Tightest hamstrings ever!

[Noodles03]

I tried this once to get a stretch on my very stiff legs. It was painful as fuck so I stopped thinking I was doing more harm than good.

Is it normal for people with tight muscles that try foam rolling to feel a lot of pain?

I'm not an expert but I'm hoping someone who is will chime in. But basically your suppose to start with more of a softer foam roller then eventually progress more to a stiffer foam roller. The pain that you mentioned is normal and it's a reflection on how tight your myofascial is.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Totally depends on your work ethic and the time you spend.

I did yoga for years and I got pretty flexible. Not full-on, freakishly flexible like a lot of dancers and yoga teachers, but flexible. But that was based on practicing 4-5 hours a week, and then also doing stretching exercises while I was watching TV sometimes. Like, I'd lie on my bed for 25 minutes watching some TV show, and the whole time just cycling through various leg stretches. The people I know who are really flexible take it even further- my old yoga teacher is also a close friend, and whenever we were hanging out or watching a movie or something he was stretching. Eddie Bravo talks about it in this video:



But I would guess... if you really bust you ass, 3-4 months you can be dramatically better. Otherwise, years... never.

 

[stinkoman]

For what its worth all the hamstrings stretches, and foam rolling didn't do much for me. When Is started stretching my hip flexors its quit pulling on my pelvis which was I guess was the root to making my hamstrings and low back constantly tight to begin with. Might be something worth looking into. Usually this is suggested for people with pelvic tilt. I didn't have that but still worked for me.

 

[MandirigmaFit]

Maybe your hamstrings are weak at their end range, so the nervous system is relaying a message from tissue to brain and back that it is in an unsafe ROM.

 

[Easto]

I have the Gymnastics Bodies Front Split Stretch Series. I follow the 45 minute program once per week. On off days I do some slight limbering stretches, nothing intense.

I have seen huge improvements. It targets your achilles, calves, hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors.

I prefer the follow along video