Exercises to build strength, mobility, and injury resilience in your hamstrings
Hamstring exercises
The hamstrings are critical for lower body power, posture, and injury prevention. Located at the back of the thigh, they play a major role in hip extension, knee flexion, and deceleration. Whether you want to increase athletic performance, avoid injury, or develop stronger, more defined legs: hamstring exercises should be a key part of your training routine.
Focus on
Pick your equipment
Assault Bike Run
Back Extension On Stability Ball
Banded Hip Thrusts
Barbell Clean And Jerk
Barbell Deadlift
Barbell Front Squat
Barbell Good Morning
Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell Lunge
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Squat
Barbell Step Up
Barbell Sumo Deadlift
Bodyweight Full Squat With Overhead Press
Bodyweight Single Leg Deadlift
Bodyweight Squat
Bodyweight Step Up
Bulgarian Split Squat
Burpee
Burpee Box Jump
Build strength, flexibility, and muscular balance in your lower body
Training goals for hamstring development
Hamstrings often lag behind quads in strength, creating imbalances that affect performance and joint health. Strengthening the hamstrings improves hip drive, sprinting power, and glute-ham coordination. Flexibility also improves when hamstrings are trained through a full range of motion. A balanced lower body not only looks more athletic — it also functions better in sport and daily movement.
Use hip hinges and curls to train the hamstrings through full motion
Best hamstring exercises for strength and performance
Top hamstring exercises include Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), Nordic curls, glute-ham raises, and kettlebell swings. These movements target the hamstrings with either hip extension (RDLs) or knee flexion (curls), stimulating both heads of the muscle group. Isolation movements like lying leg curls or stability ball leg curls allow for higher rep ranges and focused contraction. Using both movement patterns ensures complete development.
Train hamstrings at home or in the gym with minimal gear
Equipment options for hamstring training
At the gym, barbell RDLs, machine leg curls, and cable pull-throughs are excellent hamstring builders. At home, you can use a resistance band, a bench, or even a towel on a smooth surface to perform sliders or banded curls. Glute bridges with your feet elevated also shift more tension onto the hamstrings. Even without heavy equipment, creative resistance and tempo can make hamstring training effective.
Pair hamstring training with glutes or as part of full leg sessions
Training plans featuring hamstring exercises
Hamstrings respond well to being trained 1–2 times per week with a mix of volume and intensity. Combining compound hip hinge movements with isolated curls ensures complete stimulation. Whether part of a posterior chain day or a full leg session, hamstring training should progress in difficulty and be tracked over time. The app helps you build a custom training plan that aligns with your goals — whether it’s building muscle, improving balance, or increasing explosiveness — and includes the right hamstring exercises based on your experience and equipment.
Frequently asked questions about hamstring exercises
Both are important. Compound lifts like RDLs and good mornings build overall strength and coordination, but isolation exercises like leg curls allow you to directly target the hamstrings and add training volume safely. Combining both approaches produces better results in size, control, and injury prevention.
Chronic hamstring tightness can stem from weakness, poor mobility, or compensation from other muscles. Strengthening your hamstrings through full range exercises can actually reduce tightness over time. Stretching, mobility drills, and avoiding excessive sitting can also help improve flexibility and reduce discomfort.
Training hamstrings 1–2 times per week is effective for most people. If they’re a weak point, consider increasing volume by adding a second weekly session. Allow at least 48 hours of rest between sessions that include heavy or high-volume hamstring work. Proper recovery is key to avoiding strains or overuse issues.
Yes, hamstrings can be trained effectively at home with minimal or no equipment. Exercises like single-leg glute bridges, sliders using towels on hardwood floors, and banded leg curls are all great options. With proper tempo and range of motion, bodyweight movements can deliver real results, especially when done with high reps or added pause holds.
Top hamstring exercises include Romanian deadlifts, glute-ham raises, Nordic curls, and machine leg curls. These exercises target the hamstrings through both hip and knee joint movements, allowing for full development. Using both compound lifts and isolation work ensures you hit every part of the muscle group for strength and balance.
Integrate workouts into full-body and split routines
