Hamstrings, Stretch and Strengthen
The hamstrings are a muscle group consisting of three muscles, the semitendinosus, semimbranosus, and biceps femorus muscles. Tight hamstrings cause difficulty in touching your toes, and this can lead to problems in the lower back. The practice of yoga offers wonderful ways to stretch your hamstrings, but it is also possible to overstretch the hamstrings muscles. The best way to prevent overstretching the hamstrings is by also practicing asanas that strengthen the hamstrings. There are many yoga programs, such as the ashtanga series, that incorporate elements of both stretching and strengthening into the series. But for those who are practicing on their own at home, or for yoga teachers who make their own lessons, it is important to know which asanas stretch and which strengthen the hamstring muscle group. There are some asanas that mildly stretch the hamstrings, such as adho mukha svanasana (downward dog), and prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend). Many people will not