Beginner Hamstring Flexibility Routine

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Oops I forgot to mention, this routine should be performed 1-2x per week. Enjoy the routine!

[@FiveN9ne]

Hi Tom. During the Jefferson curl is it ok for lower back to round? I always have that problem, my palms can go past my feet but in a posterior pelvic tilt. Similar to seated pike, my butt is more forward than my back. How can i target this? Is it a weakness or tight muscle? Thanks

[@btmovements360]

Bruh, fire vid as always. You never fail. Keep up the good work and keep the exploration happening ✌🏾🏃🏽‍♂️🤸🏽‍♂️🏋🏽‍♂️

[@grunow]

and also after the lower body routine ??? not before???

[@FiveN9ne]

You always stretch after muscle building exercises, never before

[@kwasjemycat9236]

can my father do this too he is 45 years but he wanted to do it with me i said watch out dont lol

[@virginiajackson6643]

As a total beginner with very tight hamstrings and sciatic nerves, I’ve found this routine to be very uncomfortable, but exceptionally effective. Thank you!

[@ynmamflm]

would you say almost impossible? Almost but day one sucked! Day two will be easier

[@recepemirhancirak4011]

​@@ynmamflmhow did it go?

[@willpeachable]

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - Overview of exercises 1:33 - A1. General warm up 1:55 - A2. Straight leg swings - 10-15r per side 2:12 - A3. Kit Laughlin stick drill 3:15 - A4. Sciatic nerve glides - 10-15r 4:01 - B1. Elevated Calve PNF - 3-4r per side (10-15s/5s) 5:11 - B2. Banded Hamstring PNF - 3-4r per side (10-15s/5s) 6:27 - C1. Jefferson Curls - 10r + 10-30s 8:14 - Recommended sets and time 9:12 - Closing comments

[@filipposkarailanidis]

NO WAY... The reason I found your channel a week ago was because I was looking for hamstring exercises. However you didn't have a complete beginner's video... AND NOW YOU RELEASE ONE! I love you mate, you've been doing amazing work with your vids, please keep it up!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Aye, well here you are

[@skull7878]

Could you do this as a follow along? I’ve been doing your other follow along workouts and they’re brilliant.

[@OSeanSanO]

Woooowwww dude... seriously mad props for the SI nerve floss! I don't think a lot of people know about this kind of potential risk of nerve damage when thinking they are stretching the muscle but they are stretching the SI nerve! 👌 good shit!!!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

It's very important, thanks :)

[@TimShieff]

Great thanks for this! Love your work

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Thanks Tim, honoured :)

[@VeeBee81]

Hi Tom 👋🏽 Can you put all your beginners exercises in a Playlist please so that they’ll all be easy to find on your channel. 🤗

[@SuperKizza15]

Never been able to touch my toes, did this once, touched my toes! Ecstatic right now! Thanks a lot. Keep up the good work!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Amazing, that is so cool to hear! :)

[@sofiawisdom3568]

I did this routine once and was able to touch my toes. I've never been able to do this. I was really close before, but now I can actually do it! Thank you 💖

[@LouCollins]

This is awesome, I’ve followed loads of stretching tutorials but this one has really helped even after just one session!

[@whatnotttt]

This routine, a couple of times a week, took me from ~35cm up, to first knuckle touching floor. Sincere thanks.

[@bpg201]

This is what I'm hoping for! Right now I'm not even close to being able to touch my toes.....

[@Milanlundandersen]

@@bpg201 Same how its going for you? update?

[@bpg201]

@@Milanlundandersen Well I still need to work on consistency!! Not stretching enough yet to make a difference. Need to make time daily before I can properly evaluate!

[@adamhammoud1496]

I needed this Tom thank you mate, you always care to help your community and keep it real, don't change brother.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Why else do it. It's all about growing stronger together, thanks Adam :)

[@doriangrey4647]

Dude, your videos are gold! I searched for books and videos on flexing everywhere and i couldn't find nearly as good one as yours. Thank you so much.

[@Jez1963UK]

Top class, thank you so much (I'm a 55 year old male and looking to improve my flexibility overall for the row machine) - this will help me lots :) Many thanks and merry Christmas to you :)

[@KNielsen3]

Thank you thank you thank you! These exercises seems to have cured my sciatica pain for good (fingers crossed)!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Awesome!

[@hanhil3673]

Is this supposed to be a beginner's routine? Because I must be the most inflexible person in the world.

[@hardikrathore3719]

Same lol

[@MrSunshinetrooper]

He says at the start its for people who can pretty much touch their toes.

