10 Best Hamstring Exercises

In today’s fitness world, the best hamstring exercises are essential for strengthening the back of your thighs, boosting athletic performance, and protecting you from common injuries. If you’ve experienced sore hamstrings after running or tightness during everyday activities, you know how vital these muscles are. Research shows that hamstring-focused strengthening can also improve your flexibility as effectively as traditional stretching (PMC: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8067745/). In other words, you don’t need to rely solely on static stretches. By carefully choosing the right exercises, you can build stronger, more flexible hamstrings and keep them resilient for years to come.

In this post, you’ll explore why hamstring strength matters, how to design a safe training approach, and which exercises rank among the top for targeting this powerful muscle group. By the end, you’ll have the tools you need to build an effective routine, reduce injury risk, and stay confident in your workouts.

Recognize hamstring importance

Your hamstrings are a collection of muscles at the back of your upper legs, including the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the two heads of the biceps femoris. These muscles allow you to bend your knees and extend your hips, making them a key force behind running, jumping, and squatting. They also stabilize your pelvis and spine whenever you lift or hinge from the hip. Because of their integral role in movement, hamstrings are among the most frequently strained muscles in sports that involve sprinting or kicking. Properly strengthening them helps limit the chances you’ll face setbacks from overstretching, tears, or repetitive stress.

Interestingly, in addition to building strength, hamstring-focused training can increase your range of motion (ROM). One systematic review and meta-analysis of multiple randomized controlled trials revealed no significant difference in ROM improvements when comparing strength training to stretching (PMC: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8067745/). This indicates that, when performed correctly, hamstring exercises can improve flexibility while also boosting strength and endurance. For competitive athletes or anyone who wants to stay active, such dual benefits are especially valuable.

Another reason to emphasize hamstring work is to prevent injuries from recurring. A 2024 review out of Australia explains that hamstring injuries have one of the highest re-injury rates, with approximately 50% of these injuries recurring within the first 25 days after returning to sport (Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy: https://sportandspinalphysio.com.au/hamstring-injuries-the-best-hamstrings-strength-exercises-to-prevent-injury/). By strengthening these muscles through exercises that target eccentric contractions—lowering or lengthening under tension—you can help make them more durable while lowering the risk of future strains.

Build a safe training plan

Before you jump into exercises, having a reliable plan shields you from overuse strains and ensures you continue progressing. As you put together your routine, keep these factors in mind:

1. Warm up with dynamic stretches
   Jumping right into heavy lifting or intense hamstring work without warming up can make you more susceptible to injury. According to guidance from Advanced Physical Therapy in April 2024, dynamic movements like leg swings, air squats, and butt kicks before exercise can get blood moving to the hamstrings and loosen them up without reducing strength (Advanced Physical Therapy: https://www.advancedptsm.com/blog/2024/4/23/should-i-be-stretching-or-strengthening).
2. Save static stretches for post-workout
   Prolonged static stretching before activity can diminish your maximal strength (Advanced Physical Therapy). Instead, consider doing those 30-second or longer holds after your main session, when your muscles are warm. This timing helps preserve muscular power and can further reduce tension in your hamstrings.
3. Incorporate eccentric training
   If you want to cut your risk of hamstring injuries, prioritize eccentric exercises, which emphasize lowering or lengthening under resistance. Nordic hamstring curls—where you slowly lower your torso from a kneeling position—are a prime example, identified as extremely effective for protecting against muscle tears (Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy: https://sportandspinalphysio.com.au/hamstring-injuries-the-best-hamstrings-strength-exercises-to-prevent-injury/).
4. Choose proper volume and frequency
   According to a 2024 training recommendation, performing up to 10 total sets per workout, spread across different hamstring exercises, can help balance muscle growth, endurance, and strength gains (Iron Bull Strength: https://ironbullstrength.com/blogs/training/banded-hamstring-exercises). Similarly, a Healthline article notes that putting in about 10 to 16 sets of hamstring exercises each week may reduce the risk of injury by around 49%, demonstrating how consistent training can pay off (Healthline: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/hamstring-exercises-bodyweight).
5. Rest and recover
   Hamstrings can take time to bounce back, especially after eccentric-focused sessions. Allow at least 48 hours of rest between intense hamstring workouts so your muscles can repair and adapt. This lowers your chance of overuse injuries and might improve your performance in the long run.
6. Monitor pain or lingering tightness
   If you’re still feeling discomfort, it might be a sign of deeper weaknesses or micro-injuries. Persistent hamstring pain may require you to slow down and consider a progressive strengthening approach rather than simply stretching, or you could consult a trusted physical therapist (Advanced Physical Therapy).

