An Honest Review of Best Hamstring Exercises
Wed, Dec 17, 25
Why Your Hamstrings Deserve More Attention Than They're Getting
Best hamstring exercises are crucial for running faster, jumping higher, and moving without pain. For athletes and anyone recovering from muscle soreness, strong hamstrings are the foundation of powerful movement.
Top hamstring exercises for strength and injury prevention:
- Romanian Deadlift (RDL) - Best for eccentric strength and flexibility
- Nordic Hamstring Curl - Reduces injury risk by 56.8-70%
- Good Morning - Builds hip hinge mechanics and core stability
- Kettlebell Swing - Develops explosive power and athleticism
- Single-Leg RDL - Corrects muscle imbalances and improves balance
- Glute Bridge / Hip Thrust - Strengthens hip extension pattern
- Lying Leg Curl - Isolates hamstrings for muscle growth
- Eccentric Bridge Walkout - Bodyweight alternative to Nordic curls
- Conventional Deadlift - Maximum posterior chain activation
Hamstring strains make up 12-16% of all athletic injuries, with reinjury rates of 22-34%. However, research shows that targeted eccentric training can cut injury risk by over 50%.
Your hamstrings—a group of three muscles on the back of your thigh—power your steps, stabilize your pelvis, and protect your lower back. Weakness or tightness can cause issues from your knees to your back. This guide offers exercises for all fitness levels, from bodyweight movements to advanced lifts, to build both strength and resilience.
I'm Tony Enrico, and I've helped thousands find relief from muscle pain. This guide breaks down science-backed exercises that work, with tips for safely adding them to your routine.
Best hamstring exercises vocab explained:
Why Strong Hamstrings Are Your Secret Weapon for Performance and Injury Prevention
The hamstrings are a group of three muscles on the back of your thigh: the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They perform two main actions: knee flexion (bending the knee) and hip extension (moving your leg backward). Learn more in our hamstring anatomy guide.
During running, hamstrings work constantly, contracting to pull you forward and stretching to slow your leg's forward swing. This interplay of eccentric (stretching) and concentric (shortening) contractions demands significant strength. Without it, hamstring strains—which account for 12-16% of athletic injuries with a 22-34% reinjury rate—become more likely. Building strong hamstrings is key to staying in the game. For injury management, see our guide to treating hamstring strains.
The Role of Hamstrings in Athletic Performance
While the direct link between hamstring strength and speed is debated, strong hamstrings make you more resilient to training. They are crucial for powerful hip extension in sprinting and jumping and play a vital role in deceleration and changing direction. Strengthening hamstrings also corrects "quad dominance," an imbalance where the front thigh muscles overpower the back. This creates more efficient movement and better overall performance. For more details, see this study on hamstring strength and athletic performance.
How Strong Hamstrings Prevent Injuries
Strong hamstrings are essential for injury prevention. They stabilize the knee joint, reducing strain during demanding activities. A balanced lower body with strong hamstrings also improves posture and can alleviate lower back pain by preventing other muscles from overcompensating. Furthermore, they help control pelvic tilt. Perceived hamstring "tightness" is often due to an anterior pelvic tilt that over-lengthens the muscles. Strengthening them helps restore a neutral pelvic position, allowing your glutes to work more effectively. This proactive approach is far better than reacting to an injury. To understand recovery strategies, our guide to hamstring pull recovery steps offers valuable insights.
The 9 Best Hamstring Exercises for Unstoppable Legs
This section provides a detailed review of the top exercises, from foundational movements to advanced strength builders, ensuring a comprehensive approach to hamstring development. We've selected these exercises based on their effectiveness in targeting both the contraction and stretching phases of the hamstring's function, as well as their proven benefits for injury prevention and performance.
1. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
The Romanian Deadlift (RDL) is a key hip-hinge movement for the posterior chain, focusing on the hamstrings and glutes. It builds eccentric strength by loading the hamstrings as they lengthen, which is vital for injury prevention in activities like running.
To perform an RDL, hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs. With a slight bend in your knees and a flat back, hinge at your hips, pushing them back as you lower the weight. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Lower until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, then drive your hips forward to return to the start, squeezing your glutes at the top.
2. Nordic Hamstring Curl
The Nordic Hamstring Curl is a gold-standard exercise for injury prevention, targeting the hamstrings' eccentric strength. Research shows it can reduce hamstring injury rates by over 50%.
