Fresh Start 2 Fitness- Dynamic Thigh Stretches

Pulled hamstrings and strained thighs are common injuries athletes face on the field and it can leave a player sidelined for weeks depending on the severity. Intermountain TOSH certified athletic trainer Erin McFarlane says these types of injuries are avoidable if players do dynamic stretching which focuses on movement instead of holding stretches for long periods of time. McFarlane suggests doing the following stretching routine to avoid muscle pulls in the leg.

1) Sumo Squat to Hamstring:

• Start with one knee on the ground and the other foot on the ground in front of you.
• Squeeze your glute muscles together and press the hips forward until you feel a good stretch in the front of the hip that is down.
• You can also add a rotation to this by rotating toward the knee that is up, making a T with your arms in line with the front knee/hip.
• Keep rotating back and forth until you feel looser in the front of the hip of the knee that is down.
• Then switch legs.

2) Half Knee Hip Flexer Stretch:

• Start with one knee on the ground and the other foot on the ground in front of you.
• Squeeze your glute muscles together and press the hips forward until you feel a good stretch in the front of the hip that is down.
• You can also add a rotation to this by rotating toward the knee that is up, making a T with your arms in line with the front knee/hip.
• Keep rotating back and forth until you feel looser in the front of the hip of the knee that is down.
• Then switch legs.

3) Quadruped Adductor Rock and Rotation:

• Start on your hands and knees. Straighten one leg out to the side with your foot flat on the ground.
• Walk your hands a few steps forward, then sit your hips back to your heel and bring your chest down towards the ground/head through your biceps.
• Rock back and forth in this position, feeling a stretch in the leg that is straight out.
• To add rotation here: take the arm on the side of the leg that is straight out and bring it underneath your body, shoulder down towards the ground.
• Then bring it back through and rotate the opposite direction bringing your hand up towards the sky.
• Move back and forth between these positions until you feel looser in your back, then switch legs.