Stretched hamstrings?

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Stretched hamstrings?

Postby pilotfish » Mon Jan 16, 2012 11:17 am

I started 8 Pieces of Brocade a couple months ago. I like it as a morning routine.

I've always like stretching, especially legs. In Two Hands Hold the Feet, I was able to go further and further down, and eventually was able to hold my forehead or nose to each knee somewhat comfortably for a second or two, starting at the 6th or 8th rep. I was working on touching knees at earlier reps and holding a little longer over time. The initial bow centering head between knees felt much deeper than when I started. As a result, I could easily tie my shoes in a simple forward bend, legs straight. I had built enough muscle tone to be able to squat and hold for daily activities much longer and much more comfortably than I've done in years. I do this routine most mornings.

At the holidays, I got the Long Fist Basic Sequences DVD. Now after 8/Brocade in the morning, at midday 3-5 days a week I started doing a routine ending with 4 Tan Tui, Horse Stance, and Mountain Climbing Stance (repetitions for 3-5 minutes each stance). After a while I'll do 4 more Tan Tui. The Crossed Leg Stance left my legs rubbery for hours, so I'll try to build more leg strength before adding.

Here's the problem. My legs have felt generally weaker, and my hamstrings in particular are sore. I can touch my head to my knees, but it takes longer to get to that point. It feels like a muscle pull, but not as deep and more widely spread, from top of the back leg to about 2/3 of the way to the knee.

Have I stretched the tissues too much? I think of an old rubber band or fabric that has been "stretched out" and lost its resilience. I've backed off my emphasis on touching my knees, but I'm not sure it's improving. What can I do to restore strength and elasticity besides less aggressive goals?

Regards,
Lew
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Re: Stretched hamstrings?

Postby pete5770 » Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:07 pm

Hamstring pulls, tears, and or injuries are the bane of athletes all over the world. They have ended many a pro career in more than a few different sports. Nothing to mess with or ignore.
Time may be the one thing one your side, as it seems to take a lot of it for hamstring healing.
Take it easy on the stretching(but don't quit) and don't push into any real pain zones thinking that it might help. Will most likely just make it worse. Motrin seeems to work well for me, but you need to get a steady input of it over a few months in order for it to help. Taking one pill won't do a thing. Every day works best. Good luck. Mine has been nagging at me for months now,
so you're not alone.
Last edited by pete5770 on Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Stretched hamstrings?

Postby pilotfish » Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:21 pm

Thanks for the input, Pete. Good to know that hamstrings may take a while.

It's not bad or prolonged enough for motrin. I've been doing the forward bends/Hold the Feet with less ambition, and it's better. I don't think I've damaged it as with a muscle pull, just stretched the tissues more than they've been stretched in years.

I'm thinking that if I keep at it (more slowly), the tissues will keep stretching and gaining strength along with the more-elongated muscle tissue. Goal is for them to feel tight and strong when squatting for things as they did in December.

Regards,
Lew
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Posts: 43
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Location: Colorado Springs

Re: Stretched hamstrings?

Postby pete5770 » Fri Jan 27, 2012 4:32 pm

pilotfish wrote:Thanks for the input, Pete. Good to know that hamstrings may take a while.

It's not bad or prolonged enough for motrin. I've been doing the forward bends/Hold the Feet with less ambition, and it's better. I don't think I've damaged it as with a muscle pull, just stretched the tissues more than they've been stretched in years.

I'm thinking that if I keep at it (more slowly), the tissues will keep stretching and gaining strength along with the more-elongated muscle tissue. Goal is for them to feel tight and strong when squatting for things as they did in December.

Regards,
Lew


I would vote for not giving up on stretching, like you mentioned. Just don't go crazy.
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