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Even though time passes by, our flexibility doesn’t abandon us; it’s the way we handle the whole situation that makes us adjust to the late years properly. Personally, I would run often and lift weights, but since amount of work got bigger and more serious I would just leave out the stretching exercises until stiffness in the muscles reminded me of their true power. Well, one day I decided, “Why not give it a try and exercise the elephant walk for 3 minutes each day for 1 week.” So, that was the first time I tried it out.
The aim, imagine! A simple action that may really work on your body if you execute it correctly, i.e., to raise my legs up and cut the hamstrings’ tension. I’m sorry to break the news but in case you didn’t catch it yet — this was a quick-fix idea still working on producing its results, but we were all surprised to see the huge progress that it caused for me back then.
The Elephant Walk Exercise?
It’s not as strange as it sounds; the elephant walk doesn’t require you to imitate the heavy walk of an elephant. This is one of the best ways to perform a low-impact stretching of the hamstrings, and it is a dynamic exercise that increases the mobility of the muscles. It is not only the hamstrings, but the calves, glutes, and lower back muscles too, that this stretch covers.
The basic moves are as follows: stand with your feet apart and chin up, bend at the waist, and let your hands approach the ground. Next, lift and lower each leg, gently, keeping one knee bent and the other leg straight. This allows you not only to warm up the muscles but also to stretch them, and this is the perfect easy way to do it after they have stayed inactive for long.
You will not have to go out and buy some exclusive tools because you can use a TV mat, for instance, or even the carpet, and 2-3 minutes would be a good time to take a break and then be energetic and ready for daily work.
What was on my mind when trying it
Now, I train regularly and get a good sweat, but usually, stretching is not even considered as a part of the training and is neglected. After running for a long time or practicing strength, I regrettably remember that I have just given one of my hamstring muscles, a superficial stretch. However, lately, I have been experiencing the hardness of my lower back and my attempts at touching my toes have resulted in nothing but pain.
You know, the elephant walk looked for me like an opportunity to do some easy things for my mobility and to get the first step in and see how it goes, without adding any stress to my daily program. I had an idea that if three minutes could change the situation, I should give it a try.
A Week of the Elephant Walk
I Discovered How My Hamstrings’ Movement Was Constricted By The Elephant Walk
The first day has come, and I could only bow my head in embarrassment. Despite good physical training, the muscles in my leg were not in the best condition. I can’t say that it was flexible, but it mainly provided me with an opportunity to recognize that too much pressure has been on my muscles.
Sure, a slow, consistent movement of the leg up and down reached the areas that were most in need of work. In this way within some minutes, I could immediately differentiate between the side of mine which was tighter and the one which was looser.
Minutes Can Be Enough to Identify Change
I remarked on the change the three minutes daily training brought about, and I am so surprised. Gosh! By the time it was half of the week, the stretch was even interesting for me. I struggled less with bags reaching further and I could keep the movement longer without any pain.
If you spend the whole day sitting at your computer, or just finish doing your sports routine without stretching, you will consider the elephant walk a few minutes of which can easily improve your flexibility. It’s really not time-consuming, still it has an enormous effect on flexibility.
It Brought into Focus How Central to Overall Flexibility the Hamstrings Are
It’s hard. And not just that but the inability to maintain an upright posture, inability to squat, and also pain might be caused by tightness in the hamstring muscles. To make sure my point, studies have showcased that increasing the flexibility of the hamstring can not only improve the capabilities of knee mobility but also support the decrease of injuries.
After a week of elephant walking, I felt more comfortable bending forward, squatting deeper in my workouts, and even sitting cross-legged without as much stiffness. A small win but a big impact!
It’s Perfect If You’re Working on Touching Your Toes
If being able to touch your toes is a goal that seems impossible, the elephant walk is a very promising starting point. There is no need to push yourself beyond your limit. You can use yoga blocks or even a low stack of books to support your hands and focus only on the increasing range of motion without causing annoyance or discomfort.
It was so charming how mobile this exercise was, wherever I could be — some of the days I was more strained, therefore I had to be more careful not to get hurt, and some others I was more capable of stretching deeper.
Is the Elephant Walk Worth Adding to Your Routine?
Indubitably so. I discovered that the elephant walk was the simplest and most effective way to boost my flexibility without being a hassle. Only three minutes daily was that of a small task that I did even on my busiest days, and I saw the real changes by the end of the week.
Looking for a straightforward, equipment-free exercise that can release tight hamstrings, reduce stiffness, and promote overall movement? Then, I strongly recommend giving it a try. Your legs —and your future self— will be forever thankful.
