Skip to main content
Back
Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active
Add to Workout

Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active

Build

How to Perform

  1. Sit on the floor with legs straight out in front and place the heels on top of a stability ball.
  2. Keep your spine neutral and core engaged, hands positioned slightly behind the hips for support.
  3. Exhale as you actively contract your hamstrings to pull the ball toward your body, keeping your heels pressed firmly on the ball.
  4. Maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the movement to prevent hyperextension.
  5. Hold the contracted position for 1-2 seconds at the closest point, focusing on the tension in your hamstrings.
  6. Inhale as you slowly extend your legs, allowing the ball to roll back to the starting position while maintaining control.
  7. Keep your upper body stable throughout the exercise, avoiding any rocking or leaning backward to compensate.
  8. Repeat the movement with controlled tempo, focusing on the hamstring contraction rather than the distance the ball travels.

Important information

  • Keep your toes pointed upward throughout the exercise to maximize hamstring engagement.
  • If you feel strain in your lower back, adjust your seated position or place a small towel under your sit bones for support.
  • Start with a slightly deflated ball if you're a beginner, as it provides more stability and makes the exercise easier to control.
  • Ensure your shoulders stay relaxed and away from your ears to prevent unnecessary tension in your upper body.

Exercise Details

Primary Muscles

Hamstrings Abs

Muscle Groups

Leg exercises Ab exercises

Mechanic

Isolation

Built for progress

Take the guesswork out of training

Create personalized AI-powered workout plans that evolve with you. Train smarter, track every rep and keep moving forward, one workout at a time.

Be among the first to join!
GrabGains workout plans

This gentle yet effective mobility exercise targets the hamstrings and engages the core, making it perfect for beginners looking to improve flexibility and muscle activation simultaneously. The Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active exercise creates a dynamic stretch that helps prepare your posterior chain for more intensive movement patterns while promoting better range of motion in the hamstring muscles. As a stretching and mobility exercise, it serves multiple purposes in your fitness routine. 

You can incorporate it during your warm-up to activate the hamstrings and prepare them for more demanding exercises, use it during recovery sessions to restore muscle length and function, or include it in your cool-down to gradually decrease intensity while maintaining focus on muscle quality. The beauty of this exercise lies in its ability to combine active engagement with gentle stretching. Unlike passive stretching where you simply hold a position, this active variation encourages neuromuscular awareness as you control the movement of the ball with your feet. This engagement helps signal to your nervous system that this new range of motion is safe, potentially leading to more lasting flexibility improvements. 

For those who spend long hours sitting, this exercise can be particularly beneficial as it targets the hamstrings—muscles that often become shortened and tight from prolonged sitting. Regular practice can contribute to better posture and reduced lower back tension, as tight hamstrings often contribute to postural issues. The dual focus on hamstrings and abdominals creates a balanced approach to lower body mobility. 

As you control the ball's movement, your core naturally activates to stabilize your torso, giving you a subtle abdominal workout while primarily focusing on hamstring mobility. This mind-muscle connection developed during the exercise transfers well to more complex movements in your fitness journey, making it a valuable addition to any beginner's routine.

FAQ - Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active

What muscles does the Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active exercise target?

This exercise primarily targets the hamstring muscles (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris) while also engaging your core muscles for stability. Your calves and glutes will also be activated as secondary muscle groups during the rolling motion.

How do I perform this exercise correctly?

Sit on the floor with legs extended and place a stability ball under your heels or calves. Engage your core, then actively pull the ball toward you by bending your knees while maintaining a straight back, then slowly control the ball as you extend your legs back to the starting position.

How can I modify this exercise if I'm a beginner?

Beginners can start with a partial squat depth and press lighter weights or no weights at all. You can also separate the movements initially, mastering the squat first, then the overhead press, before combining them into one fluid motion.

What are common mistakes to avoid with this exercise?

Avoid bending your elbows to compensate for limited shoulder mobility, as this negates the stretching benefits. Don't rush through repetitions or use momentum—move slowly and deliberately. Also, never force the movement beyond the point of mild discomfort, as this could lead to shoulder strain.

How often should I include the Roll Ball Seated Hamstrings Active in my routine?

You can safely include this exercise 2-4 times per week as part of your warm-up routine or mobility work. For optimal results, perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 controlled repetitions, focusing on quality movement rather than quantity.

Alternative Exercises

Dumbbell Deadlift

Dumbbell Deadlift

The dumbbell deadlift stands as a cornerstone movement for developing lower body strength and power while offering more accessibility than its barbell counterpart. This intermediate exercise primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae, making it exceptional for both bodybuilding enthusiasts looking to sculpt their posterior chain and powerlifters seeking to enhance their overall pulling strength. What makes the dumbbell deadlift particularly valuable is its versatility and reduced technical demands compared to conventional deadlifts. The dumbbells naturally position your grip at your sides rather than in front of your body, creating a more intuitive pulling pattern that many find comfortable for their anatomical structure. This adjustment can significantly reduce stress on the lower back while still effectively engaging the target muscle groups. For strength development, the dumbbell deadlift delivers impressive results despite typically using less total weight than barbell variations. The independent nature of dumbbells introduces an element of stabilization that increases neuromuscular demands, potentially leading to greater overall strength gains when programmed correctly. Many serious lifters incorporate this movement as an accessory to complement their heavier conventional deadlifts or as a primary movement during deload phases. The exercise seamlessly bridges the gap between functional fitness and aesthetic development. From a bodybuilding perspective, the dumbbell deadlift creates tremendous tension through the hamstrings and glutes, stimulating muscle growth in areas that contribute significantly to a balanced physique. The constant tension maintained throughout the movement, particularly at the top position, makes it excellent for developing the dense, powerful look sought by physique athletes. Whether your goals lean toward raw strength development or muscular hypertrophy, the dumbbell deadlift deserves a place in your training regimen. Its joint-friendly nature makes it sustainable for long-term progression while still delivering the hormonal response and muscle recruitment patterns that drive results. Consider implementing this exercise twice weekly within your program for optimal development of your posterior chain.

