Hamstring Exercises 22 Moves With How-To Steps

All 22 hamstring exercises 22

• 

  Banded Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

  Band

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A one-leg hip hinge against a band anchored low in front of you. Works the hamstrings and glutes with a balance challenge.

  How to do it

  1. Anchor a band low in front of you, about shin height, and hold it with your hands at your hips.
  2. Stand on one leg, far enough back that the band is taut.
  3. Push your hips back and hinge forward, letting your hands follow the band toward the anchor and the free leg extend straight behind you.
  4. Drive through the standing foot to stand tall against the band. Finish the set, then switch legs.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your hips square to the floor.
  • Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.

  Watch a demo on YouTube

• 

  Banded Standing Leg Curl

  Band

  Steps and tips

  Also works calves.

  Curling one heel toward your glutes against a band while standing. Works the hamstrings one leg at a time.

  How to do it

  1. Anchor a band low in front of you and loop it around one ankle, then step back until it is taut.
  2. Stand tall holding something for balance, with your weight on the other leg.
  3. Curl the heel toward your glutes against the band, keeping your thigh still.
  4. Return slowly. Finish the set, then switch legs.

  Keep in mind

  • The thigh does not move. Only the lower leg swings.
  • Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.
• 

  Butt Kicks

  Bodyweight

  Steps and tips

  Also works calves and glutes.

  Jogging in place while flicking each heel up toward your glutes. A warm-up drill for the hamstrings and a quick way to raise your heart rate.

  How to do it

  1. Stand tall with your arms bent as if running.
  2. Jog lightly in place, staying on the balls of your feet.
  3. Flick one heel up toward your glute, then quickly switch to the other.
  4. Keep an even rhythm for the set, counting each kick as one rep.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your knees pointing down. Lifting them forward turns it into high knees.
  • Quick, light contacts. Do not force the heel all the way up.
• 

  Deadlift

  Barbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes and lower back.

  Lifting a barbell from the floor to standing. The heaviest lift in the gym, working the hamstrings, glutes, back and grip.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart.
  2. Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your legs, with your shins touching the bar and your back flat.
  3. Take a big breath, brace your core, and pull the slack out of the bar.
  4. Stand up by pushing the floor away, keeping the bar against your legs the whole way.
  5. Lock out with your glutes at the top, then push your hips back to lower the bar under control.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep the bar close. If it drifts away from your legs, your back takes the load.
  • Chest up and back flat before every pull. A rounding lower back is the sign to stop.
  • Do not lean back at the top. Standing tall is the finish.
• 

  Dumbbell Deadlift

  Dumbbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes and lower back.

  A deadlift with a dumbbell in each hand instead of a bar. The same hinge, working the hamstrings and glutes.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at your sides.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower the dumbbells toward the floor, keeping your back flat.
  3. Drive through your whole foot to stand tall, squeezing your glutes.
  4. Lower the dumbbells under control and repeat.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep the dumbbells close to your legs.
  • Log the weight of one dumbbell. SetLift counts both.
• 

  Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

  Dumbbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A hip hinge with a dumbbell in each hand, lowering them along your legs. Works the hamstrings and glutes.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
  2. Soften your knees and keep them there. This is a hinge, not a squat.
  3. Push your hips back and hinge forward, sliding the dumbbells down your legs with a flat back.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, then drive your hips forward to stand tall.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep the dumbbells close to your legs the whole way.
  • If your lower back rounds, shorten the range.
  • Log the weight of one dumbbell. SetLift counts both.
• 

  Glute-Ham Raise

  BodyweightMachine

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  Lowering your body forward from a kneeling position on the glute-ham developer and curling back up with your hamstrings. One of the hardest hamstring exercises.

  How to do it

  1. Kneel on the pad with your feet locked in behind the rollers and your body upright from knees to head.
  2. Keeping your hips straight, lower your torso forward slowly, straightening your knees as you go.
  3. Stop when your body is level with the floor, or use your hands to catch yourself.
  4. Curl your body back up to kneeling using your hamstrings.

  Keep in mind

  • Hips stay straight the whole way. Folding at the hips is the common cheat.
  • Push off the floor with your hands for help until you can do it unassisted.

  Watch a demo on YouTube

• 

  Inchworm

  Bodyweight

  Steps and tips

  Also works shoulders and core.

