Great hamstring exercises

CURLING MOVEMENTS

Hamstring curls on a machine are great. Don’t arch your lower back, keep your hips pressed into the pad on this one during the entire range of motion. I prefer slightly higher reps here, 10–15 are a good call, but sometimes I go up to sets of 30–40, even. You can even go to failure on the full range of motion, and then do partials at the bottom. Those are miserable but work great.

The glute-ham raise is a great hamstring builder as well. This will put meat on your “back side” like nothing else. You can adjust the pad location to make them easier or more difficult. Sets of 5–10 reps are best.

You can also do hamstring ball curls. These work the hip and knee joint at the same time and burn like crazy from the constant tension. Sets of 15–30 work well-go till you can’t.

The Nordic hamstring curl is a brutal exercise. Hook your heels under a bench that is bolted down or you’ve already put plates on to weigh it down. Lower yourself slowly and under control as far as you can, then use your arms to push yourself back up to the starting position. Try not to cheat by letting your lower back arch. Low reps are better, 3–5.

HINGE MOVEMENTS

Back extensions are awesome-I prefer holding the weight on my back for more range of motion and a better stretch. At the top, don’t arch back-push your hips into the pad using your glutes.

You can do them with a barbell in your hands, too. These have less range of motion but you can load them about twice as heavy. Don’t smash up your gym floor, lower it under control. Double chin is optional. Sets of 8–12 reps work well.

The basic conventional deadlift is great for hamstrings, too. Focus on driving your heels into the ground and keeping the tension in your lower body. Sets of 5–10 reps work well but don’t go crazy with the volume.

Pulling from a deficit increases the range of motion further. You can take a wider grip to increase the range of motion even more if you want, but don’t let your back round. Sets of 3–8 reps work well. Keep the volume low on these as well, just a few sets are fine.

Good mornings I usually feel more in my spinal erectors, but they stimulate the hammies as well. Focus on sitting BACK into the movement as much as possible. Higher reps with light weight are best. Shoot for 10–15 reps, not letting your back round even an inch.

Finally, the best hamstring exercise is probably the Romanian deadlift, or RDL. Again, push your hips back as much as possible, getting a stretch at the bottom. Range of motion isn’t important here, but that stretch is crucial. You can put plates under your toes for an even better stretch. Don’t round your back at all. Sets of 8–15 work well on this one.

Choose 1–2 curling movements and 1–3 hinge movements. Aim for 8–12 total working sets per workout.