Explore the 10 best exercises

Once you’ve locked in a safe training environment, it’s time to tackle exercises that truly target and develop your hamstrings. The following ten exercises are praised by researchers, trainers, and physical therapists for building strength, boosting flexibility, and defending against injury. Each also encourages proper hip hinging and knee flexion to fully engage your hamstrings. When you combine several of these moves in your workouts, you maximize your results.

1. Romanian deadlifts

Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) emphasize a hip-hinge pattern that deeply challenges the hamstrings along with the glutes. They differ from conventional deadlifts in that you start standing, keep a softer knee angle, and lower the bar only until it’s around knee or mid-shin height, allowing a stronger focus on hamstring stretch.

• How to do it:

1. Stand upright with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs.
2. Slightly bend your knees and hinge from your hips, keeping your back straight.
3. Lower the weight until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
4. Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.

• Why it works: RDLs build both strength and flexibility. The controlled lowering phase (eccentric) fosters better muscle fiber recruitment for hamstring growth and resilience.

2. Nordic hamstring curls

Considered the gold standard for eccentric hamstring work, Nordic curls often appear in athletic programs aimed at reducing injury rates. In a standard setup, your feet are anchored, and you slowly lower your upper body from a kneel while your hamstrings fight gravity’s pull.

• How to do it:

1. Kneel on a soft pad or mat. Secure your heels under a stable surface or have a partner hold them.
2. Keep your torso straight from knees to shoulders.
3. Slowly lean forward by extending your knees, resisting gravity as long as possible.
4. Once you can’t resist further, lightly catch yourself with your hands. Push back up if needed.

• Why it works: Studies confirm eccentric movements have a powerful role in hamstring injury prevention (Sport & Spinal Physiotherapy). The Nordic curl zeroes in on knee flexion strength, exactly where many strains occur.

3. Good mornings

This hip-hinge exercise targets not only the hamstrings but also the lower back. The movement is similar to RDLs, though the barbell or weighted position sits on your upper back, requiring careful posture and controlled motion.

• How to do it:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and place a barbell across your trapezius area.
2. Keep a slight bend in your knees and hinge from the hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the ground.
3. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to slowly raise your torso back up.

• Why it works: Good mornings train your hamstrings through a wide range of motion while also strengthening the spinal erectors, supporting overall posture.

4. Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell swings are a dynamic exercise that blend cardiovascular intensity with posterior chain strengthening. When done correctly, they hammer your hamstrings and glutes through powerful hip extension.

• How to do it:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, kettlebell between your legs.
2. Hinge by bending at the hips, then use your glutes and hamstrings to explosively swing the kettlebell forward to about chest height.
3. Guide it back down, hinging at the hips again, and maintain control without excessive rounding of the back.

• Why it works: Research from Gymshark cites kettlebell swings as one of the best all-around moves for hamstring activation (Gymshark: https://www.gymshark.com/blog/article/best-hamstring-exercises). They also help boost power and metabolic conditioning.

5. Glute-ham raises

Performed on a specialized piece of equipment (the GHD machine), glute-ham raises isolate your hamstrings and lower back with a precise motion. Starting with hips free to bend, you flex your knees to raise your torso into alignment with your thighs.

• How to do it:

1. Secure your feet against the plate or rollers on a Glute-Ham Developer machine.
2. Begin with your body extended, hips bent, and torso angled down.
3. Engage your hamstrings to lift your upper body so your torso lines up with your thighs, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.
4. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.

• Why it works: GHD exercises focus heavily on hip and knee extension under load, meaning your hamstrings get serious time under tension. They’re recommended for both strength and hypertrophy goals (TrainHeroic: https://www.trainheroic.com/blog/best-hamstring-exercises/).

6. Single-leg RDL

The single-leg Romanian deadlift offers all the benefits of a standard RDL but doubles as a balance and stability challenge. You’ll feel your hamstrings working hard to keep your hips aligned throughout the move.

• How to do it:

1. Stand on one leg, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand (or both hands if you prefer).
2. Slightly bend your standing knee and hinge at your hips, letting your free leg extend behind you.
3. Maintain a neutral spine as you lower the weight toward the floor.
4. Drive your hips forward to return upright, staying stable through your standing heel.

• Why it works: By isolating each leg, you can correct muscle imbalances and shore up weaknesses. This unilateral approach is also beneficial for sports performance and injury prevention.

7. Seated or lying leg curls

Seated leg curl and prone (lying) leg curl machines offer classic, isolated knee flexion that can help you focus on your hamstrings without engaging many other muscles. By adjusting the pad placement and controlling the tempo, you’ll feel a strong burn in the back of your thighs.

