1 Start in a Warrior 1 stance, with your right foot back and turned out at 45 degrees, left knee bent, and hips facing forwards.
Pyramid is a very effective pose for increasing mobility in the hamstrings. This makes it ideal for athletes trying to reduce their risk of injury, office workers who spend most of their day sitting, as well as people with chronic lower-back pain. If you want to be able to touch your toes, this is a good pose to work on.
TARGET AREAS
• hamstrings • hips • core
BENEFITS
• Increases hamstring flexibility • Stretches muscles connected to lower back for lower-back relief • Decreases risk of hamstring tears and soft-tissue injuries in lower body
1 Start in a Warrior 1 stance, with your right foot back and turned out at 45 degrees, left knee bent, and hips facing forwards.
2 Hinge at the hips and rest fingertips on the floor on either side of the front foot. Flatten your back by pulling the chest forwards and engaging the core.
3 Keeping your back flat and your abs long, slowly straighten your left leg until you feel a stretch in the left hamstrings. (It’s okay for your left knee to bend as needed.) Squeeze the legs towards each other, engaging both quadriceps, and maintain the tension. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen the chest, and exhaling as you deepen the stretch in your hamstrings. Repeat on the other side.
YOU SHOULD FEEL
• Stretch in front hamstrings
• Muscle engagement of inner thighs and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
• Lower-back pain or collapsed torso; if so, engage core
PRO TIP
To increase your hamstring strength and mobility, focus on active engagement of the hamstrings in the front leg.
NOT THERE YET?
