Best Hamstring Exercises

Table of Contents

    Before Performing Hamstring Exercises, Let's Understand the Anatomy Behind It

    Understanding the anatomy and function of the Hamstrings will allow you to maximize your training! The Hamstrings are located in the rear of your thighs, beginning at the hip and running down to the back of your knees. The Hamstring’s primary function is to flex the knee (bring the heel towards the butt) and its secondary function is to extend the hip (bringing the hips forward). They are important for walking as well as movements involving speed or power.

    Muscle Fibers of the Hamstrings

    Every muscle in the body is composed of a mix of different types of muscle fibers. In general, there are Type I (ST) muscle fibers and Type II (FT) muscle fibers. Type I muscle fibers use oxygen for fuel and take longer to fatigue, which is great for endurance sports. Type II muscle fibers are great for short bursts of speed but fatigue quickly. FT fibers are classified into Type 2A: (FTO) and Type 2B: (FTG)

    The Hamstrings are predominately comprised of Type II (Fast Twitch) muscle fibers. This is important as the Hamstrings give us the power to function in sports such as running or sprinting. Since the Hamstrings are roughly 70% Fast Twitch, this tells us that to train them properly we should be using a heavier load, fewer reps (6-8), and more powerful movements for most of our training.

    List of Hamstring Exercises

    The Nordic Curl

    This exercise can be done using a Nordic Curl Machine or using a partner. If using a partner, begin down on your knees with your torso upright. You may want to place a pad underneath your knees. Have your partner hold down your feet at your ankles. Keep your hands at your chest with your palms facing outwards. Squeeze your Glutes and Hamstrings as you slowly lower your torso to the floor. Remember to keep your back in a neutral position. Come as close to the floor as you can, and then use your hands to catch you at the floor and push back up to the starting position.

    Swiss Ball Curl

    Lie on your back with your heels on the swiss ball. Place your arms on the ground beside you. Push through your heels against the ball to elevate your hips off the floor. Keeping your hips elevated, roll the ball towards you by bringing your heels towards your glutes. Extend your heels back out to the starting position and repeat the movement.

    Eccentric Hamstring Exercises

    An eccentric contraction occurs when the muscle is lengthening. For most people, eccentric hamstring strength can be weak! It is important to maintain this strength to avoid injury and also rebuild strength post-injury. Try these exercises to help improve eccentric hamstring strength.

    Isometric Hamstring Exercises

    An isometric contraction occurs when the muscle is activated, but it does not lengthen or shorten. In other words, a load is applied to the hamstrings, but the muscle does not change length. They are low impact exercises that don’t put stress on your joints. As well, isometric exercises can help to strengthen your ligaments and tendons which can help to reduce the risk of injury. Try these exercises to help improve isometric hamstring strength.

    • Isometric Leg Curl

    • Isometric Hip Bridge

    • Isometric Single Leg Bridge

    • Split Squat Hold

    • Wall Sit

    Hamstring Tendonitis Exercise

    Tendonitis in the Hamstring can appear behind the knee or around the hip and occurs due to muscle overuse or an injury. Some symptoms include pain around the knee or radiating pain up the thigh, swelling around the knee or thigh, difficulty bending the knee, and pain that gets worse with activity. Treatment for Tendonitis includes Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation (RICE), massage, anti-inflammatory medications and stretching. It can take many weeks for tendonitis to heal so it is important to be patient! Try some of these exercises to help with Hamstring tendonitis. Remember to speak with your doctor before starting any exercise.

    Hamstring Rehab Exercises

    When going through rehabilitation for any injury, you need to be careful not to perform exercises that will reaggravate the injury and set you back. The best approach for rehabilitation exercises is to start slow and easy, you can always increase the difficulty or intensity of an exercise should you feel as if you are ready. Hamstring injuries are serious and can interfere with many activities. Speak to your doctor before performing any exercises to make sure that they are right for you.

    Hamstring Exercises After Injury

    Immediately following a hamstring injury, you should rest! Take a few days off from physical activity and see your doctor to make sure nothing more significant than a strain has taken place. After a few days of rest and when the pain has subsided, you can begin gentle stretching of the hamstring. Start with basic hamstring stretches and perform three sets of 10-second stretches once or twice per day. Next, you can move on to dynamic hamstring stretches. Make sure not to force any stretching and only go through a comfortable range of motion to avoid re-injury. As well, make sure to avoid bouncing during your stretching.

    After a few days of stretching, you can move on to strengthening exercises. Start light with the isometric exercises mentioned earlier in the article. Once comfortable with these exercises, you can move on to eccentric exercises to help increase the strength of the hamstring.

    Remember to speak to your doctor before you start exercising after an injury. Each hamstring injury is different, and your recovery time can vary. Your doctor will be able to suggest a specific timeline for when you can start to stretch after injury, when to progress to dynamic stretching, and when you can start isometric and eccentric exercises.

    Keeping Form on Hamstring Exercises

    As previously mentioned, it is recommended that you train the Hamstrings with speed and a load (weight). However, often when training under such circumstances, it is easy to lose form and create bad habits. It is important to have proper form when performing any exercise or movement to maximize your training, even more so when lifting a heavy weight to avoid injury.

    When you are doubtful of your form during an exercise, ask a friend or trainer for feedback. If you are training alone, record yourself performing the movement and replay the video to see if you have any movement breakdowns. Using video is a great resource to see if you are progressing and when you may be able to add additional weight.

    How to Track Hamstring Progress

    Writing down your training regime is a great way to keep track of your progress. Over time this information can be used as a motivator to keep training as you can see load, reps, and sets you started at, and how far you have come. Keeping track of your training will also help you to avoid becoming stagnant and ensure you are getting stronger as you push yourself to use more weight or adjust your reps and sets.

    Wanting to Grow Your Hamstring Muscles? (Diet for Growth)

    If your goal is muscle growth, there are tips you can learn relating to your diet in order to set your body up for success. Calories and protein are two key dietary factors relating to muscle growth. Online calorie calculators are a great tool to find out how many calories you should be consuming and will break it down into protein, carbohydrates and fats. Providing your body with the proper fuel before and after your workout is imperative to allow for efficient muscle growth and recovery. Speak to your doctor or dietician for personalized dietary advice.


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    Stephanie Zaban

    Stephanie completed her Undergraduate degree at the University of Western Ontario receiving an Honours Specialization in Kinesiology. After developing a passion for working with those who suffer from chronic disease, she went on to pursue a Master of Professional Kinesiology, (MPK) from the University of Toronto. Stephanie has experience working directly with clients who suffer from chronic disease and mental health disorders as part of the S.P.A.R.K. program at U of T, as well as with older adults at the Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging. 

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