[@dashachess4204]

Just do a half sun salute, you will touch your toes in no time: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWTIdIykm7Jnmac start at 1:56 perfect for beginners! I would also recommend using a mirror to see your half lift, memorize where your hands are located when doing it so you wouldn't need a mirror and can practice anywhere

[@saarxddd]

You can do everything with a far stretch or not so far, just as far as YOU can, not what he can do.

[@IsacMicic]

I started this routine while i couldn't pass my hole hands through my knees, now I can touch the ground, so I think you should give it a try

[@charlesjefferson804]

That fact that you replied, means you are going to make it. Thanks for making my life easier.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

happy stretching :)

[@Alexeinandros83]

Hello Tom, As these seem to be the most efficient exercises for the hamstrings, could you please do for exactly this a follow along? That would be great!

[@ramadoo2179]

as per usual, well thought out, safe, and effective routine

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Thanks :)

[@IsacMicic]

I've been doing this routine for 3 weeks and it is the first time in my live i can touch the ground without bending my knees, thank you very much!

[@garthneily4855]

the stick drill is similar to one an aerialist showed me with a foam roller for stretching toe point! Awesome stuff as always

[@BodyweightWarrior]

It's bloody horrid haha, thanks Garth

[@garthneily4855]

for sure, foam roller makes it more forgiving I imagine.

[@jobeydog]

Awesome video. I have struggled with tight hamstrings for most of my life and am excited to try this over the next month.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

best of luck to you Anthony :)

[@johnjohntv1195]

Anthony; keep us updated on your progress.

[@77Faquir]

before doing this routine i would reach with my hands just below my knees, 3 weeks later i can reach, before stretching, the top of my feet and after stretching i can reach my fingertips below my feet... Thanks for the routine 👍🏼

[@GhostOfYou707]

Literally just touched my toes for the first time in my life after doing this once hahaha, keep it up man love the vids

[@tilenrac1099]

Love your videos tom i was able to figure out all the things that were hindering me in my mobility. Keep up the awesome work ^^

[@TomGTARec]

They all felt good and I will be doing this twice a week now, the sciatic nerve glide feels amazing as that's where i have pain. Thanks for the vid

[@kirstenj9903]

I’m 31 years old, and although I’ve always been relatively active, I’ve noticed over the past few months that I’m losing flexibility, and I’d like to gain whatever I can back. I wish there had been a follow-along video for this routine. But I think I did the exercises correctly because a few hours later, I’m feeling a post-workout ache in my hamstrings. 😄 Hopefully that signals the beginning of progress. Thank you so much!

[@mariahannagrundmann2942]

These follow alongs are my treat every sunday night, love them

[@Gremlin209]

Thanks Tom. I love your Bruce Lee Philosophy approach to Fitness. Take what is essential and discard the unessential and add what is uniquely your own. Keep up the excellent work.✌

[@BodyweightWarrior]

100% love that too

[@kieran7655]

I would like to thank you for this video. Followed you're videos for a while but just gone through all exercises in this and managed to touch my toes for the first time in my adult life! Huge moment for me 😂.

[@sevatar5762]

Just found your channel. My posture is absolutely ruined thanks to martial arts. Been having terrible trouble with everything! extremely tight hams, anterior tilt, rounded shoulders and nerd neck. Will be putting in lots of your stuff into my morning routines.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Ah that sucks but no reason why it can't be fixed. Best of luck :)

[@dancequinnqueen4532]

Simply amazing!! This is exactly what so many of us need. Thanks for filling that fitness video gap 👍🏽😎

[@chriswatts9227]

Thanks for this Tom great stuff. Interesting to hear someone call out Coach Sommer I've been greatly challenged and helped by listening to him!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

He definitely is a polarising character :)

[@chriswatts9227]

Tom Merrick I found his Tim Ferriss interview great at making me reconsider my training. Slowing down what I think is progress and having a greater consideration of mobility. Thanks for content like this which helps greatly!

[@ricobasic]

loving your videos.. thanks for this one. i have always had terrible flexibility but don't think ive ever worked on it properly. will be doing this a few times a week!

[@niiico2351]

Brilliant video Tom 👍

[@idmovepersonaltraining]

Great video, Tom. Can't wait to see what the results are like on my end. Keep it up!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

best of luck

[@rb_67]

I love your videos and find them extremely helpful. Please share some tips for knocked knees, why they happen and how they are problematic in the long run.

[@sunshinebear1979]

I use your ab workouts every day!

