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The Best Hamstring Exercises for Building Muscle

June 07, 2023 3 min read

The Best Hamstring Exercises for Building Muscle

If you want to build muscle and strength in your hamstrings, then you need to focus on the right exercises. Developing strong hamstrings is essential for overall balance and stability in your lower body. It’s also important to prevent injury and enjoy a full range of motion. The most effective hamstring exercises are those that challenge different parts of the muscle while also giving you the opportunity to increase the weight and intensity over time.

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The Benefits of Training Your Hamstrings

Having strong and well-conditioned hamstrings can help enhance performance in many sports, as well as everyday activities. Strong hamstrings can help protect your knees from injury and reduce the risk of common lower back problems. They can also improve running speed, jumping height, and agility. So, if you want to improve your athletic or fitness performance, or just maintain healthy joints, then you should include some hamstring exercises in your routine.

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Types of Hamstring Exercises

There are a variety of exercises that target the hamstrings. Some of the most effective exercises include:

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  • Lying Leg Curls
  • Glute-Ham Raises
  • Stiff-Leg Deadlifts
  • Good Mornings
  • Step Ups
  • Single-Leg Deadlifts
  • Romanian Deadlifts
  • Calf Raises

Lying Leg Curls

The lying leg curl is an exercise that targets the hamstrings and is often done with a machine. To do this exercise, you will lie facedown on a bench with your feet placed against a roller pad. To complete the exercise, you will bend your knees and pull the roller pad towards your glutes, then slowly extend your knees to return to the starting position. You can adjust the amount of weight to make it more challenging.

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Glute-Ham Raises

The glute-ham raise is a great exercise for strengthening your hamstrings and improving your hip extension. To do this exercise, you will start in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, you will bend forward at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor. Finally, you will extend your hips and raise your torso back up to the starting position.

Stiff-Leg Deadlifts

The stiff-leg deadlift is an excellent exercise for targeting the hamstrings. To complete this exercise, you will start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed slightly outward. Then, you will bend forward at the hips and lower your torso until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Finally, you will drive your hips forward and stand up straight to return to the starting position.

Good Mornings

Good mornings are another great exercise for targeting the hamstrings. To do this exercise, you will start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, you will slowly lower your torso forward until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Finally, you will drive your hips forward and stand up straight to return to the starting position.

Step Ups

Step ups are a great exercise for targeting the hamstrings and building endurance. To do this exercise, you will start by standing on a step or bench with one foot on the platform. Then, you will press through your heel to lift your body up onto the platform. Finally, you will lower yourself back down to the starting position.

Single-Leg Deadlifts

Single-leg deadlifts are an effective exercise for targeting the hamstrings and improving balance. To do this exercise, you will start by standing on one foot with your other foot slightly off the ground. Then, you will lower your torso forward until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Finally, you will drive your hips forward and stand up straight to return to the starting position.

Romanian Deadlifts

Romanian deadlifts are a great exercise for targeting the hamstrings and building strength. To do this exercise, you will start by holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Then, you will bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips to lower the barbell towards the floor. Finally, you will drive your hips forward and stand up straight to return to the starting position.

Calf Raises

Calf raises are a great way to target the hamstrings and improve overall strength. To do this exercise, you will start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, you will rise up onto your toes and hold for a few seconds before lowering back down to the starting position. You can add weights to increase the difficulty of the exercise.

In conclusion, there are a variety of exercises that can be used to target the hamstrings. These exercises can help improve performance in physical activities and prevent injury. The most effective exercises are those that challenge different parts of the muscle while also giving you the opportunity to increase the weight and intensity over time. With consistent training, you can develop strong and well-conditioned hamstrings that will improve your overall health and performance.