How can I stretch the (Hamstring?) in my hip for running?
363032
Try these before you run:\n\n1. Do a forward lunge as far as you can go. Be sure to keep the heel down on the leg in back. Keep the toes down as you bend the leg in front. When you feel the stretch, hold for at least 10 seconds, then switch legs. \n\n2. Lay down on your back. Pull one leg across the other until it faces out from your torso (or as far as it can go) So one leg is sticking out and one is down like normal. You might feel a little tingle in yur foot at first. Hold this position for at least ten seconds, then swap legs.\n\n3. I call this reverse lunge:\nBend the knee in back and stick the one leg out as far as you can like you are taking a giant step, being sure to keep your toes down. Hold for 10 seconds. Now shift your weight forward, bending the front leg but not the back, until you are doing a lunge like in #1. Hold fr 10 seconds. Switch back, then switch legs and repeat.\n\n4. Sit on floor or mat with knees straight. Reach toward or beyond toes or bring torso toward legs. Hold stretch for atleast 10 seconds. Spine should be kept straight. Keep knees straight by tensing Quadriceps. \n\n5. Lie down with one leg straight up in the air, the other bent with foot flat on the ground. Loop a towel over the arch of the lifted foot, and gently pull on the towel as you push against it with your foot. Push only to the point where your muscles contract. Stretch both legs for at least 10 seconds each (as usual)\n\nHope this helps!\n\np.s. if the first steps are agony, try walking to warm up and gradually increasing speed unti you are running -OR- lungewalking the first steps
373507
It will get worse, much worse.  My track coach had me do a trick that helped a ton.  Take your shoes and socks off and sit in a sandbox at a playground.  Then extend your feet in front of you and stick them in the soft sand.  Then try and squeeze your feet so you are trying to curl your toes to your heel.  Do a few sets of 15 - 20 of this every day if you can.  It made my shin splints go completely away.
705564
for running\ncalve, hamstring, quad, shin muscle
857070
Achilles calf - place one foot in front of the other foot and lean forward against a wall and keep your feet flat against the floor.  do this stretch with the back knee in a straight position as well as bent position.  \n\nHurdlers' stretch - Sit with one leg extended.  The other curled into the body.  Lean with your lower back until you feel a stretch.\n\nDo stretches for 15 to thirty seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times.\n\n\nIt is also recommended that you perform a gradual warm-up and cool down which should help control those symptoms as well. \n\n\ni only stretch before races when my coach is watching so that's all i can remember for stretches that help pervent shin splits.  hope that helps!!!
420614
FIrst, shin splints are not fractures as quoted above.  Don't let that scare you.  They are generally from overdoing it too sson though.  Good shoes are important, but also some compression will help.  You can use soccer socks that are too small for you.  As long as they cover the painful area and squeeze you calf and shin a bit.  Also, ice them down as soon as you finish running.  Use the little 4 oz bathroom cups, fill them with water and freeze them.  Ice your whins with them tearing away the paper on the cup as it melts.  Use the whole cup.  Lastly, exercise those muscles that hurt.  Stand on a bottom stair on your heals with your arch and forefoot hanging over the edge.  Hold on for balance if you need to.  Allow your toes to lower toward the floor and then pull them all the way back up within a few reps you should feel those muscles in the front of your shin working.  Time yourself, if you can do it continuously for 30 seconds, then you rest an equal time (30 seconds in this case) and do it again.  Do 3 sets. Do these on a day you don't run, or after running, never before and ice afterward, just like after having run.
556335
eat healthy. stretch REALLY good. drink a lot of water or gatorade. pace yourself, but sprint the last lap...also, keep a consisten breathing pattern: in through your nose, out through your mouth. last, do your best. Good luck!
413462
Drink PLENTY of water.  Warm up before and stretch after.  It takes a while to get over a pulled muscle.  I pulled a quad one fall, would think it's OK and then re-aggravate it every time I'd start to run.
713391
check out Active Isolated Stretching.  Works wonders!
