Muscle group
The hamstrings on the back of the thigh have two jobs, bending the knee and extending the hip, so a complete hamstring routine includes both a curl and a hip hinge.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
The hamstrings are three muscles: the biceps femoris on the outside and the semitendinosus and semimembranosus on the inside. All cross both the hip and the knee (apart from the short head of the biceps femoris, which crosses only the knee). They bend the knee and pull the thigh back behind you.
02
Leg curls, lying or seated, train knee flexion; seated curls start with the hip bent, which places the hamstrings in a longer position. Romanian and stiff-legged deadlifts and good mornings train hip extension: push the hips back with a slight knee bend until you feel a stretch, keeping the back flat. Hinges can make the hamstrings very sore at first, so start light.
03
Pick one hinge (dumbbell or barbell Romanian deadlift) and one leg curl. Without machines, single-leg deadlifts and glute bridge variations are good bodyweight options.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Beginner isolation leg curl machine exercise for the hamstrings, also working the calves.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and shoulders.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings and lower back, also working the shoulders.
Beginner isolation leg curl machine exercise for the hamstrings, also working the calves.
Beginner compound bodyweight exercise for the hamstrings, quadriceps and abductors, also working the adductors, glutes and abs.
Intermediate compound barbell exercise for the hamstrings, also working the glutes, abs and calves.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, hamstrings and quadriceps, also working the calves, glutes and obliques.
Intermediate compound dumbbell exercise for the hamstrings, also working the glutes.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, adductors and abductors, also working the lower back.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, quadriceps and adductors, also working the abductors.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the hamstrings, obliques and quadriceps, also working the glutes, abs and adductors.
Intermediate compound dumbbell exercise for the hamstrings, also working the glutes.
Intermediate compound bodyweight exercise for the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps and adductors, also working the glutes and abs.
Free GymStreak calculators that go with hamstrings training.
Guides from the GymStreak blog on this topic.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
