Strong, shapely hamstrings are not only attractive, they are also functional as these muscles play a vital role in hip extension and knee flexion, which are movements that produce power during training and activities like running.
However, for numerous reasons, they are often a neglected muscle group. Sometimes it’s not from a lack of trying, but rather a lack of knowledge with regard to how the hammies function, and insufficient knowledge of suitable exercises or a lack of equipment to target and load them sufficiently.
These factors all merely add to the imbalances created in a quadricep-dominant world, where most movements in daily life rely on our quads, and most leg exercises load the front of our legs to degrees far in excess of what we can achieve on hammie-focused exercises or equipment.
While leg strength imbalances are a major issue, as they can affect other areas of the body and increase the risk of injury, most physique athletes are more concerned with the quad-hammie and glute-hammie tie-ins.
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Hamstring facts
The hamstrings comprise three main muscles:
- Semitendinosus
- Semimembranosus
- Biceps femoris
These muscles run down the back of your thigh, originating in your pelvis and it inserts at your lower leg (the tibia and fibula).
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Finding balance
It is generally recommended that the strength ratio between your quads and hamstrings should be roughly 0.66 – your hamstrings should be able to lift (concentric phase) a weight that is at least 66% of that lifted by your quadriceps.
As an example, if you can lift 60kg on the leg extension, then your seated leg curl should be 40kg.
To effectively target your hamstrings, whether it’s to develop them aesthetically, increase their strength, prevent injury or correct imbalances, there are five key elements to include in your next training session:
1. Focus on their primary function
Play to the strengths of your hammies by including more hip extension movements that target these muscles in your programme.
These exercises include:
- Romanian deadlifts
- Good mornings
- Stiff legged deadlifts
- Standing cable hip extensions
2. Get technical
All the Olympic weightlifting pull movements, such as snatch pulls and clean pulls, are great tools to develop the hamstrings, but are seldom used by physique athletes due to their technical nature (and the associated risk of injury).
However, working to perfect your technique and then adding greater weight in a progressive manner will ensure you give your hammies a good workout, while also strengthening them.
This means you’ll be able to lift more during your other hamstring-focused exercises, which develops better hammies.
3. Curls won’t cut it
Relying solely on seated, lying or standing leg curls to target your hammies is a recipe for disaster.
While it is the dominant knee flexion exercise in most programmes, it’s not the best option in this regard. It also won’t deliver the gains you’re looking for when used in isolation.
The glute-hammie raise (performed on a hyperextension bench or off the floor with someone holding your feet), for example, is a much better option as your primary knee flexion hammie exercise.
4. Hit them individually
Unilateral exercises are better options as they target one leg at a time. When unilateral exercises are used for both hip extension and knee flexion, they isolate the hammies better, and also develop greater strength, which is symmetrical on both sides.
This corrects any strength imbalances and ensures that your dominant side does not overpower the weaker side, therefore reducing the muscle-building impact of the exercise when you perform bilateral exercises.
5. Focus on the eccentric phase
Hamstrings are often referred to as our “stopping’ muscles, as they play an important role in decelerating the body when running.
Accordingly, focusing on the eccentric portion of your knee flexion movements works your hammies in the way they were designed to function.
This will help to strengthen them, which effectively means you’ll eventually be able to lift more, build shapelier hamstring muscles in the process.
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
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