Standing Toe Touches
Standing Toe Touches is a flexibility – hamstrings and posterior torso exercise involving Hamstrings. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.
Last updated: · DynPerformance
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings
- Secondary muscles
- Gastrocnemius, Soleus
- Exercise type
- Flexibility – hamstrings and posterior torso
Exercise technique
- Space
Stand with clear space in front and behind.
- Feet
Place your feet at a comfortable hip-width.
- Start
Keep your knees long without locking backward.
- Fold
Hinge forward from your hips to lower your torso.
- Relax
Let your arms and head hang comfortably.
- Limit
Pause at a comfortable rear-thigh stretch and breathe without forcing a reach to the floor.
- Rise
Bend your knees slightly, balance over your feet and slowly stand upright.
Key technique points
- Keep your knees slightly soft.
- Do not insist on touching the floor.
- Distribute weight across both feet.
- Relax your neck.
- Hold without bouncing.
- Rise slowly.
Common mistakes
Pressing the knees backward
Do not force the joints backward to stretch your hamstrings.
Reaching for the floor
Do not tug your hands downward when your range is insufficient.
Hard bouncing
Do not repeatedly throw your torso downward.
Shifting weight into the heels
Do not unload your toes enough to fall backward.
Lifting the neck
Do not try to look forward in the lowered position.
Rising abruptly
Do not swing your head and torso upward quickly.
Frequently asked questions
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Pressing the knees backward” a mistake?
Do not force the joints backward to stretch your hamstrings.
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Reaching for the floor” a mistake?
Do not tug your hands downward when your range is insufficient.
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Hard bouncing” a mistake?
Do not repeatedly throw your torso downward.
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Shifting weight into the heels” a mistake?
Do not unload your toes enough to fall backward.
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Lifting the neck” a mistake?
Do not try to look forward in the lowered position.
Standing Toe Touches: why is “Rising abruptly” a mistake?
Do not swing your head and torso upward quickly.
What should I focus on when doing Standing Toe Touches?
Keep your knees slightly soft. Do not insist on touching the floor. Distribute weight across both feet. Relax your neck. Hold without bouncing. Rise slowly.
Related exercises
- 45-degree Back Extension
- Cable Pull-through
- Conventional Deadlift
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- 90/90 Hamstring
- Exercise Guide
Add this exercise to your program with your coach
If you have a health condition, consult a qualified professional.