• How to do it:
• Seated: Sit with your knees aligned with the pivot point of the machine, ankles secured under the pad. Flex your knees and bring your ankles backward.
• Lying: Lie face-down, align your knees with the pivot, and curl your ankles toward your glutes while keeping hips pressed down.
• Why it works: These machine-based curls isolate specific hamstring muscles—prone curls emphasize the biceps femoris, while seated curls often target the semitendinosus (Gymshark: https://www.gymshark.com/blog/article/best-hamstring-exercises). They can be an excellent option for beginners and those in rehab.

8. Bulgarian split squats

Traditional split squats already activate your hamstrings and glutes, but elevating the rear foot intensifies the challenge to your posterior chain. Though they primarily target the quads, Bulgarian split squats also involve a powerful hamstring extension cycle.

• How to do it:

1. Stand a few feet in front of a bench or step, place your back foot on the bench, top of the foot down.
2. Keep your torso upright and lower your body by bending the front knee.
3. Push through the heel of your front foot to come back up.

• Why it works: This unilateral exercise trains balance, leg strength, and stability. While you’ll feel it in your quads, the hamstrings help with hip extension and controlling the descent.

9. Hip thrusts with emphasis

Hip thrusts are commonly known for boosting glute strength, yet by positioning your feet further from your torso or using a longer lever, you shift more tension to the hamstrings. The motion of driving your hips upward challenges the entire posterior chain.

• How to do it:

1. Sit on the ground with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, and feet planted slightly in front of your knees.
2. Place a barbell or weighted pad across your hips if desired.
3. Squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to lift your hips until they’re in line with your shoulders and knees.
4. Lower back down under control.

• Why it works: With a modified foot placement, you’ll recruit your hamstrings more aggressively. If your feet are far enough forward, the knee flexion demand swings to the back of your thighs (TrainHeroic).

10. Band exercises for hamstrings

Resistance bands allow you to reap constant tension on your hamstrings without bulky machines. Move variations like banded lying curls, seated curls, or Romanian deadlifts replicate the same patterns while offering a more travel-friendly training setup.

• How to do it:
• Banded lying curls: Loop a band around a stable anchor, lie prone, and slip the other end around your ankles. Curl your feet toward your glutes.
• Band RDLs: Stand on the band, hinge at the hips while holding the band ends in your hands, then stand back upright using your hamstrings.
• Why it works: Bands deliver progressive overload with a growing challenge as you stretch them, fueling more hamstring activation. According to Iron Bull Strength, band training effectively builds strength and endurance while being easy to pack or store (Iron Bull Strength: https://ironbullstrength.com/blogs/training/banded-hamstring-exercises).

Design your weekly schedule

You now have a range of exercises—some emphasize eccentric lengthening, others target knee flexion, and a few deliver both. Deciding how to slot them into your routine depends on your current fitness goals, available equipment, and experience level. Here are some guidelines:

• Pick two or three moves per session
  If you try to do all 10 in one workout, your hamstrings might be overwhelmed. Instead, choose two or three that best align with your targets. One approach might be pairing a compound lift like RDLs or deadlifts with an isolation move like lying leg curls.
• Perform 10–16 sets a week
  This volume sweet spot—highlighted by Healthline—can reduce your risk of hamstring injury and spark solid growth. For example, you might do 3–4 sets of your chosen exercises twice per week, with each exercise hitting 8–15 reps. If you’re more advanced, you could build up to more.
• Split your days wisely
  If you like training legs twice a week, focus on heavier lifts (RDLs or good mornings) in one session, then choose more moderate exercises (band curls, single-leg RDLs) in the second session. Doing so keeps your hamstrings guessing and avoids repetitive strain.
• Include adequate rest
  Try to insert at least 48 hours between hamstring-focused sessions. This is long enough to let muscle fibers recover and short enough to maintain momentum in your training. If you’re new to these exercises, consider even more rest to prevent soreness or injury.
• Adapt for your sport
  If you’re a runner or soccer player, emphasize eccentric exercises like Nordic hamstring curls, as these can protect your muscles during sudden sprints. If you’re lifting competitively, heavy barbell work (such as Romanian deadlifts) can be a game-changer for maximum strength.

Conclusion and next steps

Plenty of factors—from your overall fitness background to the equipment you have around—will shape the way you integrate the best hamstring exercises into your program. Whatever your profile, you’ll want to ensure you’re covering both the hip-hinge and knee-flexion functions of your hamstrings, emphasizing controlled eccentric work, and allowing time for recovery. This comprehensive approach preserves your strength and shields you from annoying setbacks like strains or tears.

Your next move is simple: pick a few of the exercises above that match your goals and comfort level. Prioritize quality of movement, mindful progression, and consistent effort. If you ever suspect a deeper issue, consult a licensed physical therapist or sports medicine professional to receive individualized guidance. Otherwise, get ready to feel more powerful, more flexible, and more confident every time you move. Your hamstrings, and your overall performance, will thank you.