Hamstring Foam Roller Guide: Improve Flexibility and Recovery

Learn how to properly foam roll your hamstrings to relieve muscle tightness, improve range of motion, and accelerate post-workout recovery.

How to Perform

  1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended and place the foam roller underneath your upper thighs just below the glutes.
  2. Place your hands on the floor behind you and lift your hips so your weight is supported by your hands and the roller.
  3. Use your arms to slowly push and pull your body so the roller moves between the bottom of your glutes and the back of your knees.
  4. Rotate your legs slightly inward and then outward to target the medial and lateral heads of the hamstring muscles.
  5. Pause and hold the pressure for twenty to thirty seconds on any specific spots that feel particularly tight or tender.
  6. Maintain a steady breathing pattern and keep your core engaged to protect your lower back throughout the movement.

Common Mistakes

  • Rolling directly behind the knee joint
  • Holding your breath instead of maintaining deep respirations
  • Moving too quickly over the muscle tissue
  • Allowing the lower back to sag toward the floor

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

  • Hamstrings

Stabilizers

  • Glutes
  • Calves
  • Core

Related Guides

Hamstrings · Strength