Hamstring Primer: Fly-In Strides

Workout - Hamstring Primer: Fly-In Strides

• 12min @ 6'00''/km
• 5 lots of:
  • 50m @ 6'00''/km
  • 1min 30s rest
• 10min @ 6'30''/km

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Intro

Want the highlights from How to Keep Your Hamstrings Healthy and Strong (StrengthRunning)? The key takeaways are below so you can start the workout right away. For the full breakdown, watch the original video.

Key points

• Injury grading: injuries fall into three grades. Grade 1 involves a minor tweak with roughly 10% of fibers torn, recovery in days. Grade 2 is a moderate strain that needs weeks of rest. Grade 3 is a complete rupture that takes months to a full year.
• Risk factors: excessive anterior pelvic tilt, limited hamstring extensibility, poor sprint mechanics, and form breakdown from fatigue.
• Screening: try the “Yurdan” test. Lie flat on a table, keep your pelvis neutral, then raise your thigh vertically and try to straighten your leg. If you can’t get full knee extension, that’s a sign of restricted flexibility.
• Training pillars: hip and knee mobility, hamstring flexibility, sprint mechanics, high-speed work, angled strength (knee flexion and hip extension), eccentric training, core stability, and aerobic conditioning.
• Strength focus: build strength with stiff-leg Romanian deadlifts, single-leg versions, and Nordic hamstring curls. Aim for 2 to 3 sessions weekly, totaling 3 to 6 sets.
• Flexibility tip: find your “Goldilocks” flexibility zone. Stretch enough to feel elastic, but keep some tension at the end range so you can snap back, like a rubber band.

Workout example: fly-in (stride) for distance runners

1. Begin with a 5-10 minute easy jog to warm up.
2. Find a flat 30-40 meter stretch and set up two cones 10 meters apart.
3. Buildup phase: start 20 meters out with a steady increase in speed. Don’t explode.
4. Acceleration phase: hit your top speed as you pass the first cone, then keep that intensity through the 10-meter gap.
5. Cooldown phase: ease off once you pass the second cone.
6. Do 2 to 3 reps at the beginning of your workout (roughly 5-10 minutes all in).

Tip: Aim for about 95-98% of max speed. A controlled high-speed effort beats an all-out sprint.

Closing note

Try the fly-in stride before your main workouts. Adjust the distance or speed in the Pacing app to your fitness level. Stay the course, listen to your body, and regularly assess your range of motion.

References

• How to Keep Your Hamstrings Healthy and Strong - YouTube (YouTube Video)