Best Hamstrings Exercises

About hamstrings training

The hamstrings consist of three muscles on the back of the thigh: the biceps femoris (long and short heads), semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They cross both the hip and knee joints, performing hip extension and knee flexion. Because the hamstrings are biarticular, they require both hip hinge movements (Romanian deadlifts) and knee flexion movements (leg curls) for full development.

How to train effectively

• Train both functions of the hamstrings. Romanian deadlifts and stiff-leg deadlifts load the hip extension role, while leg curls load the knee flexion role.
• Use eccentric emphasis. Slow negatives on leg curls and Nordic hamstring curls build the eccentric strength that prevents hamstring strains.
• Keep a slight knee bend during hip hinge movements. This protects the knee joint and maintains tension on the hamstrings instead of shifting it to the lower back.
• Train hamstrings at least twice per week. They recover quickly and respond well to frequency.