When constructing a decrease physique worthy of shock and awe, the hamstrings typically play second fiddle to the quads. As a result of who doesn’t like quad teardrop flex? Nonetheless, performing hamstring workouts are essential for athletic efficiency, harm prevention, and basic human motion. They’re accountable for hip extension, knee flexion, and stabilizing the pelvis, making them important to coach for improved energy, sexiness, and efficiency.
Right here, we’ll discover the highest 10 hamstring workouts to enhance energy, dimension, and efficiency. Whether or not you’re an athlete seeking to improve efficiency or a lifter aiming to construct a powerful decrease physique, these workouts will present the variability and problem your hamstrings must develop stronger and sexier.
However earlier than attending to the great things, right here is how the checklist was chosen.
Why These Hamstring Workout routines are the Greatest
The first focus is on the actions and features of the hamstrings: hip extension and knee flexion. Sure, the glutes are concerned, however as a result of they’re stronger than your hammies, they let you goal the hamstrings more durable and heavier.
To make sure enhanced muscle growth, I prioritized workouts that:
- Centered On Hamstring Engagement: Every train targets the hamstrings, guaranteeing they’re one of many major muscle tissues skilled.
- Enable for Progressive Overload: Progressive overload is crucial for muscle development and energy features. To problem the hamstrings, you may simply modify the workouts beneath with extra weight, reps, or variations.
- Embrace Each Unilateral and Bilateral Workout routines: Balanced hamstring growth is essential to keep away from muscle imbalances, which might result in harm. Incorporating each ensures improved energy and symmetry.
And it goes with out saying (however I’ll anyway) that these workouts are nice for hamstring energy and dimension. Now, let’s get to the great things.
10 Should Do Hamstring Workout routines
We’re bringing hamstrings again, and the quads don’t know act. Nicely, sure, they do, however I couldn’t resist the Timberlake reference. Anyway, let’s get to constructing a incredible set of hamstrings.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Whereas the Stiff-Legged Deadlift and the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) are wonderful for the hamstrings, the Stiff-Legged Deadlift locations even larger deal with the hamstrings by eliminating most knee flexion. And that’s the way it beat the outdated favourite. This variation requires you to take care of straighter legs all through, resulting in a deeper stretch and elevated rigidity on the hamstrings.
This makes it efficient for isolating and strengthening the hamstrings, particularly when hamstring muscle is the purpose.
Instructed Rep Ranges: For energy, goal for 3 to five units of three to six reps. For hypertrophy, 3 to 4 units of 8 to fifteen reps work nicely.
Nordic Hamstring Curl
The Nordic Hamstring Curl is a sophisticated body weight train emphasizing the hamstrings’ eccentric (lengthening) energy. This train enhances hamstring energy, making it a favourite amongst lifters seeking to forestall accidents whereas enhancing their dimension and energy. The deal with eccentric loading helps strengthen the muscle tissues and connective tissues, lowering the danger of the dreaded hamstring pressure.
Instructed Rep Ranges: Begin with 3 to 4 units of 4-6 reps, as this train can create a little bit of soreness.
Glute-Ham Increase (GHR)
The Glute-Ham Increase requires specialised gear; in case your gymnasium has it, your hamstrings will be pleased about it. GHR is great for constructing each hamstring energy and dimension. It additionally enhances decrease again stability, making it an excellent train for the whole posterior chain. This train engages the hamstrings by a full vary of movement, concentrating on the muscle’s concentric and eccentric contractions. What does that every one imply? It means features.
Instructed Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 6-12 reps, specializing in management to maximise muscle rigidity.
Landmine Single-Leg Deadlift
If you’re upset in regards to the RDL being ignored, that is for you; the Landmine Single-Leg Deadlift (RDL) is an incredible unilateral hamstring train as a result of the setup supplies higher stability, permitting you to hit the hamstrings closely and arduous. It emphasizes stability and hamstring muscle rigidity, making it superb for strengthening muscle imbalances and enhancing muscular growth between legs.
Instructed Rep Ranges: 3 to 4 units of 6 to 12 reps per facet.
Stability Ball Single-Leg Hamstring Curl
The Stability Ball Single-Leg Hamstring curl is a sneaky train. You do a number of reps and suppose, “That is simple; I received this,” after which your hamstrings begin screaming at you. Why? The ball’s instability forces your hamstrings and core to work collectively whereas performing slowly due to its difficult nature. This train isolates the hamstrings, improves time underneath rigidity, and challenges your core energy, making it a wonderful three-in-one train.
Instructed Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 units of 6-10 reps per facet.
Barbell Good Morning
The Good Morning is a pure hip hinge train. When carried out nicely, it targets the hamstrings, glutes, and decrease again, making it a wonderful alternative for strengthening these three muscle tissues. Sure, additionally it is a glute and decrease again train, however the barbell’s stability mixed along with your glute energy permits you to hit the hammies arduous and heavy.
Instructed Rep Ranges: For energy, carry out 3 to five units of 3-5 reps.
For muscle, carry out 3 to 4 units of 6-12 reps.
Mendacity Leg Curl
The Mendacity Leg Curl shouldn’t be the sexiest or most difficult hamstring train, however it’s efficient. Why? This train isolates the hamstrings, primarily concentrating on the muscle’s knee flexion motion. The soundness of mendacity down improves hamstring rigidity, making it incredible for constructing hamstring dimension and energy with out utilizing the glutes and decrease again.
Instructed Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 8-15 reps, utilizing a managed tempo to maximise rigidity.
Cable Pull-By
The Cable Pull-By is just like the kettlebell swing and RDL variations with out spinal loading. As a result of it’s a pure hip hinge, it permits you to focus extra on the hips and hamstrings. The prolonged ROM will present a muscle pre-stretch earlier than the lockout, and mixed with a managed tempo, it should gentle up your hamstrings. Simply guarantee you don’t make eye contact with anybody.
Instructed Rep Ranges: 3 to 4 units of 10-15 reps, specializing in a strong hip extension on the motion’s high.
Reverse Hyperextension
The Reverse Hyperextension is often carried out on a machine, however you may improvise with a weight bench or stability ball. I used to be torn between this and the 45-degree again extension. Nonetheless, reverse hyperextension emphasizes the glutes and hamstrings extra because of the greater vary of movement and the physique’s place, permitting for a extra important hamstring stretch and contraction. What does that imply? Candy, candy hamstring features.
Instructed Rep Ranges: 3 to 4 units of 10-15 reps, specializing in controlling the tempo and avoiding momentum.
Hamstring Slider Curl
The Hamstring Slider Curl is a difficult body weight train that isolates the hamstrings whereas emphasizing eccentric contraction, which is essential for muscle development and harm prevention. Not like different workouts that depend on heavy weights or gear, this motion makes use of your physique weight and friction as resistance. The deal with stability, management, and eccentric energy makes it a wonderful alternative for these seeking to construct bulletproof their hamstrings.
Instructed Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 8-12 reps, guaranteeing you keep management all through the train.
