Your hamstring muscles are large and powerful and responsible for flexing your knee and extending your hip. Used in locomotive actions such as running and jumping, strong but flexible hamstrings are also important for the health of your lower back. Tight, weak hamstrings put tremendous strain on your lower back and can be the cause of pain and injury. Perform these exercises to keep your hamstrings in good condition.
Good Mornings
Good mornings are a traditional bodybuilding and weight lifting exercise that will strengthen your hamstrings and lower back. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a barbell across your upper back. Bend your knees slightly and keep them fixed in this position. Push your butt back and bend forwards at the hips, ensuring that your lower back does not round. Lean as far forward as your flexibility allows. Stand up from this most stretched position by pushing your hips forwards and repeat for the desired number of repetitions. You can also perform this exercise with a weight held to your chest.
Stability Ball Leg Curls
This exercise will strengthen your hamstrings, butt, lower back and core. Lie on your back on the floor and place your feet on a stability ball. Place your arms on the floor out level with your shoulders with your palms facing down. Push your hips off of the floor---your body should form a straight line from heels to hips to head. Keeping your hips elevated, bend your legs and curl the stability ball towards your butt. Keep pushing your hips up! Slowly uncurl your legs and return to the starting position and repeat.
Reverse Lunges off of a Step
Stand on top of a four inch step with your feet together and your hands by your sides. Take a large step backwards with your left leg. Bend both legs and lower your left knee to within one inch of the floor. Push off of your left leg to return to the starting position. Repeat with your other leg. Continue alternating legs for the duration of your set. You can make this exercise more challenging by holding weights in your hands or placing a barbell across your shoulders.
Single Leg Hamstring Stretch
This gentle exercise provides a good warm up before attempting more intense stretches. Sit on the edge of a chair with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Sit up as tall as you can. Keeping one foot flat on the floor, extend your other leg out straight so that your toes are pointing up to the ceiling and your knee is straight. Place both of your hands on your bent knee to support your upper body. Keeping your spine tall, lean forwards from the hips and push your chest towards your thighs. Only bend as far as your hamstring flexibility allows and ensuring your lower back does not round. Hold the deepest stretch you can maintain for 30 seconds or more before slowly sitting up and changing legs.
Seated Hamstring Stretch
Sit on the floor with your legs extended and together. Sit up as tall as you can and point your toes up towards the ceiling. Leaning only from the hips, bend forwards and slide your hands down your legs making sure your back does not round. Exhale and relax into the stretch. Hold the most stretched position for 30 seconds or more. You can also perform this stretch with a rope, towel or belt looped under the balls of your feet and held in your hands to aid in pulling you into the stretch. If you use this method, try to keep your shoulders downs and back with upper body as relaxed as possible.
References
- "Serious Strength Training"; Tudor Bompa, Mauro Di Pasquale, and Lorenzo Cornacchia; 2002
- "The Complete Book of Butt and Legs"; Kurt Brungardt, Mike Brungardt, and Brett Brungardt; 1995
- "Stretching"; Bob Anderson and Jean Anderson; 2010
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