Are your hamstrings actually tight?
Provably not, even if they feel like it.
Is it possible? Sure, but very unlikely. More often than not, this feeling of tightness is really just a protective response from the nervous system. Basically the body’s way of staying out of perceived trouble.
So what does the sensation of tightness actually stem from? Typically it is one of two things, if not both.
1. Being ‘stuck’ in certain positions. Skeletal positions runs the show. So when many lifters and athletes who are often stuck in anterior pelvic tilt feel tight in their hamstrings, the issue is rarely one of structurally short hamstrings, but rather one of pelvic positioning. If this is indeed the case, stretching will often exacerbate the issue.
2. Weakness.
There are few things more threatening to the body then relying on the strength of a relatively weak muscle, in this case the hamstring. If they are requested to execute more load than they can handle, protective tension will kick in, causing that tight feeling.
Unless these issues are addressed, stretching is largely a waste of time as strength training and dynamic movements are superior to static stretching for improving mobility, posture and bio-mechanics according to numerous scientific studies:
In 2005, Hess et al. subjected a group of octogenarians to a resistance training program at 80% of 1RM, three times per week; after 10 weeks of training, participants improved their performance on the TUG test (Mobility Test) by 15.7%.
Fiatarone et al. demonstrated that resistance training raised functional mobility even in people over 90 years old.
In 2006, Holviala etal. proved that both muscle power and strength are important determinants of mobility, and that resistance training is a powerful tool to induce specific neuromuscular adaptations that translate into improved mobility in healthy older adults.
Greek researchers looked at a group of men who trained with loads at 40, 60, or 80% of their 1RM or one-rep max. The results showed that higher intensities were linked with greater improvements in mobility/flexibility. That is, the men who trained at 80% of their 1RM were the ones who saw the greatest improvements.
Address these issues with any and all hip hinge exercises such as hip thrusts, deadlifts and good mornings. The key is to get strong in the weakest areas.
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