Summary
Hamstrings support knee joints, hip alignment and support basic body movements like bending knees, walking for longer durations, or standing up. With hamstring-focused leg exercises such as glute bridges, dumbbell sumo squats, kettlebell swings, Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, and lying leg curls. These exercises incorporated into your lower body build your hamstrings endurance and strength.
Hamstrings play a key role in supporting your knee joint. They also play a proactive role is hip and torso positioning. Hamstring exercises need to be incorporated in your lower body workouts because it is a must.
From an athletic perspective or a fitness perspective, strong hamstrings equals better functionality. Hamstrings are used during hip extensions. That means every time you stand up straight, your hamstrings are being used. When you bend your knees, your hamstrings help. This is why hamstrings are so important. They are used in basic body functions.
Besides, how many times have you seen your favorite athlete walking off the playing field because of a hamstring injury?
We rounded up 6 hamstring exercises that work the hamstrings to build strong and injury-proof hamstrings. Also, you are working out major muscle groups in your legs with these hamstring exercises.
This list of hamstring exercises starts off with a bodyweight movement but gradually moves on to more difficult moves. These hamstring exercises are bound to get your legs burning.
*Pro tip: Make that you're wearing appropriate lower body gym wear, i.e. gym shorts, or gym tights to avoid chafing and maximizing your workout efficiency.
Try this quick, 10 minute lower body band workout for stronger and toned legs!
The Best Hamstrings Exercises For Stronger Legs
1. Glute Bridges
Let’s start this list of hamstring exercises with a bodyweight movement. Don’t go by the name, a proper glute bridge will have your hamstrings and glutes burning. They are also good for hip mobility and lower back strength. They are quite simple to do, a perfect start to our hamstring exercises.
How to do glute bridges:- Start by lying down on your back with your knees bent and palms face up
- Now, lift your hips off the ground until your knees, hips and shoulders form a downward straight line
- Hold for a second and then lower down
Try this complete bubble butt workout for strong, well-rounded glutes.
2. Dumbbell Sumo Squat
The final hamstring exercise to power up your legs. The dumbbell sumo squat works on your core, quads, legs and booty. It also boosts your mobility and flexibility by working your hips and adductors. The goal is to go for higher reps, so start off with an easier weight.
How to do dumbbell sumo squats:- Stand a bit wider than shoulder-width with toes turned out
- Hold the dumbbell from one end with both hands
- Now, bend your knees and squat down
- Finally, push with your heels and return to resting position
Try this complete leg workout routine to boost your lower body power!
3. Kettlebell Swing
Source: Men's Health
The kettlebell swing is nothing short of power. It has so many benefits like enhancing strength and endurance. It also works your hamstrings to a good degree. This is an all-round exercise that should be incorporated in any workout routine.
How to do kettlebell swing:- Stand shoulder-width apart with a kettlebell in front of you
- Grab the kettlebell and bend your hips slightly
- There should be enough distance for the kettlebell to swing easily
- Make sure you keep your back straight throughout the movement
- Now, push your hips forward and your arms straight out
- Swing the kettlebell all the way up to eye level
- Let the kettlebell fall naturally and swing down
- Repeat for another repetition
For stronger hamstrings, try leg workouts with dumbbells!
4. Romanian Deadlift
This is an all-round hamstring exercise that works your posterior chain of muscles. This chain includes hamstrings, adductors, gluteus maximus and erector spinae. The Romanian deadlift uses your hips rather than your lower back. It also helps to improve your endurance of deep core stabilizers that control the position of the spine. The key difference of this variation is the stance.
How to do Romanian deadlifts:- Start by standing shoulder width apart
- With an overhand grip, hold the barbell
- Now, stand up and slightly bend your knees
- Next, push your hips back
- Lower the barbell until you feel the pressure in your hamstrings
- Finally, return to the resting position
Ladies, try this 30-minute leg workout routine for thick and strong hamstrings!
5. Glute-Ham Raise
The hamstring exercises continue with another movement that works out the posterior chain of muscles. However, this hamstring exercise hits your hamstrings the hardest. This movement has you bending your knees and extending your hips. Both of these actions use hamstrings. Glute-ham raises work your hamstrings in a way that is functionally similar to running.
How to do glute-ham raises:- Adjust the foot plate on a glute-ham bench
- Your knees should hang below the pad
- Now, transition from this kneeling position by extending your knees
- Your torso should become parallel to the floor
- Next, push your heels into the footplate and bend your knees
- Return to the vertical position for one repetition
6. Lying Leg Curls
Source: Verywell Fit
Lying leg curls work on your hamstrings, calf muscles, glutes, quads, and shins. You need a gym bench that has a lifting bar at the end of the machine to do lying leg curls. This list of hamstring exercises is to primarily work your hamstrings. Lying leg curls help to increase strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. You can also do this exercise with ankle weights.
How to do lying leg curls:- Lie flat on your stomach on a leg curl machine
- The lifting bar should rest above your heels below your calves
- Now, grab the support handles and lift your feet
- Flex your knees and bring back your feet as much as you can
- Pause for a second and then lower your legs
Don't have weights? Try resistance band leg workouts for stronger hamstrings.
