Standing Elevated Hamstring Stretch (Contract-Relax)

stretchhipeasyHamstrings (front leg)

Content last reviewed: 2026-07-06

Standing Elevated Hamstring Stretch (Contract-Relax) — start/setup and end/loaded positions — Left: start / setup position. Right: end / loaded position.

How to do it

Place one heel on a low bench or step with the knee straight and toes up.
Stand tall and hinge forward from the hips, keeping the back flat, until you feel a hamstring stretch.
Gently press the heel down into the bench for 5–6 seconds (a light contraction).
Relax and hinge a little deeper into the new range.
Repeat the contract-relax cycle 3–4 times, then switch legs.

Form cues

Hinge from the hips with a flat back — don't round to reach further
Keep the standing knee soft and the working knee straight
Breathe out as you sink deeper after each contraction

Dosage

Frequency: daily
Volume: 2 sets each side
3–4 contract-relax cycles per set
Contraction 5–6 s, stretch 15–20 s.

Muscles worked

hamstrings — anatomical illustration — hamstringsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

gastrocnemius — anatomical illustration — gastrocnemiusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Stretches: hamstrings, gastrocnemius

Target muscles

Hamstrings Gastrocnemius

Posterior Neck Stretch (Chin Tuck, Supine)Shoulder Adductor / Lat Stretch (Supine Overhead Reach)Lateral Neck Flexor Stretch (Side Tilt)Neck Extensor Stretch (Seated/Supine Flatten Neck)Pectoralis Minor Stretch (Supine Assisted)One-Joint Hip Flexor Stretch (Supine, Knee to Chest)