Exercise library · Hamstrings
Hamstring exercises
Hip hinges and leg curls, the moves that actually reach the back of the thigh.
Tap an exercise to see how it's done.
Barbell2
Dumbbellsno gym2
Machine3
Bodyweightno gym2
Otherno gym2
Ball leg curlVideo
Starting position
Lie on your back with your heels on an exercise ball, your arms on the floor and your hips raised.
The movement
Pull the ball toward you by bending your knees, then roll it out until your legs are almost straight.
Most common mistake
Don't let your hips drop or twist, keep them raised and facing straight up.
Slider leg curl
Videoalso called towel hamstring curl
How to train your hamstrings
Your hamstrings have two jobs: they extend your hip and they bend your knee. Most people only train one of them, but strong and resilient hamstrings need both.
Hip hinges train the hip job. In the Romanian deadlift and the stiff-legged deadlift you hinge at the hips with almost straight legs until your hamstrings stretch, then stand back up. The single-leg Romanian deadlift does the same thing one leg at a time and needs less weight.
Leg curls train the knee job: the lying leg curl and seated leg curl on a machine, or the Nordic hamstring curl and the sliding leg curl without one. The Nordic curl is hard even with just your bodyweight, so start by only controlling the way down.
Common mistakes
- Bending the knees instead of hinging. Push your hips back as if you were closing a door with your backside.
- A rounded back. Only go as low as your back stays neutral. You should feel the stretch in your hamstrings, not your lower back.
- Only one kind of exercise. Include both a hip hinge and a leg curl every week.
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