Best Hamstring Exercises To Do
| Exercise Name | Location (Gym/Home) | How It Works the Hamstrings | Recommended Frequency | Suggested Reps and Sets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Mornings | Gym | Engages the hamstrings by hinging at the hips and maintaining tension in the posterior chain. | 1-2 times per week | 3 sets of 10-12 reps |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | Home/Gym | Uses body weight to strengthen the hamstrings through eccentric loading. | 2-3 times per week | 3 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Single-Leg Deadlift | Gym/Home | Targets hamstrings by balancing and extending the hips, especially focusing on one leg. | 1-2 times per week | 3 sets of 8-10 reps per leg |
| Seated Leg Curl Machine | Gym | Isolates the hamstrings by curling the legs while seated, providing controlled tension. | 2-3 times per week | 3 sets of 10-15 reps |
| Reverse Lunge | Home/Gym | Strengthens hamstrings through backward stepping, engaging hip extensors. | 1-2 times per week | 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg |
| Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl | Home/Gym | Works hamstrings by curling legs while balancing on a Swiss ball, enhancing stability. | 2-3 times per week | 3 sets of 12-15 reps |
| Standing Cable Leg Curl | Gym | Isolates hamstrings with a cable machine, focusing on knee flexion. | 2-3 times per week | 3 sets of 10-12 reps per leg |
| Bridge with Heel Dig | Home | Engages hamstrings by driving heels into the ground during a bridge, increasing activation. | 1-2 times per week | 3 sets of 15-20 reps |
| Step-Ups | Gym/Home | Works hamstrings by driving the body upward, activating hip extensors. | 1-2 times per week | 3 sets of 10 reps per leg |
| Sliding Leg Curl | Home | Uses a towel or slider to curl the legs, engaging hamstrings through controlled sliding motion. | 2-3 times per week | 3 sets of 12-15 reps |
Key Takeaways
Majority of these exercises that you have read about are common in different workout routines. Whether you are working your calves or quads; you’ll also be working glutes and hamstrings too.
You can either turn these 6 hamstring exercises into a routine by assigning the right amount of reps and sets to each exercise or just incorporate them into your lower body workouts.
FAQs
What is the best exercise for your hamstrings?
There is no single ‘best’ exercise for hamstrings. However, according to research, the Nordic Hamstring Curl is extremely effective in targeting the back of your thigh and preventing injuries. However, to get thick and strong legs, you need to incorporate several hamstring exercises in your thigh workout routine such as:
- RDLs
- Good Mornings
- Seated Leg Curls
- Laying Leg Curls
- Glute-Ham Raises
- Hip Thrusts
- Leg Press
- Bulgarian Split Squats
With a combination of glute-isolated and knee-dominant exercises, you’ll be able to grow your hamstrings in a balanced way. For the best results, add 2-3 hamstring exercises into your routine, performing 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise, 2-3 times per week.
How to fix weak hamstrings?
Fixing weak hamstrings requires you to target the muscle through compound as well as isolated movements. Here’s what you can do:
- Understand if your hamstrings are weak or just not working. With a personal trainer’s help, you’ll be able to identify this.
- Start by doing bodyweight hamstring exercises and keep progressively overloading each rep with more reps, weights, or sets.
- Focus on eccentric training by controlling the lowering phase of each exercise.
- Incorporate unilateral or single-leg hamstring exercises such as Bulgarian split squats, single-leg RDLs, single-leg glute bridges, etc. to prevent any muscle imbalances.
- Make sure to properly do stretches, especially dynamic stretches, that boost your overall flexibility so your tight and knotted hamstrings don’t prevent you from intensifying your workouts.
Do squats hit hamstrings?
A regular squat works your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. However, with differing foot placement, you’ll be able to target different muscles within your legs. For instance, sumo squats are highly glute-focused and also target your hamstrings more effectively compared to front, narrow, or toe elevated squats that are more quad-focused.
In a typical squat, hamstrings work in the following manner:
- They help with the upward or concentric phase
- They keep your knee joint stable
- They also help in controlling the eccentric phase of the exercise
While squats are a great exercise for building strong and powerful legs, you need to include more hamstrings-focused exercises such as RDLs, Nordic Hamstrings, Leg Curls, etc. to grow this muscle.
How to activate hamstrings?
It’s important to properly activate your hamstrings to prevent injuries and to ensure you get the most out of your workouts. Here are some hamstring activation methods:
- Get in some dynamic stretches such as Prone Isometric Hamstring Holds, Standing Banded Hamstring Curls, Sliding Leg Curls, Stability Ball Hamstring Walkouts, Banded Hamstring Walks, etc.
- Practicing mind-muscle connection as you’re doing hamstring exercises to consciously activate your muscles.
- Focusing on the eccentric phase of the exercise to keep your hamstrings under tension.
- Incorporating single-leg exercises such as RDLs, Bulgarian Split Exercises, etc.
- Including instability exercises into your training program such as squatting on a BOSU ball boosts your activation compared to stable surfaces.
- Properly activating your glutes before working your legs to ensure that your entire leg muscles are properly engaged throughout the exercise.