  Walking your hands out from a forward fold to a low push-up position and back. A warm-up that stretches the hamstrings and works the shoulders and core.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, fold forward at the hips and put your hands on the floor in front of your feet.
  2. Walk your hands forward one at a time, keeping your legs as straight as you can, until your body is in a straight line.
  3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest close to the floor, as at the bottom of a push-up.
  4. Walk your hands back toward your feet, raising your hips, until you are back in the fold.

  Keep in mind

  • Bend your knees a little if your hands do not reach the floor.
  • Brace your abs at the far end so your hips do not sag.
  • For an easier version, stop in a straight-arm plank.
• 

  Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift

  Kettlebell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A hip hinge holding a kettlebell. Works the hamstrings and glutes, and teaches the movement behind every deadlift.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet hip width apart, holding the kettlebell in front of your thighs with both hands.
  2. Soften your knees slightly and keep them there. This is a hinge, not a squat.
  3. Push your hips straight back and let the bell slide down your legs. Keep your back flat.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually around the middle of your shins.
  5. Drive your hips forward to stand up, and squeeze your glutes at the top.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep the bell close to your legs the whole way. Letting it drift forward loads the lower back.
  • If your lower back rounds, shorten the range until your hamstrings loosen up.
  • Bending the knees a lot turns this into a squat. Keep them softly bent and push the hips back instead.

  Watch a demo on YouTube

• 

  Lying Leg Curl

  Machine

  Steps and tips

  Curling your heels toward your glutes while lying face down on the leg curl machine. Works the hamstrings on their own.

  How to do it

  1. Lie face down with the pad just above your ankles and your knees just off the edge of the bench.
  2. Hold the handles and keep your hips pressed into the pad.
  3. Curl your heels toward your glutes as far as they go.
  4. Return slowly until your legs are straight.

  Keep in mind

  • Hips stay down. If they lift, the lower back is helping.
  • Squeeze at the top and lower slowly.
• 

  Nordic Curl

  Bodyweight

  Steps and tips

  Kneeling with your feet held down and lowering your body forward as slowly as you can, then pulling back up. The hardest bodyweight hamstring exercise.

  How to do it

  1. Kneel with your ankles held down by a partner, a bar, or a pad, with your body upright from knees to head.
  2. Keeping your hips straight, lower your torso forward as slowly as you can.
  3. Catch yourself with your hands on the floor when your hamstrings give out.
  4. Push off the floor with your hands and pull back up to kneeling with your hamstrings.

  Keep in mind

  • The lowering half is the exercise. Fight it all the way down.
  • Hips stay straight. Folding at the hips makes it easier and pointless.
• 

  Plate-Loaded Kneeling Leg Curl

  MachinePlate-Loaded

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A one-leg curl kneeling on a plate-loaded machine with your chest on the pad. Works each hamstring on its own.

  How to do it

  1. Kneel on the pad with one knee, rest your chest and forearms on the supports, and hook the other ankle under the roller.
  2. Start with that leg straight.
  3. Curl your heel toward your glutes as far as it goes.
  4. Return slowly. Finish the set, then switch legs.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your hips still. Do not rock to swing the roller up.
  • Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.

  Watch a demo on YouTube

• 

  Romanian Deadlift

  Barbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A barbell hip hinge that starts standing and lowers the bar along your legs until your hamstrings are stretched. The main hamstring builder.

  How to do it

  1. Stand tall holding the bar against your thighs with your hands just outside your legs.
  2. Soften your knees and keep them there. This is a hinge, not a squat.
  3. Push your hips straight back and hinge forward, sliding the bar down your thighs and shins with a flat back.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually around mid shin.
  5. Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep the bar against your legs the whole way. Drifting forward loads the lower back.
  • The knees barely move. Push the hips back instead.
  • A rounding lower back means you have gone past your range. Stop higher.
• 

  Seated Leg Curl

  Machine

  Steps and tips

  Curling your heels down and back while seated on the leg curl machine. Works the hamstrings with a stretch at the start of every rep.

  How to do it

  1. Sit with your knees at the pivot, the pad just above your ankles, and the thigh pad locked down.
  2. Start with your legs straight.
  3. Curl your heels down and back as far as they go, squeezing your hamstrings.
  4. Return slowly until your legs are straight.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your hips against the seat.
  • Slow on the way back. The stretch is where this one works.
• 

  Single Leg Leg Curl

  Machine

  Steps and tips

  A leg curl done one leg at a time. Works each hamstring on its own so a stronger leg cannot cover for a weaker one.

