Best Hamstring Exercises

Searching for the best hamstring exercises?  Hopefully you have been reading along.  You may already know that the best hamstring exercises are functional exercises which involve your legs and glutes.

Multi-joint leg exercises such as squats and lunges are functional movements which are similar to movements which we do on a daily basis.  These movements do not isolate specific muscles but use an entire muscle group.

If you perform functional exercises properly you will work all the muscles in your legs efficiently without doing any exercises which isolate a specific muscle.

This is usually better, because your body adapts to become more efficient at movement.

With functional exercise your body will become more efficient at specific patterns of movement.  You will be able to use your muscles more efficiently.  This holds true with the best hamstring exercises as well as exercises for your entire body.

Functional training helps you recruit more of your muscle mass.  More exercising muscle mass will help you not only build muscles better, but increase metabolism and help you tone up and lose weight more efficiently.

What All this Kinesiological Mumbo Jumbo Boils Down to is Hamstring Isolation Exercises are Optional

Hamstring isolation exercises are the exercises you see in the gym.  Seated and lying leg curls (right) are exercises which may do more harm than good.

If you have not read the posture problems page you can learn why certain exercises are not good for people with certain muscle imbalances.

Another reason why people perform hamstring isolation exercises is to mistakenly try to tone the back of the legs.  It is important to mention over and over again, no matter what you have heard there is no such thing as spot reduction.

You cannot perform a weight training exercise to reduce the fat or cellulite which is covering an area of your body.

The best hamstring exercises which you find below are multi-joint exercises.  Multi-joint exercises work muscles which cross more than one joint.  If you use proper form and muscular control your can use them as best hamstring exercises to isolate your hamstrings.

The Hamstrings have Actions over 2 Joints

In order to understand proper form of the best hamstring exercises you should know the basic anatomy of the hamstrings.

The hamstrings were named so, because the tendons (behind the knee) resembled a pig's (ham's) leg which was strung around these tendons when it was hung up to cure.

The hamstrings are made up of 4 heads.  The heads of the hamstrings are the semimembranosus, semitendinosus and the 2 headed biceps femoris.

This isolated function of all heads of the hamstrings is knee flexion which is the motion of curling your leg back trying to touch your heel to your butt.

Since 3 of the 4 hamstring heads originate on the ischial tuberosity (part of the hip bone) , the hamstrings are also active in hip extension.

Your glutes are supposed to be the primary hip extensor.  Hip extension is the motion of your thigh when you kick something behind you.

If you have tight hamstrings and weak glutes you risk developing synergistic dominance which can lead to chronically tight hamstrings.

Chronically tight hamstrings can lead to lower back problems.  This is precisely the reason why isolation exercises for the hamstrings are not beneficial for everyone.

Remember, your hamstrings are a pretty small muscle group.  If your goal is to tone up or rid the back of your legs of cellulite you can do the best hamstrings exercises all day and it will be futile.

Since the hamstrings are part of the legs most people prefer to exercise the hamstrings during their leg workouts.

Sometime people set up their weight training splits to exercise the hamstrings on the same day they exercise their back.

If you know you have chronically tight hamstrings, isolation exercises like lying or seated hamstring curls on the machine should be avoided.

Exercises such as the Romanian Dead Lift (below) will actually help you keep your hamstrings flexible.

If you plan to go for a big run the next day, isolation exercises for the hamstrings is not a good idea.

Another Thing to Consider is Hamstrings to Quadriceps Ratio

Hamstring to quadriceps ratio is especially significant to sprinters and athletes, but can have importance for the average person.  A balanced body will always be a more efficient body.

At the very least, your hamstrings should be able to lift 75% of what your quadriceps can.  The exact number is debatable.

You can test your leg extension strength on a leg extension machine at the gym.  If you notice you can extend your leg with far more weight than you can when you flex (curl) your leg you may need to add some more hamstring isolation exercises in your exercise program.  Alternatively you can focus more on your hamstrings during all your leg exercises.

Here are Some of the Best Hamstring Exercises which use Multiple Joints

Romanian Dead Lifts

The RDL or Romanian Dead Lift is one of the best hamstring exercises even though the hamstrings are not contracting.

For the many people with tight hamstrings, the RDL is the best exercise to help correct that muscle imbalance which could lead to posture problems.  Form is crucial so make sure you get it right.

Start:  You can either have a loaded barbell or dumbbells on the floor or in a low hang position.  Keep your legs in a slightly bent position for the duration of the movement.

It is essential to have your shoulders stabilized in a retracted (together in back) position for the duration of the movement as well.

Begin the motion:  It is essential to have a super tight drawn in core as you begin this motion.  Stick your butt backwards lowering the bar or dumbbells as close too your body as possible.

Only lower the bar to where you can keep the strict form.  Raise the weight back up, at the top of the motion it is very important you retract your shoulder blades (squeeze them together) and contract your glutes.

Stability Ball Hamstring Curls

Start:  Lay floor with your hands by your side.   Place the stability ball under your heels with your legs fully extended.  Your butt should be touching the floor.

Begin the motion:  Draw in your core.  Pull the ball towards your body with your heels and raise your hips up towards the ceiling in one continuous motion.

The top of the motion your hips should be as high as possible while you maintain a neutral spine (no arch).

n one continuous motion, lower yourself back to the original position.  You also have the option to plantar flex (push your toes in ball for calf raise) your toes into the ball.

Modifications:  Change hand positions and / or use 1 foot at a time to increase the difficulty of the stability ball hamstring curl.  This increases difficulty for these stability ball exercises because more stabilization or strength is needed.

Elevated Split Squats

Elevated split squats or stationary lunges are versatile exercise which you can use as one of the best hamstring exercises.

Start:  Put your front foot up on an elevated surface.  Position your knee so the middle of the knee joint is right on top of your ankle.  Hold a pair of dumbbells in the low or high hang position.

Scoot your back foot back until your can create around a 90 degree angle with your back leg to match your front leg.  The balls of your back foot should be on the floor.  Draw in your core and keep your shoulders retracted.

Begin the motion:  Slowly lower your torso straight down towards the floor.  Your upper body should remain upright with a neutral back.

Since you are trying to make these the best hamstring exercises, your front knee can slide forward slightly.  When your back knee approaches the floor pause for a second and lunge back up to the top position.  Try to squeeze your hamstrings.

Modifications:  A controlled unstable surface for your front foot will make these best hamstrings exercises more difficult.  A BOSU ball would be a good choice.  These are also an excellent exercise to use in combination with upper body exercises such as shoulder presses or biceps curls.

Exercise Information

Find exercises for the entire body, just look at the anatomy chart and click the body part.  You will find exercise information and videos.

Sets and Reps

Do you like counting?  Whether you like counting or not you can find a strategy which will work for you to maximize the best hamstring exercises and any other muscle group you choose to work.

Weight Training volume

Learn how to control and measure the amount of work you perform during your exercise sessions and why this is important.

Weight Training Splits

How many times do you want to work out during the week?  You can adjust your workouts accordingly if you have a proper weight training split.