Consisting of three separate muscles, the hamstrings extend your hip and bend your knee. The semimembranosus, semitendonosus and biceps femoris drive your body forward whenever you walk, jog or run. Strong hamstrings are important in all sports, especially those that involve sprinting and jumping. Your hamstrings will benefit from strengthening and stretching exercises.
Leg Curls
Leg curls focus on the action of knee flexion. To perform legs curls position yourself on the leg curl machine ensuring that your knees are in line with the lever arm pivot point and your back is fully supported. Place your calves legs on the leg restraint pad. Using your hamstrings, bend your legs and draw your feet down and under your butt. Hold the end position for one or two seconds. Slowly extend your legs and return to the starting position. Perform eight to 20 repetitions.
Stiff Legged Dead Lifts
This exercise uses the action of hip extension to exercise your hamstring muscles. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Grasp a barbell with an overhand shoulder-width grip. Bend your knees slightly but, once bent, do not allow your knees to move for the duration of the exercise. Inhale, push your butt back and flex forward at the hips. Lower the barbell down the front of your legs until you can feel tension in your hamstrings. Your range of movement will depend on your flexibility. Push your butt forward and extend your hips to return to the upright position, exhaling as you do so. Make sure your lower back does not round when performing this exercise.
Stability Ball Leg Curls
Using a stability ball adds an extra dimension to your hamstring training by increasing the demand for balance. Stability ball leg curls combine hip extension with knee flexion.
Lie on your back with your legs straight and flat on the floor. Place a stability ball beneath your lower legs. Lift your hips so that your weight is supported on your legs and shoulders--use your arms for balance as necessary. Push your hips up to the ceiling, bend your legs and roll the ball in toward your butt. Hold this most contracted position for one to two seconds before slowly returning to the starting position. Continue for the desired number of repetitions. You can also perform this exercise using one leg at a time for a more challenging workout.
45-Degree Back Extensions
Despite the name of this exercise, 45-degree back extensions are an effective hamstring exercise. Adjust the pads on the machine so that they are positioned at hip height. Place your feet on the footplates, bend your knees slightly and rest your hips against the pads. Lean forward as far as your flexibility allows and place your hands behind your lower back, across your chest or on your temples. Push your hips into the pads and lift your upper body--avoid excessive spine extension as this may lead to injury. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. You can make this exercise more challenging by holding a weight to your chest.
Seated Hamstring Stretch
To stretch your hamstrings, sit on the floor and extend your legs in front of you. Make sure your knees are pointing up toward the ceiling. Lift your chest and lean forward from the hips, sliding your hands down your legs as you do so. To maximize the effectiveness of the stretch, take care to bend from the hips and not your back. Relax into the stretch and try to reach deeper as you exhale. Hold the most stretched position for a count of 60 or more to develop your flexibility.
References
- "Anatomy of Exercise: A Trainer's Inside Guide to Your Workout"; Pat Manocchia; 2009
- "Stability Ball Training: A Guide for Fitness Professionals from the American Council on Exercise"; Sabra Bonelli and Christine Cunningham; 2002
- "Stretching"; Bob Anderson and Jean Anderson; 2010
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