The Best Hamstring Exercises To Strengthen Your Legs

Strengthening your hamstrings is crucial for building balanced, powerful legs and preventing injuries. Here are some of the best hamstring exercises that target this important muscle group:

Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises

1. Glute Bridge:

   • Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Push through your heels to lift your hips while squeezing your glutes and hamstrings.
   • Variation: Try a single-leg glute bridge for more intensity.

2. Nordic Hamstring Curl:

   • Kneel on the floor with feet anchored (use a partner or secure them under a bar). Slowly lower your torso forward while keeping your hips extended, using your hamstrings to resist gravity.

3. Reverse Lunges:

   • Step one leg backward into a lunge, keeping the front knee aligned with the toes. Push through the front heel to return to standing.

Weighted Hamstring Exercises

4. Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs):

   • Hold a barbell or dumbbells. Hinge at the hips with a slight bend in the knees, lowering the weights toward the floor while keeping the back straight. Engage the hamstrings to return to standing.

5. Kettlebell Swings:

   • Using a kettlebell, hinge at the hips to swing it forward and up to chest height, engaging the hamstrings and glutes.

6. Leg Curls:

   • Machine-based seated or lying leg curls isolate the hamstrings. Adjust the weight to challenge your muscles without compromising form.

Hamstring-Focused Compound Movements

7. Deadlifts:

   • Conventional deadlifts target the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Focus on proper form to maximise engagement and prevent injury.

8. Good Mornings:

   • Place a barbell on your back and hinge at the hips, keeping your spine neutral. This move strengthens the hamstrings while engaging the core.

9. Bulgarian Split Squats:

   • Elevate one foot behind you on a bench. Perform a squat with the other leg, emphasising the hamstrings by leaning slightly forward.

Dynamic Hamstring Moves

10. Hamstring Walkouts:

    • From a glute bridge position, walk your feet away from your body one step at a time, keeping hips elevated, and then return.

11. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls:

    • Lie on your back with your heels on a stability ball. Lift your hips and roll the ball toward you, bending your knees.

Tips for Effectiveness

• Warm-Up: Always start with dynamic stretches like leg swings to prepare your hamstrings.
• Progressive Overload: Gradually increase resistance or intensity.
• Balanced Training: Combine these exercises with quad-focused movements for symmetrical strength.