorted face.  This area gets REALLY tight.  Even if this tightness never expresses itself as any injury, decreased performance will, surely, start to affect your athletes.

     The main cause of hamstring issues stems from tight hip flexors and weak glutes.  When one muscle group becomes overactive (hip flexors), the opposing muscle group (glutes) tend to become weak.  This is known as 'Reciprocal Inhibition.'  This inhibition, usually, forces assistive muscle groups (hamstrings) to act as primary movers and, thus, become overworked and tight.

     Use the following exercises, in the exact order listed, to loosen up the hip flexors and make the glutes strong.  After a few sessions, you should experience less hamstring tightness.  The side benefit will be increased speed, jumping ability, and quicker movements.

STEP #1:     FOAM ROLLER - HIP FLEXORS

This flexibility exercise is great for the hip flexors.  These muscles are, usually, very tight and over-facilitated (they tend to involve themselves when they shouldn't).  When this happens, the opposing muscle groups(in our case, the glutes) cannot act, appropriately.  This forces the hamstrings to extra work.  By using a foam roller on the hip flexor area, you can 'disengage' them.  You must do this before you can stretch them out, properly. 

To perform the exercise, correctly, place a foam roller on the ground.  Lie, face down, with your hip flexor area, directly, on top of the roller.  Simply, slide your body forward and backward.  Continue for 20 seconds or ten reps/passes.

Progression:  Use  6 inch piece of PVC piping

 STEP #2:     LUNGE WITH ROTATION STRETCH

With the hip flexors, temporarily disengaged, you have the opportune time to stretch them, fully.  Simply get yourself into a lunge position.  Your back knee should touch the ground, forming a 90 degree angle at the knee.  The forward leg will also form a 90 degree angle, at the knee.  You are trying to stretch out the hip flexor of the leg that is in back of you.  Just getting into this position will initiate a stretch on the hip flexors.  Focus on flexing the glute of the trail leg and you will intensify the stretch.

Progression:  Elevate back foot onto a stability ball

STEP #3:     GLUTE BRIDGE 

Now, that the hip flexors have been disengaged and stretched, you can go to work on strengthening the glutes.  As the glutes get strong, they will begin to take on the responsibillity as primary movers.  Thus, the hamstrings will not be forced into 'over-involvement'.  As secondary movers, the hamstrings will operate better and not become tight.

Lie on your back and pull your heels towards your butt.  Keep your toes off the ground, think about clenching a quarter between your butt checks, and extend your hips upward.  You should feel a strong contraction in your glutes.  These muscles may have been 'turned off' for quite some time.  You may, really, have to search in order to feel the contraction.  Once you can, confidently, feel the glute muscles engaged, try turning your toes out slightly.  This will emphasize glute involvement.

Progression:  Place a mini band just above the knees

Previous Coaches Corner articles:

February 2007

March 2007

May 2007

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