When constructing a decrease physique worthy of shock and awe, the hamstrings usually play second fiddle to the quads. As a result of who doesn’t like an excellent quad teardrop flex? Nevertheless, performing hamstring workout routines are essential for athletic efficiency, harm prevention, and basic human motion. They’re answerable for hip extension, knee flexion, and stabilizing the pelvis, making them important to coach for improved power, sexiness, and efficiency.
Right here, we’ll discover the highest 10 hamstring workout routines to enhance power, dimension, and efficiency. Whether or not you’re an athlete seeking to improve efficiency or a lifter aiming to construct a robust decrease physique, these workout routines will present the variability and problem your hamstrings have to develop stronger and sexier.
However earlier than attending to the good things, right here is how the record was chosen.
Why These Hamstring Workout routines are the Finest
The first focus is on the actions and capabilities 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 will let you goal the hamstrings more durable and heavier.
To make sure enhanced muscle growth, I prioritized workout routines that:
- Targeted On Hamstring Engagement: Every train targets the hamstrings, guaranteeing they’re one of many major muscular tissues educated.
- Permit for Progressive Overload: Progressive overload is important for muscle development and power good points. To problem the hamstrings, you may simply modify the workout routines 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 power and symmetry.
And it goes with out saying (however I’ll anyway) that these workout routines are nice for hamstring power and dimension. Now, let’s get to the good things.
10 Should Do Hamstring Workout routines
We’re bringing hamstrings again, and the quads don’t know learn how to act. Effectively, sure, they do, however I couldn’t resist the Timberlake reference. Anyway, let’s get to constructing a unbelievable set of hamstrings.
Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Whereas the Stiff-Legged Deadlift and the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) are glorious for the hamstrings, the Stiff-Legged Deadlift locations even better concentrate on the hamstrings by eliminating most knee flexion. And that’s the way it beat the previous favourite. This variation requires you to take care of straighter legs all through, resulting in a deeper stretch and elevated pressure on the hamstrings.
This makes it efficient for isolating and strengthening the hamstrings, particularly when hamstring muscle is the objective.
Prompt Rep Ranges: For power, 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 complicated body weight train emphasizing the hamstrings’ eccentric (lengthening) power. This train enhances hamstring power, making it a favourite amongst lifters seeking to forestall accidents whereas bettering their dimension and power. The concentrate on eccentric loading helps strengthen the muscular tissues and connective tissues, lowering the chance of the dreaded hamstring pressure.
Prompt Rep Ranges: Begin with 3 to 4 units of 4-6 reps, as this train can create a little bit of soreness.
Glute-Ham Elevate (GHR)
The Glute-Ham Elevate requires specialised tools; in case your gymnasium has it, your hamstrings will be pleased about it. GHR is great for constructing each hamstring power and dimension. It additionally enhances decrease again stability, making it an excellent train for all the posterior chain. This train engages the hamstrings via a full vary of movement, focusing on the muscle’s concentric and eccentric contractions. What does that each one imply? It means good points.
Prompt Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 6-12 reps, specializing in management to maximise muscle pressure.
Landmine Single-Leg Deadlift
If you’re upset concerning the RDL being omitted, that is for you; the Landmine Single-Leg Deadlift (RDL) is an incredible unilateral hamstring train as a result of the setup gives higher stability, permitting you to hit the hamstrings closely and exhausting. It emphasizes stability and hamstring muscle pressure, making it excellent for strengthening muscle imbalances and bettering muscular growth between legs.
Prompt 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 just a few reps and assume, “That is simple; I obtained 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 below pressure, and challenges your core power, making it a wonderful three-in-one train.
Prompt 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 selection for strengthening these three muscular tissues. Sure, it is usually a glute and decrease again train, however the barbell’s stability mixed together with your glute power permits you to hit the hammies exhausting and heavy.
Prompt Rep Ranges: For power, 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 just isn’t the sexiest or most difficult hamstring train, however it’s efficient. Why? This train isolates the hamstrings, primarily focusing on the muscle’s knee flexion motion. The steadiness of mendacity down improves hamstring pressure, making it unbelievable for constructing hamstring dimension and power with out utilizing the glutes and decrease again.
Prompt Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 8-15 reps, utilizing a managed tempo to maximise pressure.
Cable Pull-By means of
The Cable Pull-By means of 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’ll gentle up your hamstrings. Simply guarantee you don’t make eye contact with anybody.
Prompt 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 usually 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. Nevertheless, reverse hyperextension emphasizes the glutes and hamstrings extra as a result of larger vary of movement and the physique’s place, permitting for a extra vital hamstring stretch and contraction. What does that imply? Candy, candy hamstring good points.
Prompt 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. In contrast to different workout routines that depend on heavy weights or tools, this motion makes use of your physique weight and friction as resistance. The concentrate on stability, management, and eccentric power makes it a wonderful selection for these seeking to construct bulletproof their hamstrings.
Prompt Rep Ranges: Carry out 3 to 4 units of 8-12 reps, guaranteeing you keep management all through the train.
