Well-built hamstrings give shape to the back of your legs, reducing the appearance of the dreaded cottage-cheese effect. Performing an infinite number of squats and lunges in a group fitness class will not give you big hamstrings. Following a leg weight training routine including dead lifts and leg curls will stimulate your hamstring muscle cells to grow. Reducing your caloric intake to lose body fat further enhances the look of your backside.
Location and Function
The hamstring muscle group consists of three distinct muscles. However, these muscles all originate from the ischium or sitting bones of your pelvis -- the bones you can feel underneath your glutes when you sit down. The biceps femoris muscle inserts on the outer or lateral border just below your knee, while the semimembranosus and semitendinosus insert on the inner or medial border just below your knee. Because your hamstrings cross your hip and knee joints, their function is to extend your hips and flex your knees.
Weights, Reps and Sets
To build your hamstrings, you should begin your leg workouts with barbell and dumbbell exercises, saving the machine exercises for the end of your workouts. You must lift a weight that is heavy enough that you can only complete six to 12 repetitions per set for most of the sets in your workout; performing four to six sets per exercise is necessary for optimal muscle growth. Once you can complete 12 repetitions, increase the weight even, if you can only do four to five repetitions. Add on repetitions in subsequent workouts as your strength increases.
Barbell Dead Lifts
Barbell dead lifts focus on the hip-end of your hamstrings. Some gyms have a dead lift platform. You may also use a squat rack to do this exercise. The barbell pegs should be adjusted to a level just above your knees. This exercise is performed by standing with the barbell touching your thighs and your hands grasping the bar slightly wider than your shoulders. Lift the bar off of the support pegs then step back about 6 inches. With your feet close together and your knees slightly bent, stick your buttocks out behind you and bend down to lower the barbell until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings. Contract your glutes and hamstrings to rise back up to standing.
Leg Curls
Performing leg curls on a prone leg curl machine with an upward arch for your pelvis enables you to lift the maximal amount of weight compared to standing, cable or flat hamstring curl exercises. Leg curls work the knee-end of your hamstrings. Ensure the rotating axis of the machine is in line with the center of your knee and the ankle pads are comfortably just above your ankles. Keep your pelvis in contact with the pad. Perform this exercise by bending your knees to curl the leg pad toward you until it touches your butt. If you find yourself excessively arching your back and your butt is sticking up in the air, reduce the weight you are curling because it is too heavy.
References
- "Anatomy & Physiology"; Gary Thibodeau, Ph.D., and Kevin Patton, Ph.D.; 2007
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- American College of Sports Medicine; Progression Models in Resistance Training for Adults; Joseph Donnelly; 2009
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