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Hamstring Stretch

Seated with straight legs, reach toward the feet to stretch the back of the legs, then reach a little further.

Recovery Drill, exercise 8 of 8

Demonstration

Official photo sequences from the Army's drill manual, read left to right, top to bottom.

Hamstring Stretch: official ATP 7-22.02 photo sequence (figure 16-8, RD8 Hamstring Stretch) showing the positions of the exercise in order.
Figure 16-8. RD8 Hamstring Stretch · ATP 7-22.02, p. 16-6 (opens the official PDF)

Photos: U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training, ATP 7-22.02. Approved for public release.

How to perform it

Recovery Drill, exercise 8 of 8

Held position, on commandHold the stretch 20–30 seconds.

Starting position

Sitting position with arms at the sides and palms on the floor.

Sitting: Seated with both legs straight and together, reached from Half-Kneeling without using the hands; hands then rest on the ground beside the hips, fingers forward. ATP 7-22.02, para. 2-12, p. 2-4 (opens the official PDF)

Commands and movement

  1. 1READY, STRETCH. Reach both hands toward the feet and grasp the feet, ankles, or lower legs, keeping the knees straight but not locked. Hold 20–30 seconds.
  2. 2STARTING POSITION, MOVE. Return to the starting position.
  3. 3READY, STRETCH. Repeat, reaching slightly further.
  4. 4STARTING POSITION, MOVE. Return to the starting position.

ATP 7-22.02, para. 16-10, p. 16-6, Figure 16-8 (opens the official PDF)

What it develops

Increases flexibility of the knees and hips.

Focus: Hamstrings, Hips, Knees

Form

Drawn from the cited instructions.

Cues

  • Keep the knees straight without locking them.