[@michellesf3722]

[@BodyweightWarrior]

awesome, have fun!

[@chrisantonuccio]

thanks for this Tom! very helpful for healing & gaining flexibility again assisting in the yoga practice 🙏

[@dannynayman4147]

I assume the involuntary trembling stops if I keep up the routine. :(

[@TheGelatio]

Really great instruction! Well organized and on point! Keep it up

[@SirKaelan6]

Amazing! Thank you for sharing this video with us!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Happy to help :)

[@caiojulioary]

do you recommend doing this routine before or after lower body exercices? Or it's better to do them in a day when you dont exercise legs at all? Thank you for this Tom!

[@juliamasters518]

3:30 Um ok but I can’t even raise my leg like that. That’s why I’m HERE.

[@Jose-fn6zq]

same jaja

[@rasher331]

​@@Jose-fn6zq It sounds like you need to start with sitting down on a chair or a bench and extending your leg out and then leaning torso over and reaching down your leg as far as you can. Keep doing that and then keep trying the tip your toes movement reaching further each day you practice. Eventually you will be able to touch them and then progress with this video after a few weeks.

[@Ash.99]

🤣🤣🤣

[@manifestqueen1419]

Julia Masters Lmmfaoooooo

[@savannahgunter5353]

That nerve thing felt so good I'm going to cry😭😭 I think I finally found what makes my legs hurt so badly!! Thank you so much this helps a ton!!!!

[@savannahgunter5353]

My legs feel so free!!!

[@KaranTyagi101]

Tom, please write a book and bodyweight and mobility training!

[@dzi333]

Is it possible that I just sit all the way down on the stick as in 2:50 and feel nothing? Or I'm doing something wrongly?

[@ginny5842]

Tom, please, please could you do this as a follow along? Thanks!

[@JonEdwards]

Any plans for a follow-along version of this one?

[@abbx022]

Hi Tom, love your videos, it would be amazing if you could do a routine for posterior pelvic tilt, there is nothing else of your quality out there

[@jibberjabber6919]

Will this help with lower back pain. Or can you please make a video to target lower back pain.

[@tomakram872]

Great information fantastic tips always enjoying it bold statement about Christopher sommers jeff curls but fair point made

[@BodyweightWarrior]

haha, maybe a little out there

[@mehmettalhakurt4776]

Thanks a lot Tom, this routine is AMAZİNG. After the second week (fresh out from the 5th workout) I am able to touch the ground with my palms. My maximum range was mid shin before I started this routine. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to achieve a pike position. One question though, I don't get the logic behind the Week 1: 2 workouts/week Week 2: 3 workouts/week Week 3: 4 workouts/week Week 4: 2 workouts/week (deload) Could you or anyone enlighten me around this issue?

[@burgbuilds]

Can you please do a follow along of this routine

[@dexistence19]

Great routine Tom, really well set out

[@jw934]

I seem to recall you mentioned in a video that you can almost touch your forehead to your toe. Not sure. I think that is a much better stretch than the "pike". In my opinion, the pike could put excessive strain on the lower back if one's hamstring is not long enough. I believe this is what happened to a friend who tried too hard and ignored the resulting back pain problem until it became chronic. Most KZbin videos I saw described touching the nose to the shin, which could also result in the same type of injury as the pike, if overdone.

[@TheSavants]

Love the shoes 👍🏽 got my wife and I a pair. Keep up the great content!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Love some Feiyues :)

[@jackwhale8152]

Can’t believe I find this shoes here, my parents wear Feigues when they were kids, how did you know this brand which I thought it almost disappeared even in China now

[@RenZoneNL]

8:42 do we 1RM test our jefferson curl at the end of deload?

[@SaadKhan-yf1jn]

You are saving my life bro! ♥️

[@ZePequeno14]

Hi Tom, is there a PDF of this routine as well?

[@kamx1]

I haven't heard about the stick x-rcise smh, will try this routine. Some exercises I already do, some I don't. It definitely is worth to give it a try. Thx Tom.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

It's brutal but great, best of luck :)

[@johnjohntv1195]

Should intense stretching be done on training days or rest days? I’m wondering if it might impede recovery doing it on rest days?

[@mathias2410]

Great routine! Tremendous difference after 1 try.

[@mattddrums1]

I get 100% sciatic stretch when doing almost any hamstring stretch and almost NO feeling of stretch in my hamstring. All the pain is in my calf area. Can someone explain why this happens to me? Is this wrong?

[@7oclockmiracles88]

Such helpful info. Thank you so much!!

