Do you have to bend your knees in some yoga poses?

Tight hamstrings can make yoga class feel like a somewhat sloppy experience — at least for me. Although yoga is about accepting how something feels for you A unique body, there are moments in almost every season where I wish I could be more flexible.

This is especially true in forward bends. When the teacher tells the class to step forward, I wait for the warning tailored to my ears: If this is not available to you, keep your knees bent to avoid strain or injury to the hamstrings. This is usually said in a more rhetorical way, but the point is always the same.

However, I often find myself rebelling against this reference. Instead of bending my knees so I can lean forward into positions like Standing forward bend, Wide-angle sitting forward bendor Head to knee positionI keep my legs straight, and reach as far as I can to try to get the most out of the stretch. When I’m consistent with my practice, I notice a slight improvement in my flexibility over time, while bent knees tend to keep me in place.

It turns out that this common-sense choice might be exactly what’s best for my body.

Tight hamstrings and bend your knees

Physical therapist and yoga instructor william kline, clinical director at Spear Physical Therapy In New York, he points out that the hamstrings cross both the knee and hip joints, making your bent knee just one part of the stretching equation.

As such, he points out that although bending the bent knee makes the stretch more likely, it does so by reducing the amount of stretching of the hamstrings. “There’s no real shame in doing it this way, but it will reduce the stretch a little bit,” he says.

Instead, keeping the legs straight and leaning forward only into the reachable position keeps the stretch relatively intense and supports overall flexibility, although it’s not the most comfortable option, as I’ve experienced and Klein stresses. This can be especially problematic for those with tight or sensitive muscles or have a low tolerance for discomfort.

Klein suggests striking a balance between the two options. This means constantly checking in with yourself about when you should stretch more deeply and when you should bend that knee. Instead of always following the same strategy, change it up. As Klein explains, the most important ingredient for increasing flexibility over time is consistency and variety.

“The evidence tends to point to continued severe — but plausible — expansion. For a long time “(At least 30 seconds but ideally much longer) can help improve muscle length,” says Klein, noting that there is also research supporting other types of movement to improve flexibility.

Takeaway? Whether or not to bend is a decision that only you can make, and may change from day to day or from one position to another. So approach each pose in the way that’s best for your body, regardless of any cue your teacher may share.