Tightness and sore Hamstrings/legs

I am coming off of a hamstring injury. Grade 2ish from my self diagnosis (back of my leg was bruised for several days). I had a slight pull and then came back training too soon. That's when I got the grade 2. Doesn't sound like you are that bad off.

I don't run or do much walking. I get my cardio other places. But I did nothing for 5 days. No stretches, no walking beyond normal getting here and there. No lifting - not even upper body. After those 5 days, for about a 10 day period I started to do some light stretching - lifting upper body but no lower body. Finally after about 15 days from injury I started stretching it good and doing very light lower body lifting. I would do lifts just to get blood flowing with body weight then empty bar (squats, RDLs). I started sprinkling in some weight.

I also train jiujitsu 3-4 days a week and didn't do anything during those 15 days. I just started back with some light lower body weight training after the 15 day mark. I plan to continue both lifting light on legs and light rolling at JJ for at least another week and I'll see what it looks like after that.

I had to not do anything on it to get the healing started. Maybe look at getting on a rowing machine (eta I meant one of those hand bike machines - not rowing) for a week or two to keep cardio up and get the hamstrings a complete rest. I also have been a big guy all of my adult life and I am still obese according to BMI which I don't actually put much credence into. I am also in my 40s and these things take time to heal. I know it - it sucks getting into the habit of training and having to dial it down or stop to recover. Hopefully this is helpful.

Quit stretching and get to strengthening. You are asking your muscles to do things they haven’t ever done and they are failing you. Stretching is temporary and actually makes you weaker doing it right before an activity. You need to do more of a dynamic warmup before running/jogging like some bodyweight squats, walking lunges, heel raises. If you want to do some static stretching for tight areas it should be done after activity or at a separate time.