[@TheEdopex]

Awesome video! I love your work and I find it really helpful. Any chance of seeing a beginner pancake routine in the future? Greetings from Italy! :)

[@BodyweightWarrior]

possibly indeed!

[@acieleshky877]

Any advice for improving hamstring flexiblity while avoiding knee pain? I had a medial knee injury two years ago and these stretches caused the pain to flare up again.

[@jonmaragliotti8857]

Very useful! Much appreciated. Thank you for this and your other videos.

[@sophiavantil007]

I didn't know you did Kung Fu! Me too!!! I love your videos, thank you for sharing them.

[@paulsireci6374]

Tom, you're the best.

[@mholscher]

Could you please make a follow along video of this routine?

[@drnh4444]

Well done buddy. This was really useful. Thanks

[@mousdrvr]

Such clarity and detail. Thank you!

[@golflimaactual]

Thank you for sharing this it was very helpful

[@saldena4]

I need this. My hamstrings are super tight and sciatica limits my pike ability. Thanks for posting this

[@BodyweightWarrior]

no problem, hope it helps :)

[@eduns123]

How is this for beginners if touching your toes is the starting point.?..i can barely reach my shins

[@Teran305]

wow! this is seriously an amazing routine

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Thanks Teran :)

[@tenioladeji7681]

@TomMerrick Hello Tom, can you please make a follow along video of this.

[@rafamerchan]

You have a very nice fish pond - make a video about that

[@patblack2291]

Very helpful. Thanks for this!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Glad to help Pat :)

[@Vivek788]

This is super awesome. I wanna try now itself

[@martinwhite2020]

Very useful and detailed. Thanks for sharing.

[@thomasfowler8212]

I don't really understand your explanations for contracting each muscle to stretch??? It would help if you gave an example like 'tense like your about to he punched in the stomach' or something

[@jaylacey1637]

Are you meant to breath whilst in the pnf stretch

[@ohhiguy]

79K yeah baby... we are making headway. Great video as always. Inspiring. Thanks Tom.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

It's crazy, thanks Guy :)

[@dojajkox]

By the way. Awesome tutorial. Good job

[@richzarei7554]

@Tom Merrick During the banded hamstring PNF, the burn behind my knee is so intense that its distracting and it's all I can do to focus on keeping my leg straight and pulling on the band. Can I work up to the contraction of the quads, hip flexors, etc up to as my upper calf/knee become more flexible over several weeks and become less distracting during the stretch?

[@finn.food.health-8100]

With the Banded Hamstring PNF, I can't get my legs fully straightened in a 90 degrees postition. If I want to perform the exercise with the band I need to lower my legs to perform the exercise with a full straightened leg. Is that ok? I hope after doing these exercises a couple of times it will be easier for me to perform this exercise.

[@shalinisingh-db2mk]

How can I do Jefferson curks if I m not reaching my toes...going diwn beyond it is very difficult for beginners

[@tomkirchner7276]

AWESOME!!!!! Thanks so much! Exactly what I was looking for!

[@BodyweightWarrior]

Happy to help :)

[@Joshdrums01]

Coming off ACL surgery a couple weeks back. Hyped to try these out! Thanks!

[@ereznir6616]

what should I do if I don't have the flexibility to keep my legs straight in some of the Drills?

[@lighting_fast]

Great info & easy to follow Just what I needed

[@dzang6250]

Have you thought doing some video like this for the hip flexors and quads? I notice during leg kicks they tend be tight, but finding beginner friendly routines is hard. It's easy to find some exercises, but not ones like this where you really feel the good kind of stretch

[@justinreyesv]

Appreciate the video!

[@jll5094]

I’m new to this kind of workout and I’ve been doing this routine and it’s helping a lot. Can someone tell me what “deload” means. Like for Week 4 it says 2 Sets (deload). Thanks!

[@yanakravchuk9824]

And what would you suggest for someone who at 7:01 can't go 10 degrees bent over without keeping a neutral spine? I feel like you should make a beginner's beginner stretch routine.

[@BodyweightWarrior]

I've got many on my channel but this routine will be fine at any level :)

[@axisaudio2673]

@@BodyweightWarrior I'm pretty tight. so much so that I can't extend my legs straight when sitting much less laying down to do a sciatic nerve guide. Any suggestions or variations to get there?

[@Jas0nJames]

@@axisaudio2673 I'm in the same boat, any suggestions @Tom Merrick

[@FernandoGarzaConde]

awesome video! any beginner tips for the pancake? I can barely put my hands on the ground :/