Strength
Bodybuilding
Powerlifting
Dumbbell
Dumbbell Glute Bridge

Dumbbell Glute Bridge

The Dumbbell Glute Bridge is a fantastic beginner-friendly exercise that primarily targets your glutes while also engaging your hamstrings. This accessible movement requires minimal equipment yet delivers maximum results for anyone looking to strengthen their posterior chain. This exercise serves multiple purposes in your fitness journey. For bodybuilders, it helps develop the aesthetic rounded shape of the glutes that's highly sought after on stage. During recovery phases, the controlled nature of the movement allows for blood flow to the area without excessive strain. As a warm-up exercise, it activates these powerful muscles before more demanding workouts, potentially reducing injury risk during heavier training. What makes the Dumbbell Glute Bridge particularly effective is how it isolates the glute muscles through a full range of motion while providing adjustable resistance. By placing a dumbbell across your hips, you can progressively overload the muscles as they adapt and grow stronger. The exercise creates significant time under tension in the fully contracted position, which research suggests is optimal for muscle development. The beauty of this movement lies in its versatility. You can perform it anywhere with minimal space requirements—at home, in a hotel room, or at the gym. For beginners, it offers a safe way to develop foundational strength in the posterior chain, which translates to improved performance in compound movements like squats and deadlifts. Regular incorporation of Dumbbell Glute Bridges into your routine can address common muscular imbalances caused by prolonged sitting, potentially alleviating lower back discomfort and improving posture. The exercise also engages your core stabilizers as they work to maintain proper pelvic positioning throughout the movement. For optimal results, focus on the mind-muscle connection rather than simply moving weight. The sensation of your glutes powering the movement is far more important than the amount of resistance used, especially when first mastering this effective strength-building exercise.

Strength
Bodybuilding
Recovery
+1
Dumbbell
Worlds Greatest Stretch

Worlds Greatest Stretch

The World's Greatest Stretch has earned its ambitious name for good reason - it's a comprehensive dynamic movement that targets multiple muscle groups and joint systems simultaneously. This beginner-friendly sequence efficiently addresses tight hip flexors, hamstrings, quads, and glutes in one fluid motion, making it perfect for both warm-up routines and post-workout recovery sessions. What makes this stretch truly exceptional is how it combines stretching and mobility work into a single integrated movement pattern. As you flow through the positions, your body experiences a balance of passive lengthening and active engagement, allowing you to improve flexibility while maintaining stability. The hip flexors - often shortened from prolonged sitting - receive particular attention, helping counteract the postural challenges of our modern lifestyle. Fitness professionals regularly incorporate this versatility champion into training programs because it prepares the body for activity by increasing blood flow to major muscle groups while simultaneously improving range of motion. The hamstrings and quads, which function as opposing muscle pairs, benefit from the alternating tension and release, promoting better muscular balance around the knee joint. Meanwhile, the glutes - our body's power center - are activated and lengthened, enhancing their function for subsequent exercises. Beyond its physical benefits, the World's Greatest Stretch serves as a useful assessment tool, revealing potential mobility restrictions or imbalances between sides. Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts report that regular practice improves their performance in everything from squats to running by creating more efficient movement patterns and reducing compensations. Whether used during a dedicated stretching session or as part of a dynamic warm-up, this movement delivers exceptional value for the time invested. Its accessibility to beginners coupled with the capacity for advanced modifications makes it truly versatile for all fitness levels, living up to its somewhat boastful but well-deserved title as one of the most efficient stretching sequences available.

Stretching
Mobility
Warm-up
Recovery
Bodyweight exercises
Foam Roller Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) Release

Foam Roller Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) Release

The Foam Roller Tensor Fasciae Latae Release is an effective way to relieve tension in the front and outer part of your hips. This small but important muscle, the tensor fasciae latae, works alongside the hip flexors and the iliotibial (IT) band to stabilize your pelvis during movement. Because it’s active in almost every lower-body exercise and even while walking or sitting, it often becomes overworked and tight. Using a foam roller helps reduce this tension, improving hip mobility and comfort during squats, running, or daily activities.When used before training, this release prepares your hips for movement by increasing blood flow and reducing stiffness in the connective tissue around the TFL and IT band. After workouts, it helps accelerate recovery by easing muscle tightness and improving circulation in the hip region. Regularly including this technique in your mobility routine can help prevent imbalances and reduce discomfort around the hips and knees.The strength of this mobility exercise lies in its simplicity. By targeting the tensor fasciae latae directly, you’re not only improving local flexibility but also promoting better movement patterns through the entire hip complex. Releasing tension in this area often eases strain on neighboring muscles such as the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, leading to smoother, more efficient movement.Whether you’re new to foam rolling or experienced with recovery tools, the Foam Roller Tensor Fasciae Latae Release is easy to learn and self-regulated — you control the pressure and range. A few minutes of consistent practice can lead to noticeably freer hips, improved posture, and a lower risk of overuse injuries, proving that small, targeted recovery habits can make a big difference in overall performance.

Stretching
Mobility
Recovery
Cool-down
+1
Foam roller