# Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch

A lying stretch for the back of the thigh with your hips at the base of a wall: one leg rests straight up the wall while the other stays bent. The wall holds the leg for you, so you can relax into the stretch with your back supported by the floor.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/lying-single-leg-extended-on-wall-hamstrings-stretch/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-wall-hamstring-stretch/

## Muscles worked

- Hamstrings: 9/10
- Calves: 4/10
- Glutes: 3/10

## How to do the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch

1. Lie on your back, hips near the wall, feet on the wall.
2. Slide one heel up the wall until the knee is straight.
3. Keep the other knee bent, hips flat on the floor.
4. Hold the stretch while breathing easily, then switch sides.

### Full technique — 8 steps

1. Lie on your back with your hips close to a wall and both feet flat on the wall, knees bent about 90 degrees.
2. Rest your arms on your chest or on the floor.
3. Slide one heel up the wall until the knee is straight and you feel a stretch along the back of your thigh.
4. Take the other foot off the wall and keep that knee bent.
5. Keep your hips and head resting on the floor.
6. Move your hips closer to the wall to deepen the stretch, or farther away to ease it.
7. Hold the stretch while breathing steadily, without bouncing.
8. Bend the knee, slide the foot back down the wall, and switch sides.

## Common mistakes

- Bouncing deeper into position
- Lifting the hips off the floor
- Lifting the head and shoulders off the floor
- Forcing the raised knee straight
- Setting the hips too close to the wall

## Form cues

- Reach only to tension
- Push heel toward ceiling
- Keep hips on the floor
- Keep pressure tolerable

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2 sets of 30–45 reps · rest 15 s · 6 reps in reserve
- **Muscle growth**: 2 sets of 30–45 reps · rest 15 s · 6 reps in reserve
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 30–60 reps · rest 15 s · 6 reps in reserve

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Standing Hamstring Stretch](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-standing-hamstring-stretch/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- **This exercise: Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch — Beginner**
- Harder: [Stability Ball Seated Hamstring Stretch](https://seto.fit/exercises/stability-ball-seated-hamstring-stretch/) — Beginner
- Harder: [Seated Forward Fold](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-forward-fold/) — Beginner

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch work?

Primary: Hamstrings 9/10. Also works: Calves 4/10, Glutes 3/10.

### When should I do the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 4 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch?

Strength: 2 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 15 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 15 s, 6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 30–60 reps, rest 15 s, 6 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch?

Resistance bands: Resistance Band Standing Hamstring Stretch.

### What is a harder version of the Lying Wall Hamstring Stretch?

Stability Ball Seated Hamstring Stretch (Beginner), Seated Forward Fold (Beginner).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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