Cathe, please help with my weenie hamstrings

[munchkin928]

Hi Cathe! This is an amazing board... there seem to be a lot of people here who really know their stuff. I posted this over on FitPrime too, but I figured I'd get great advice here, so I decided to try it.

I am a beginner exerciser (a restarter, pretty much). I do FIRM tapes, some step, and MIS, but use 3,5 and 8 lb dumbells (mainly 5's) on all the moves. I love doing the upper body work.. I feel very tough and I saw lots of strength gains very quickly!

However, I'm having trouble with my hamstrings. Everytime I work them very hard at all they get very, very sore and tight. It happens the least with floorwork, and the worst when I do lunges. Lately I've just been skipping lunges and even going very light on the squats (little if any weight and not going very deeply). However, I don't think this is a good method to firm up my legs or get stronger! I do think that my guads and hamstrings are probably pretty imbalanced, because I've spent the last 4 years lugging a 20-lb packpack around campus up and down stairs.

I was wondering if you could give me some advice about what things are most important to sort of work them back into shape... what exercises to start with and how to do them. For example, should I do just a few squats with full form, or do a lot very shallow? Should I be doing more floor work or machine work to strengthen up my hamstrings? I'm really wanting to get them back into shape as quickly as possible, as well as prevent reinjuring them again.

I also do have a few yoga tapes which I do, and they have a lot of good hamstring stretches in them, but I think I need to add in more stretching after working out as well.

Thank you all in advance!

Amanda

 

[Connie1]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-02 AT 01:37AM (Est)[/font][p]I am not Cathe but when I read your question it occurred to me that a possibility of why the strength of your quads does not balance that of your hams is from doing all that lugging (4 years!) and possibly not enough stretching of the hip flexor. Most of your movement was from the front to standing straight, and not much leg "hyperextension" (as I hear on Firm tapes).

A good hip flexor stretch and leg "hyperextention" would be to get in a table position, I mean on hands and knees, but a decline table where you are actually down on elbows. Then, gently extend one leg straight upward, as if to press the ceiling with a flat foot. 5 reps working up to 3 sets of 8 reps, no ankle weights. This would stretch your hip flexors and increase hamstring strength at the same time, and your other activities might become more comfortable as a result.

Also, bridge work like on PS Strong Legs/Abs. This may or may not be what you need, and I am not a professional! But anyway I hope it helps! Good luck!

 

[munchkin928]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-02 AT 09:28AM (Est)[/font][p]Connie,

Thanks very much for your reply! You may be right about the strength being balanced... when I tense up I can feel a pretty good muscle back there (underneath all the jiggly stuff ). Also my hamstrings and that hyperextension movement is definitely the least flexible movement I have.

When I do the table work, shoudl I be trying to keep my knee bent or straight? Also, I do not have the PS Abs/Legs series, and it'll be a little while before I have the money to purchase any new tapes. Is there anywhere on this website I can look up what the moves are?

Thanks very, very much for your reply! What you said made a lot of sense to me, and I'll start fitting it into my workout.

Amanda

 

[Connie1]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-20-02 AT 10:06PM (Est)[/font][p]Hi Amanda!

Well, you start with your knee bent and it slightly straightens during the movement. You want to concentrate on keeping the sole of your foor parallel to the ceiling during the whole move.You may not actually keep it this way, but you strive to without straining. This move is in the Firm Classics Volume 1 (floor work) and was in aerobic classes I used to take.

PS Legs/Abs has another move (also in Firm Vol 1 floor section) and in the Firm they called it bridging. You lie on your back with your feet flat upon your step, elevated about 6 to 8 inches. You can do it without elevation too, just use the floor. Then you push down onto the floor with your feet.

Be sure to push so that your legs move to where the line between your waist and your knees is a straight one. It looks like your pelvis is lifting (don't do this in front of DH or you might get interrupted, lol). The hip flexor does not hyperextend in this one, that is, the pelvis only lifts far enough to straighten it out. But if your hip flexors are tight this will be considered a stretch, too. The work is in the hamstrings. It is not so much a pelvic tilt. Keep the spine static (neutral) and perform the work in the upper part of the hamstrings.

Both of the tapes above are worthwhile to have; the Firm can be found under the name "Body Sculpting Basics" in many stores now. Their tapes have been renamed many times but this one is the only one with Susan Harris on the cover in a yellow loetard. The Firm was a pioneer in aerobic-to-weights for women in the eighties. Cathe and others might have more pointers for you, but e-mail me if you like, if you have any more questions! -Connie

 

[munchkin928]

Connie,

Thanks! Volume 1 was actually the first video I ever owned... I still have sort of a dread of it because it made me so sore, but I may pull it out and do it again . I think I'm just going to avoid doing lunges for a while until I'm sure squats won't hurt my hamstrings (lunges definitely make it worse).

I added the floorwork move you suggested at the end of my step workout yesterday, and I definitely felt it stretch in a good way. I think I'm also gonna start collecting some hamstring stretches that I like and just try to add them to the end of a workout.

Is it always good to stretch when you're sore though? Sometimes I feel more tight after I've tried to stretch. Does that mean I'm pushing too hard?

Sorry for bombarding ya'll with so many questions.. thanks for any help you can give!

Amanda

 

[Connie1]

Hi Amanda!
Yes, I know about how stretching can feel depending on when you do it. At the end of a hard workout it feels better, don't you find? It is more effective and pleasurable to stretch a warm muscle than a cool one. So after a workout when your muscles are really warmed up it is good.

When you are already sore from the day (or 2 days) before, stretch after a hot bath or after a brisk walk. That way your muscles are warm. A brisk walk or other light cardio also helps deal with soreness like a "hair of the dog" cure. It really helps clear lactic acid out of those muscles. Lactic acid causes the soreness. This is what I have been told.

You can tell whether you're pushing too hard by whether you feel a strain, rather than a "good" soreness 1-3 days later. Also, rest days are necessary. I needed 2 or 3 rest days every time I did Power hour or PS Legs, at first. The lunges and everything. Now I can at least do cardio or something the next day. But it took time to get here.

Remember, the hip flexors and the hamstrings are opposing muscles. So when you work one, you stretch the other.

Here is a passive stretch, as opposed to the active stretch from Firm Vol 1 (I only use it for the floorwork these days, not that there's anything *wrong* with it, lol!)

Lie on the bed on your back with your feet off the side. Your toes might touch the floor. Now take one knee and slowly bring it up to your chest. This tilts the pelvis and gives an awesome stretch to the opposite hip flexor.

I learned this stretch from Peak Performance Fitness. It is available at Amazon.com. For free reading, there are some good general fitness articles on Paul Chek's website (www.chekinstitute.com). Free to read!

I am so glad this site exists! I did Step Fit yesterday for the first time and you guys know what I mean! It's a really fun one! So glad to be of service, lol!
-Connie