[Vickie]

Trig, If you ever are able to keep a straight back and touch your toes we must put it on the internet and make money. No it's not possible and not necessary. You are doing the exercise in it's perfect form from a standing position. Once you tilt your pelvis, as your doc indicated, you are not isolating the hamstring and are stretching the hip and back muscles. So if your objective is hams . . . then you got it.

I must assume you are doing double leg hamstring stretches or are crossing one ankle to so singles. Not sure. Either way Make sure you are keeping your hips level even at the expense,in the beginning, of decreasing the amount you can lower your torso. You can increase the intensity by pushing your hips back which will place more weight on your heels and challenge your balance. It looks every bit like a cross between a goodmorning and a deadlift. Remember your goal is to stretch the hamstring not prove that you are limbo man. This will create an environment that is holistic and allows you much greater range to work with, since eventually your hamstring will reach it's peak. Also remember while you are trying not to round your lower back you really want to engage your abdominal muscles and the more you keep your chest lifted the better the large erector spinea muscles can protect your low back. You are basically using the rest of your body as your machine to allow you to isolate the hamstrings to their greatest capacity.

I also think it's necessary to do single leg ham stretches and I might add these little specefic points. Stand with your body squared to the bench or stair that is a challenging height but still easy to lift your leg onto. Before you start leaning forward make sure you don't lift the same hip. Keep your hips level even if it means you don't lean forward as much. You're getting the stretch and that's what matters. Instead of continuing to lean forward, push the hip of the working hamstring away from your foot and watch the tension increase in the belly of the muscle. It's great.

I also recommend the seated hamstring stretches as it really let's you look at the relationship of your upper back and the function of the hamstring to the knee. To insure protection of your low back start with a straight back, sit on a bench with one leg stretched out on the bench and the other on the floor. Bring your knees together in the beginning and then move the foot on the floor out slowly so as not to move your hip out of alignment.Reach down with both hands and grab the bench close to your groin. Now as you lift your back up as straight as you can you should feel really intensity in the hamstring. Since we want a safe back just let you knee bend as much as it needs to to get your back straight. Now hold on like the dickens and slowly, ever so slowly, begin to try to stretch out your hamstring. Stop as soon as it makes you even think about grimmicing. Take three deep breaths and then move your foot forward again just a few centimeters. Yea, just a tiny bit can make a huge difference. But it will be enough and increase slowly and consistently enough to really create some profound success.

Keep me posted, back to the streets. Vik