Exercise

Seated Forward Fold

The seated forward fold stretches the hamstrings and lower back by hinging from the hips and folding forward. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine and hinging from the hip crease rather than rounding your lower back to maximize hamstring engagement.

Also called: Seated Toe Touch, Paschimottanasana · Equipment: stretching

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How to do it

Step by step

  1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you.
  2. Flex your feet and engage your quadriceps to activate your hamstrings.
  3. Hinge forward from your hips, leading with your chest, keeping your spine as straight as possible.
  4. Reach toward your feet or shins and hold when you feel the stretch in your hamstrings.
  5. Hold for 30-60 seconds and breathe deeply.
Muscles worked

What it trains

Mainly Hamstrings.

Programming

What the research says

Alternatives · VALDA FLEX

Swap it mid-workout

With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.

Log the seated forward fold in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.

General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.