Too Butt or Not too Butt?
The hamstrings are hard to stretch, quite frankly, because whoever or whatever made us decided that what ever blood supply might have made it down to the hamstrings go re-prioritized to the reproductive organs. The hamstrings got the short end of the shtick. The blood supply that eventually did make it to the hamstrings first passes through the aductors (inner thigh muscles) from the front to the back and then by the time it actually reaches the hamstrings it enters in at the bottom and has to work its way up into the back of the upper leg. Think about all the water towers on top of the buildings in NYC. Fluids flow more efficiently from top to bottom. The fact that our pumping system has to work bottom-to-up means that it has to work overtime to get the blood up in there. What this means for us is that we have to spend extra time making sure that all four hamstrings are really warm. We need to supply them with lots of blood and oxygen (which takes a while) before we go into any deep stretches.
We could go on for hours trying to figure out how they got tight but for now let’s ask the important question, “How ARE they tight?” Tight is not a full explanation. We need to ask a few questions to see if they are tight “locked long” or tight “locked short.” Perhaps asking ourselves a different question will help us to figure out and understand which is the case. “Too butt or not too butt.” That is the question, meaning which what does my pelvis tilt? If you are not sure, take a moment to look at your profile in the mirror. Notice your pelvis, imagine it like a bowl holding water (or organic whiskey if you choose.) As you observe, try to assess whether the liquid in your bowl would spill to the front or to the back. If it would spill to the front we call this an anterior tilt (too much butt sticking out.) If it would spill out the back it would be a posterior tilt. (Not too butt, not enough butt! Baby’s got NO BACK) The butt isn’t the issue however its noticing it might help us to understand which way the hamstrings are stuck. Either of these must be treated with a different stretch/stretches to accommodate for what the actual trouble is.
If we are in an anterior tilt “too butt” the hamstrings are tight but the are long tight or “locked long” which means that hamstring stretches are going to perpetuate what the underlying problem is which is very likely tight hip flexors (poas and friends) If we keep stretching the hamstrings we are letting the hip flexors get away with murder, staying tight and maybe even getting tighter leading to deeper pulls and maybe tears to hamstrings and perhaps the lower back. We arguably should stretch the psoas and work on strengthening the hamstrings. If the pelvis is tipped to the back “not too butt” the hamstrings are tight but the are tight and short or “locked short” We want to stretch it out in this case but the trouble we get into is forward folding is soooooo hard and a lot of pressure on the lower back. It is better that we stretch from the calf up to the origin of the hamstring so that we don’t over do it in the lower back. I have included A VIDEO to help you understand these kinds of stretches. Hopefully whichever the cause this will help you understand your own hamstrings to make better choices when you spend a little time after class stretching them.
Namaste,
See you on the mat!!!
Christopher Temple