To perform it, kneel on a padded surface and have a partner hold your ankles, or anchor your feet under a sturdy object. Keeping your body in a straight line from head to knees, slowly lower your torso toward the floor, using your hamstrings to control the descent. When you can no longer resist, catch yourself with your hands and push back up. Start with a small range of motion and increase as you get stronger.
3. Good Morning
The Good Morning is another excellent hip-hinge exercise for the posterior chain. It strengthens the hamstrings and glutes while teaching core stability and how to maintain a neutral spine under load.
Place a barbell on your upper back (like a squat) or hold a light weight. With feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent, hinge at your hips, pushing them back while keeping your back flat. Lower your torso until you feel a deep hamstring stretch, then extend your hips to return to the start. Begin with bodyweight or very light weight to master the form.
4. Kettlebell Swing
For explosive power, the Kettlebell Swing is best. This ballistic hip-hinge movement trains your hamstrings and glutes to generate force, a fundamental skill for nearly all athletic activities.
Stand with feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Hinge at your hips to grab the kettlebell, then "hike" it back between your legs. Powerfully drive your hips forward, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings to swing the kettlebell to chest height. Your arms should guide the weight, not lift it. Let gravity bring the kettlebell back down into the next rep.
5. Single-Leg RDL
The Single-Leg RDL (SLRDL) improves the benefits of a standard RDL by adding a balance and stability challenge. This unilateral exercise is perfect for correcting muscle imbalances between your left and right sides, which is crucial for runners.
Hold a weight in the hand opposite your standing leg. With a slight bend in your standing knee, hinge at the hip, extending your other leg straight back for balance. Lower the weight toward the floor, keeping your back flat. Drive through your standing heel to return to the start. Focus on controlled movement.
6. Glute Bridge / Hip Thrust
While known for glute development, the Glute Bridge and Hip Thrust are also fantastic for strengthening the hamstrings' hip extension function. These exercises build foundational strength that transfers to sprinting and jumping.
For a Glute Bridge, lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Drive through your heels to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, squeezing your glutes and hamstrings. To target hamstrings more, move your feet further from your glutes. The Barbell Hip Thrust adds weight and increases the range of motion by elevating your upper back on a bench. For a more detailed understanding of the muscles involved, explore our hamstring anatomy guide.
7. Lying Leg Curl
The Lying Leg Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings' knee flexion function. It's excellent for building muscle size (hypertrophy) and developing a strong mind-muscle connection.
On a leg curl machine, lie face down with the pad just above your heels. Keeping your hips pressed into the bench, curl your heels toward your glutes, squeezing your hamstrings. Hold the contraction briefly, then slowly lower the weight back to the start. This is a key exercise in many recovery plans, as detailed in our guide to pulled hamstring exercises.
8. Eccentric Bridge Walkout
The Eccentric Bridge Walkout is a great bodyweight alternative to Nordic Curls, emphasizing eccentric control. It's accessible and can be done anywhere, making it ideal for beginners or those without equipment.
Lie on your back and lift your hips into a glute bridge. Keeping your hips liftd, slowly "walk" your heels away from your body one small step at a time. Go as far as you can while maintaining control and keeping your hips up. Once at your limit, lower your hips to the floor, walk your feet back in, and repeat.
9. Conventional Deadlift
The Conventional Deadlift is a full-body strength builder that heavily engages the entire posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings, and back. While not a hamstring isolation exercise, it allows you to use heavy loads, making it one of the most effective movements for building overall hamstring power.
Stand with feet hip-width apart, the bar over your mid-foot. Hinge at your hips and bend your knees to grip the bar. Keeping your back flat and chest up, drive through your heels to lift the weight, extending your hips and knees together. Keep the bar close to your body. Reverse the motion to lower the bar with control.
How to Build Your Hamstring Workout Plan
Smartly integrating these best hamstring exercises into your routine is key to seeing results and preventing injury.
Structuring Your Weekly Routine
Aim to train your hamstrings 2-3 times per week. You can structure this in a few ways:
- Full Body Workouts: Include 1-2 hamstring exercises.
- Lower Body Days: Perform 2-3 hamstring exercises alongside other leg work.
- Dedicated Hamstring/Glute Days: For advanced goals, a focused day allows for higher volume.
