Do you think you have tight hamstrings? Are you unable reach your toes when sitting and folding forward? if you answered yes, then you are not the only one.
Many people in yoga class can hardly reach the floor with their fingers.
It can be for a number of reasons, one of the main ones being tight hamstrings.
You might often find yourself looking for a chance to stretch them before, during or after yoga class.
Does it seem like you don't progress that much? Do you feel stuck? Just as your mind can be a powerful tool to improve your body, with Yoga, you can also influence your body to change your mind.
Here's are a few things that you can do: > 1.
Body to Mind approach.
Many people practice Hatha yoga, a Yang form of yoga in which postures are held for about five breathes for a total of a minute or less.
Another style, Yin yoga, focuses on slowly releasing the tension of the connective tissue (fascia) that envelopes every organ and muscle in your body.
When there is tension in the fascia, your hamstrings, comprised of three separate bundles of muscle strings will become tight and inhibit the muscle fibers ability to glide and move freely.
Yin Yoga will enable you to experience a deep stretch with long lasting results due to the poses being held for about 5-7 minutes, taking advantage of body weight, gravity, props and focusing on relaxing rather than struggling as is often the case with Hatha Yoga.
> 2.
Mind to Body approach.
Tension in your body can often be caused by mental stresses.
If your mind is relaxed, your body will stay relaxed.
In body psychology it is believed that hamstrings are the area where all of our worries are "stored".
Hamstrings are connected with the base chakra (one of your major energy centers) called Muladhara.
Muladhara carries the energy of our basic survival needs for food, protection, shelter, etc.
Worries about these aspects of your life might lead to tension around that particular chakra.
Take a moment and notice if you often have these kinds of thoughts: "I'm not strong enough", "I'm not supported enough", "I don't have enough", "I don't feel safe or protected" and so forth.
If you answered yes to these questions, then you may have some dis-balance around the Muladhara which can result in tension, restricted blood flow, poor function of the pelvic organs and ultimately health problems.
RELAX your mind, let go of worries, and you will see how everything will beautifully unfold.
Simple meditation and disciplined practice will do miracles to your hamstrings, as well as any other muscle tension in your body.
Remember that tension and relaxation can not exist at the same place at the same time.
Breathing and meditation helps you to relax, therefore to release tension.