  How to do it

  1. Set up on the leg curl machine as usual, with the pad just above one ankle.
  2. Curl that heel toward your glutes as far as it goes.
  3. Return slowly until the leg is straight.
  4. Finish the set, then do the other leg.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your hips still.
  • Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.
• 

  Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

  Dumbbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A hip hinge on one leg holding a dumbbell, with the other leg extending behind you. Works the hamstrings and glutes with a big balance demand.

  How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand.
  2. Push your hips back and hinge forward, letting the free leg extend straight behind you.
  3. Lower the dumbbell toward the floor until your torso and back leg are about level, keeping your hips square.
  4. Drive through the standing foot to stand tall. Finish the set, then switch legs.

  Keep in mind

  • Keep your hips square to the floor. The free hip will want to open up.
  • Log reps for one side. SetLift counts the other side for you.
• 

  Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift

  Machine

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes and lower back.

  A Romanian deadlift on the Smith machine. The fixed bar path keeps the bar against your legs so you can focus on the hinge.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar against your thighs, feet hip width apart, and unhook it.
  2. Soften your knees and keep them there.
  3. Push your hips back and hinge forward, letting the bar slide down your legs with a flat back.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, then drive your hips forward to stand tall.

  Keep in mind

  • Stand so the bar path runs down the front of your shins.
  • Keep your back flat. If it rounds, stop higher.
• 

  Stability Ball Leg Curl

  Other

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A glute bridge with your heels on a stability ball, rolling the ball in with your hamstrings. Works the hamstrings and glutes.

  How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with your heels on top of a stability ball and your arms out to the sides.
  2. Lift your hips until your body makes a straight line from shoulders to feet.
  3. Keeping your hips up, bend your knees and roll the ball toward you with your heels.
  4. Roll it back out slowly until your legs are straight.

  Keep in mind

  • Hips stay up the whole rep. Dropping them between reps removes the load.
  • Arms wide on the floor for balance.
• 

  Stiff-Leg Deadlift

  Barbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes and lower back.

  A deadlift from the floor with the knees kept nearly straight. Works the hamstrings and lower back through a long range.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, feet about hip width apart.
  2. Keeping your knees nearly straight, hinge down with a flat back and grip the bar just outside your legs.
  3. Drive your hips forward to stand tall, keeping the bar close to your legs.
  4. Hinge back down under control and repeat.

  Keep in mind

  • Nearly straight, not locked. A soft knee protects the joint.
  • Only go as low as you can with a flat back. Stand on a plate for more range only once your hamstrings allow it.
• 

  Sumo Deadlift

  Barbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes, adductors and quads.

  A deadlift with a wide stance and your hands inside your knees. Keeps the torso more upright and works the hamstrings, glutes and inner thighs.

  How to do it

  1. Stand with a wide stance and your toes turned out, the bar over the middle of your feet.
  2. Push your knees out and hinge down to grip the bar inside your legs, back flat and chest up.
  3. Brace, then stand up by pushing the floor away and driving your knees out.
  4. Lock out with your glutes at the top, then lower the bar under control.

  Keep in mind

  • Knees out over your toes for the whole lift.
  • Keep your chest up and your hips as close to the bar as you can at the start.
• 

  Trap Bar Deadlift

  Barbell

  Steps and tips

  Also works quads and lower back.

  A deadlift with a hexagonal bar you stand inside. Works the whole lower body and the back, and is easier on the lower back than a straight bar.

  How to do it

  1. Stand in the middle of the bar with your feet between hip and shoulder width apart.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees to grab the middle of the handles. Chest up, back flat.
  3. Brace your core, then stand up by pushing the floor away through your whole foot.
  4. Squeeze your glutes at the top so your hips and knees lock out together.
  5. Lower the bar under control by pushing your hips back first, then bending your knees.

  Keep in mind

  • Grip the handles dead center. Off center, the bar tips forward or back.
  • Keep your knees tracking over your toes. Do not let them cave inward.
  • Do not bounce the weight off the floor between reps. Settle it, reset, and lift again.
• 

  TRX Hamstring Curl

  Suspension

  Steps and tips

  Also works glutes.

  A glute bridge with your heels in suspension straps, curling your heels toward your glutes. Works the hamstrings and glutes.

  How to do it

  1. Lie on your back with a heel in each strap cradle and your legs straight.
  2. Press your heels down into the straps and lift your hips off the floor.
  3. Keeping your hips up, curl your heels toward your glutes.
  4. Extend your legs slowly back to straight.

  Keep in mind

  • Hips stay up the whole rep.
  • Keep the straps from swinging by pressing down steadily.