Recovery is when your muscles grow. Listen to your body; if you feel persistent fatigue or soreness, consider scaling back or adding a rest day. Our guide on mastering your hamstring strain recovery time offers more tips.
The Importance of Form Over Weight
Form always trumps weight, especially with hinge movements like deadlifts and RDLs, where poor form can cause injury.
- Start Light: Master the movement with bodyweight or light weights first.
- Mind-Muscle Connection: Focus on feeling your hamstrings work through each rep.
- Record Yourself: Use visual feedback to check and correct your form.
- Progressive Overload: Once your form is solid, gradually increase weight, reps, or sets to drive progress.
Always perform a dynamic warm-up (like leg swings) before your workout and a cool-down with static stretches afterward to improve flexibility. For more on recovery, see this muscle strain relief guide.
Managing Soreness and Preventing Hamstring Injuries
Some muscle soreness, known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), is normal after a tough workout. It's a sign of muscle adaptation, but excessive soreness can signal overtraining.
Effective recovery strategies include:
- Active Recovery: Light activity like walking or cycling boosts blood flow.
- Nutrition and Hydration: Protein aids muscle repair, and water is essential.
- Sleep: Quality sleep is crucial for your body's repair processes.
- Stretching and Mobility: Gentle stretching can reduce stiffness.
If you experience sharp pain or soreness that severely limits movement, consult a physical therapist. For help with recovery, see our guide to fast muscle strain treatment.
Your Go-To for Post-Workout Recovery
After pushing your hamstrings with the best hamstring exercises, you'll likely feel some aches. For targeted, soothing relief, athletes in New York City and beyond turn to fast-acting topical creams like Neuropasil. Our natural blend of Menthol and Aloe cools and calms tired muscles, helping you recover faster. Menthol provides an immediate cooling sensation that increases blood flow, while Aloe offers anti-inflammatory properties, making the combination effective for localized soreness. To find out more about how our products can help, explore the best pain relief cream for muscle pain.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Hamstring Exercises
Does strengthening hamstrings improve running speed?
While not a direct magic bullet for speed, strengthening your hamstrings improves running performance by:
- Increasing Resilience: Stronger muscles handle training volume better, leading to more consistent training and fewer injury setbacks.
- Reducing Injury Risk: Eccentric training, in particular, significantly lowers the chance of hamstring strains.
- Improving Running Economy: Better muscle balance leads to more efficient movement.
- Boosting Power Production: Hamstrings are key for the powerful push-off phase in running.
An uninjured, efficient runner is a faster runner. For more on recovery, see our beginners guide to treatment for hamstring muscle strain.
What's the difference between a Romanian Deadlift and a Stiff-Leg Deadlift?
Though similar, they differ in key ways:
- Knee Bend: An RDL maintains a slight, consistent knee bend. A Stiff-Leg Deadlift (SLDL) keeps the legs almost completely straight.
- Movement: The RDL is a pure hip hinge, pushing the glutes back. The SLDL can involve more rounding of the back to lower the weight.
- Emphasis: The RDL is superior for eccentrically loading the hamstrings and glutes. The SLDL can place more stress on the lower back and is often used with lighter weight to focus on a static stretch.
We recommend the RDL for most people due to its safety and effectiveness.
Are hamstring curls bad for your knees?
No, when performed correctly, hamstring curls are not bad for your knees. In fact, they strengthen a key muscle group that helps stabilize the knee joint. Issues typically arise from:
- Improper Form: Using too much weight or jerky movements.
- Pre-existing Conditions: If you have a knee injury, consult a physical therapist first.
- Muscle Imbalance: Ensure you also train your quadriceps for balanced strength around the knee.
Done correctly, leg curls are a safe and effective isolation exercise. If you're dealing with a significant injury, our detailed guide to torn hamstring muscle treatment can offer guidance.
Conclusion
Building strong, resilient hamstrings is a crucial investment in your athletic performance and long-term health. By using the best hamstring exercises in this guide—from powerful deadlifts to targeted Nordic curls—you can build unstoppable legs.
The keys to success are variety, prioritizing proper form over heavy weight, and using progressive overload. Remember to balance your training and listen to your body, as recovery is just as important as the work itself. Strong hamstrings are foundational for an active life, allowing you to move with power and confidence. For help managing muscle discomfort, explore our muscle strain treatment plan.