The hamstring muscles are located on the back of your thighs. They are essential for activities involving jumping, running, squatting or walking because they are the primary knee flexors and contribute to hip extension. The hamstrings are especially important if you are an athlete who has to jump and/or sprint frequently during your competitions and practices. To strengthen your hamstrings, perform resistance exercises focusing on knee flexion and hip extension ranges of motion. This will help your knees and hips function more effectively and may prevent hamstring injuries.
Deadlifts
Step 1
Place a barbell on the floor and load it with your desired weight. Stand upright with your feet about shoulder-width apart, slightly behind the bar. Squat down and grasp the bar with your hands equidistant from the center and your palms facing toward your legs. Keep your back straight.
Step 2
Stand back up by powerfully extending your hips and knees, lifting the bar in front of your thighs.
Step 3
Drop the bar back to the floor if you are on a padded surface, and then reposition the bar to repeat the exercise. Otherwise, slowly squat down to lower the bar back down slowly.
Leg Curls
Step 1
Lie face down on the bench of a leg curl machine with your knees hanging off the edge. Place your heels underneath the roller pads. Hold underneath the bench with your hands to secure your body to it.
Step 2
Contract your hamstring muscles to flex your knees, lifting the bar protected by the roller pads upward and toward your buttocks. Keep your torso and upper legs flat on the bench.
Step 3
Lower the bar slowly back to the starting position, still contracting your hamstrings to control the speed of the movement. Repeat the exercise for your desired number of repetitions.
Straight-Leg Deadlifts
Step 1
Place two dumbbells on the floor, about as wide apart as your hips. Stand upright and move your toes up to the weights. Bend forward at your waist, keeping your knees only slightly bent, and grasp the dumbbells with your palms facing backward, toward your body.
Step 2
Extend your hips to stand back up, lifting the dumbbells in front of your thighs. Do not help by extending your knees.
Step 3
Flex your hips and bend forward at your waist again to reverse back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform each exercise two to three times per week for two to three sets of 6 to 12 repetitions per session. Increase the weight only if you are able to complete 12 repetitions easily.
- For deadlifts, if you drop the bar on the floor, make sure nobody else is near you to avoid dropping it on them. For straight-leg deadlifts, use light resistance, especially at first, and increase the resistance conservatively. This will help prevent lower-back injuries.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Weight plates
- Leg curl machine
- Dumbbells
References
- Get Body Smart: Muscles that Act on the Posterior Thigh (Femur)
- Get Body Smart: Muscles that Act on Posterior Thigh (Tibia and Fibula)
- American Council on Exercise: Barbell Deadlift
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (Second Edition)"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
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