The hamstrings are major muscles on the back part of the upper leg. Their main function is to flex the knee, which means to bring toward your body. This action takes place when your heel is coming toward your glutes. With that in mind, exercises that involve this range of motion can help strengthen your hamstrings.
Step 1
Perform one-legged hamstring curls. Lie face down on the padded seat and grab the handles to anchor your body. Place the back of your leg under the padded support and curl the weight up toward your body. Lower it back down and repeat.
Step 2
Perform lunges with dumbbells at your sides and your palms facing in. Start with your feet together. Step forward and bend your knee 90 degrees. Bend your back knee until it is right above the ground when you do this. Stand back up, bring your feet together and repeat.
Step 3
Hold onto a kettlebell to do single leg deadlifts. Grab the handle of the kettlebell with both hands and hold it with your arms hanging right down in front of your body. Lower the kettlebell toward the floor as you extend one leg straight behind you. Come back up to standing and repeat. Have the knee on your planted foot slightly bent the whole time.
Step 4
Perform stability ball single-leg hamstring curls. Lie on your back and place your heels on top of the ball. Press your weight into the ball and lift your hips off the ground. Lift one leg straight up in the air and draw the ball toward your butt with your other leg. Use your hamstrings to create this movement. Roll the ball back to the starting point and repeat.
Step 5
Perform 10 to 12 reps and three to four sets of all the above exercises. Take 45- to 60-second rest breaks between each one, and do them three times a week on alternating days.
Tips and Warnings
- When you do one-legged hamstring curls, the support should be at your lower calf area right above your ankle. Keep your hips tight to the bench when you are performing this exercise. When you do lunges, keep your back straight the whole time. A kettlebell is a fitness tool that looks like a cannonball with a handle attached at the top. If you do not want to use it for single-leg deadlifts, hold onto dumbbells.
Things You'll Need
- Hamstring curl machine
- Dumbbells
- Kettlebell
- Stability ball
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