Why this one exists
On your back, the pelvis is supported, so you can stretch one hamstring without negotiating balance. This is the version most people should learn first.
Set up
Lie on your back. A belt, towel, or robe tie around the right foot. Left knee bent, left foot on the floor.
Steps
- Straighten the right knee toward the ceiling only as far as the low back stays quiet.
- Hold both ends of the strap. Elbows rest.
- If the nerve line sings, bend the knee and point and flex the foot slowly instead.
- Switch legs.
What you should feel
A clean line along the back of the raised thigh. The other hip stays heavy.
Skip if it hurts
Keep a bigger knee bend after a recent hamstring strain.
Common mistakes
Do not drag the raised leg so far that the opposite hip lifts.