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Yin Routine · All Levels

The Three-Part Hamstring

One strap, three lines down the leg

18 min · 5 poses · strap

The back of the leg is not one piece of tissue, and one hold will not reach all of it. This practice is built around a single shape that travels: the leg goes up, then out to the side, then across the body, with no rest in between, and each position finds a different line. You stay on your back the whole time. A strap, a belt or a dressing-gown tie is all you need.

Before you press play

The 15-Minute Post-Run Reset

A filmed class with Katie: follow-along video, hold timer and written cues. Free, yours to keep.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe any time. I'll only send Yin.

Press play and follow along — each hold is timed, with a gentle chime and fifteen seconds to move into the next pose. Use Skip or Prev to move at your own pace.

What's in this routine

  1. Constructive Rest Knees bent, feet wide, knees leaning together. Arrive, and let the floor take you.
    2 min
  2. Reclined Hamstring Stretch Strap around the foot. Up, then out to the side, then across the body — three positions, no stopping between them.
    4 min each side
  3. Knees-to-Chest Pose Both knees in. A moment to let the hips settle back to neutral.
    1 min
  4. Reclined Twist Knees across to one side, arms wide. Let the spine unwind after all that length.
    2 min each side
  5. Corpse Legs long, palms up. Stay as long as you like.
    3 min

Common questions

Why three positions instead of one long hold?

Because they reach different tissue. Leg up finds the hamstring, leg out to the side finds the inner thigh, and leg across the body finds the outer hip and the band down the side of the leg. It is the same amount of time as one long hold, and it covers three times the ground.

Do I have to move straight from one to the next?

Yes, and that is the point. The leg is already warm and already at its edge; coming out and setting up again loses everything you just spent two minutes finding. The timer rings a bell at each change so you can keep your eyes closed.

What if I do not have a strap?

A belt, a dressing-gown tie, a towel or a resistance band all work. If you have nothing at all, hold behind your thigh instead and let the knee bend as much as it likes — the shape still works, you simply have less reach.

Is this only for runners?

No. Running is what most often leaves the back of the legs short and cross, so runners feel it most, but anyone who sits all day will recognise the same tightness. Nothing here asks for any flexibility you do not already have.

For your next run

The 15-Minute Post-Run Reset

✦ A filmed class with Katie — free for you

This page is a routine with a timer. The Post-Run Reset is the full thing: a properly filmed 15-minute class you follow along with me, with the hold timer and written cues underneath. Pop your email in and I'll send it, yours to keep.

No spam, ever. Unsubscribe any time. I'll only send Yin.

More routines

After the Run 19 min · A 19-minute Yin routine for straight after a run: Dangling, Dragon, Swan and five minutes with the legs up the wall. Bedtime Wind-Down 22 min · A gentle 22-minute bedtime Yin routine — soft, supported shapes to downshift the nervous system and melt toward sleep, with a built-in hold timer. Deep Legs & Hamstrings 22 min · A 22-minute Yin routine for tight legs, hamstrings, calves and feet — deep forward folds and foot stretches held slowly, with a built-in hold timer.