Duration exercise

Seated Forward Fold form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The seated forward fold is a static stretch performed sitting with the legs extended, hinging the torso forward over the thighs to lengthen the hamstrings, calves, and lower-back musculature. Lifters use it to maintain posterior-chain flexibility after training, wind down at the end of a session, and preserve the hip-flexion range needed for deep squatting and hinging patterns.

Seated Forward Fold illustration

How to do Seated Forward Fold

  1. 1Sit on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you, feet together or hip-width apart and toes pointing up.
  2. 2Sit tall on your sit bones, lengthening your spine before you begin the fold.
  3. 3Hinge forward from the hips, reaching your hands toward your shins, ankles, or feet as far as comfortable.
  4. 4Let your head and neck relax, and avoid yanking yourself deeper with your arms or aggressively rounding your lower back.
  5. 5Breathe slowly and hold for 30 to 60 seconds, easing slightly deeper on each exhale before rising back up gradually.

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Track Seated Forward Fold in Plates

Save this movement to a workout template, log sets and rest periods, and keep your training history in one focused gym tracker.