TRAINING HAMSTRINGS WILL MAKE MONEY FALL FROM THE SKY.

Just kidding. HEALTHY KNEE ALIGNMENT 

I had to attempt something a lot more interesting to catch your attention because somehow I feel like telling you that you’ll move with better knee alignment isn’t ALL that motivating. 

Women’s knees are fairly vulnerable to injury because of the way we are shaped. Our hips tend to be wider than our knees, which can put uneven stresses on the knee joint. This makes it even more important for us to keep our hip and leg muscles strong and healthy, with a focus on good alignment and form during exercise. A healthy balance between the strength of the hamstrings and quadriceps, along with good motor control and coordination are needed to keep the knee in good alignment and stable as it moves. 

BRING MUSCLE BALANCE TO OUR THIGHS/LEGS:

The quadriceps and hamstrings need to work together to control the movement of the legs. This is especially true for activities that involve running and stopping quickly and changing direction, for example in playing tennis or running after a feisty toddler. The setup of these two muscle groups is kind of like a game of tug of war. Imagine the quadriceps are on one side and the hamstrings on the other. If the quadriceps is too much stronger than the hamstrings the knee can be overextended and cause damage to the soft tissues of the joint (ligaments, meniscus). 

Exercising on the stability ball works all of the stabilizing muscles of the core and legs more, especially when you are doing single-leg exercises. The knee is designed to be a very stable joint - voluntary movement of the knee is only in one plane - bending and straightening. The side-to-side movement of the knee is held stable by ligaments and the soft cartilage (meniscus). Over time wear and tear on these structures can result in the knee being less stable than it should be, increasing the risk of injury. Training the muscles to work together to help stabilize the joint can help to prevent further damage to the joint and lessen the risk of injury. 

STOP LETTING THE GLUTES GET OUT OF DOING THEIR JOB.

The position of this exercise involves holding the low back and hips in a neutral position against the downward pull of gravity and the movement of the legs. The gluteus maximus needs to be very active just to hold the position as the hamstrings work to bend and straighten the knees. This is important because when the gluteus maximus is weak, the hamstrings can be overworked. The hamstrings try to do the job of the gluteus maximus. This can result in hamstring cramping, tendonitis, or even tears. Activating the gluteus maximus first and then the hamstrings can help to reinforce healthy patterns of muscle activation and reduce the risk of injury. 

STOP LETTING THE GLUTES BLAME OTHER MUSCLES FOR WHY THEY AREN’T DOING THEIR JOB.

Sitting too much puts the muscles that work opposite the gluteus maximus, one of the hip flexors (iliopsoas) in a shortened position. This can lead to muscle tightness. A tight muscle on one side of a joint may inhibit or “turn off” the muscle on the opposite side of the joint - in this case, the hip extensors (gluteus maximus). This is known as reciprocal inhibition. When the gluteus maximus is inhibited the hamstrings need to work overtime to extend the hip. The position of this exercise lengthens the hip flexors while working the gluteus maximus.