A sequence for the hamstrings
Every route into the back of the thigh — standing, seated, supine and supported — in one practice.
Hamstrings respond to the same stretch done in different positions far better than to one position held longer. Standing folds load them with gravity and body weight; supine holds with a strap take the back out of the equation entirely; seated folds sit somewhere in between. Doing all three in a session gives the tissue several different arguments.
The sequence
Every pose name links to its full page — steps, muscles worked, common mistakes and who should skip it.
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1
Downward-Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Śvānāsana
1 minute
Pedal the heels to warm the calves and hamstrings.
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2
Standing Forward Bend Uttānāsana
1–2 minutes
Standing fold with the knees soft.
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3
Half Standing Forward Bend Ardha Uttānāsana
30 seconds, three times
Flat back, hands on shins — hamstrings with the spine long.
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4
Intense Side Stretch Pose Pārśvottānāsana
1 minute each side
One leg forward, hips square, folding over the front leg.
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5
Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend Prasārita Pādottānāsana
1–2 minutes
Wide fold — both hamstrings and the inner thighs.
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6
Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana
2 minutes each side
On the back with a strap around the foot; the other leg stays down.
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7
Head-to-Knee Pose Jānu Śīrṣāsana
1–2 minutes each side
One leg out, one knee bent, folding forward.
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8
Seated Forward Bend Paścimottānāsana
2–3 minutes
Both legs out, sitting on a block, folding from the hips.
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9
Corpse Pose Śavāsana
4 minutes
Let it all settle.
Before you start this sequence
- Read the cautions on the individual pose pages. Between them, the poses here rule themselves out for pregnancy, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and neck, knee, shoulder and wrist injuries — the details differ pose by pose.
- A sequence is an order, not a prescription. Leave out anything that hurts and the rest still works.
- If you are pregnant, recently post-surgical, or managing a health condition, get your doctor's view before starting, and learn from a qualified teacher in person.
General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.
Notes on practising it
If the hamstrings are genuinely short, the low back will round to compensate in every seated fold. Sitting on a block fixes more of that than another six months of trying will.
The energy figure above uses the standard ACSM relationship — MET × 3.5 × body mass in kilograms ÷ 200 kcal per minute — with the MET value taken from the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. The full working is on the method page, and the wider activity dataset is at BurnLab.
Questions
How long does the Hamstrings sequence take?
About 25 minutes for 9 poses at the stay times listed. Suggested volume: once through. At 2.5 MET — the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — that is roughly 77 kcal for a 70 kg adult.
Do I have to do the poses in this order?
The order is the point. Sequences are arranged so that each pose prepares the next one and answers the one before it — a backbend followed by a forward bend, a long hold followed by something that unloads it. Reordering them is fine once you know why they sit where they do.
Is the Hamstrings sequence suitable for beginners?
Yes. Every pose in it is a beginner-level shape with an accessible version, though you should still read each pose's own cautions — a beginner pose can still be wrong for a specific pregnancy, knee or neck.
What do I need for it?
A mat, and for several poses a block and a strap — a folded blanket and a belt do the same job. Nothing here needs a studio.
Other sequences
Asana names are traditional. Every step, benefit and caution on this page is written for YogaPath rather than reproduced from any book, studio or other library — see how this site is written. Energy figures derive from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.