Hamstrings versus Hamsprings and Basketballers

This discussion group is for questions about Yin Yoga and other body parts, such as shoulders, feet, wrists, etc.... Also, this is the place to discuss various conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.
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Liz A
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 1:19 pm
Location: Melbourne Australia

Hamstrings versus Hamsprings and Basketballers

Post by Liz A »

Hi Bernie

I'm currently doing your and Dr McGill's Your Spine Your Yoga course through Yoga International which I'm really enjoying.
I've gotten to the part which talks about hamstrings also being known as 'hamsprings' and how if people who want to be able to jump high (i.e basketballers) shouldn't be stretching their hamstrings too much. I know it's covered in your body your yoga on page 135.
But do you have any other scientific articles on this for students who are skeptical and have been told otherwise by their own basketball coaches who aren't aware of this?
Or is there any online appendix for Your Body Your Yoga book which may have this information I can't seem to find in the book?
Many thanks
Liz
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Post by Bernie »

Hi Liz

This topic comes down to a generalized discussion about the elasticity of our fascial tissues. For more information including links to studies, I invite you to read this article on Yoga International It's Okay to Stretch Your Ligaments! and this article in a recent newsletter What are the Yin Tissues?. In these articles I make the case that it is okay to stretch your yin tissues. However, you can do too much of anything and stretching before sports has been shown to decrease performance for top athletes. For more on that topic, I invite you to read this article, Yin Yoga is not good for athletes. There I address a common criticism leveled against Yin Yoga which says that we should not do yin before sports. As you will see, I don't come down hard for or against stretching before sports because it depends upon your intentions.

Regardless of any study, the real question is whether Yin Yoga is good for YOU before you do sports. This is something you can work with each student to determine. What do they experience? That is the only reality that matters! Some may find it helpful, others not so much. Beware the binary ; :wink:

Cheers
Bernie
Liz A
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri May 03, 2019 1:19 pm
Location: Melbourne Australia

Post by Liz A »

Thanks Bernie!
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