If I had a nickel for each time I've heard, "I can't do yoga because my legs are just too tight!" ...Hamstrings, the three intertwined muscles along the back of our legs, are often the bane of our yoga practice - especially for athletes. And hamstring soreness is one of the most common problems I encounter in teaching (and practicing). Hamstrings attach up by the buttocks (the ischial tuberosity) and stretch down behind the knee, so there is a long distance to feel them "bark" at you. When you bend your knee, you contract the hamstrings.
Remember to go s-l-o-w-l-y into these stretches. Heat and sensation are good. Pain is not, so don't push past your edge. Breathe into where you are feeling the tightness, as if you had nostrils right in those muscles and joints. In fact, it is recommended to first go to only about 80% of your full stretch (you should still feel a mild stretch), then hold that for 3 or 4 breaths to convince the muscles that they are safe. Then, with control, move deeper into the pose by contracting the opposite muscles (in this case, the quadriceps - or front thigh muscles).
I came across an amazing website (if you like anatomy and physiology, that is). I've used anatomical drawings from the site numerous times on the blog and in class. Check out http://www.bandhayoga.com/ and click through their "Explore" and "Scientific Keys" sections. Awesome illustrations and explanations of how to move into poses safely, as well as how to relieve some of the discomfort poses may cause. I especially liked the hamstring article under the "Keys" section.
Tonight's practice quote: "Believe those that seek the truth. Doubt those that find it." -Andre Gide
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