901748
First learn how to stretch properly.  Many people who stretch to gain flexibility to do the splits put to much stress on their hips and supporting ligiments.  Read up on some of Bill Wallace's articles on stretching and look into Tom Kurtz, he has an excellent program.  Also check to see if your body can actually do the splits.  Stand next to a table or counter the same height as your waist, put your leg out to the side foot forward and see if you can stand straight up, next to the same thing on the other side.  By doing this you will see if you have any bone structure or legiments that mind prevent you from achieving full splits.  Here is Kurtz's link to his website.\n\nhttp://www.stadion.com/column.html
268100
Good one to do is with a partner. Sit down and stretch your legs as far apart as you can. Your friend puts his feet by your ankles and pushes your legs further apart. Keep your torso upright. Communication is vital, it's going to be uncomfortable but avoid sharp pain, a gentle ache is ok. Once you're uncomfortable enough (heh) grab a hold of his hands, and he will lean backwards as you stretch forward. Good hamstring flexibility isn't worth much if your abdomen isn't flexible too. Hold it for about 10 seconds, then get your own back and do it him! \n\nHope I've explain it well enough for you, if it causes you real pain don't do it.
570272
before you to anything, start running.  run, run, run, get in shape.  *stretch*  being flexible means you are more versitle to any sport you wish to attempt.  you can be muscular and flexible, but flexiblity is most important.  take stretching classes or watch videos to be able to stretch without hurting yourself.  then experiment with sports in your area.  if you like to run and sprint, try soccer.  quick reflexes can be softball, basketball.  if you have stronger lower body strength, try skiing or skating.  it also depends on where you live.  if you are 26 and have no prior athletic experience, it is not as probable that you will compete in the olympics or anything but with drive and determination, anything is possible.  good luck!
555792
Lots of new evidence suggests that as long as you are physically and sufficiently 'warmed up' there is no need for preparation stretches before hand. The most important part is the post stretching.\n\nBUT if you do use prep stretches then i would say dynamic stretches are the best suited. Dynamic are basically stretches with movement.\n An example:\n\nRather then taking one leg forward, placing the heel on the ground, pointing toes to the ceiling and leaning into the front leg to stretch the hamstrings you would swing the same leg up and down in controlled movements so that you cover the whole range of movement that joint allows.\n\nAnother reason not to do most prep stretches before any physical event is that most people use 'static' stretches eg they take the joint so far and then hold it there for maybe 10-15 seconds.\n\nAnother example:\n\ntake the same hamstring as above, you lean into your front leg (which is heel down and toes pointing upwards) and hold the leg in that position while stretching it. This basically means that it is now safe for you to perform most movements within that range of motion.\nBUT if you are about to kick a football as hard as you can across a field your leg will finish way higher than your static hamstring stretch takes you. So therefore in this scenario that type of stretch is useless.\nSo try to use dynamic stretches like leg swings for one to basically take the joint through its full range of motion in a controlled manner first before you then go and give it the "big'un" during the actual sporting event!!
160220
You can try bone lengthening - that is by increasing the height of the femur bone (in your leg) by a few inches...but its quite painful, an you will need to be using crutches until it heals.\n\nThe best method is to use artificial methods, like heeled shoes
380968
do sit-ups but to pin point that area turn your legs to the right and do 20, then repeat with legs turned to the left.\nalso running helps with that area also.\n\ngood luck
477953
In only 2 weeks? Good luck, it's taken me months to get the legs I have now. Emphasize a good running regimen (between 10-15 miles per week) and do hip abductor and hip adductor exercises. Gyms usually have machines for those. Hamstrings are hard to get defined in women because they're usually heavily fat-deposited, so focus on them AND your quads with equal intensity.
1030671
Just go in up to your hips and do it quickly.   Or you could have someone burry you in the sand (up to your waist would be fine) and do it.
253118
I believe you are talking about the biceps femoris.  The common name for the strain is a hamstring pull.  Heat and rest followed by stretching and moderate exercise is the best way to overcome this injury.