Hamstring Exercise Guide

Reviewed by Valerie Zeller Valerie Zeller Printable version

Hamstring is a bodyweight exercise that works your hamstrings.

Hamstring is a great easy move. When done correctly, it can effectively target your legs, lower body and upper legs.

It requires no equipment to do.

Hamstring Hamstring

How to do Hamstring

Exercise

Sit down on a chair, stretch one leg forward and place both hands on the bent knee of the opposite leg. Then lean forwards from the hips with a straight back until you feel a stretch down the back of the straight leg. Hold this position for the required duration then switch sides. Keep your breathing normal and back straight.

Tips

  • The biarticulate hamstring muscles [1, 3, 4 ] enter passive insufficiency through the completion of knee extension when the hips are more flexed or through the completion of hip flexion when the knees are more extended. The biarticulate hamstring muscles [1, 3, 4 ] enter active insufficiency through the completion of knee flexion when the hips are more extended (short head of biceps femoris [2 ] becomes more active) or through the completion of hip extension when the knees are more flexed (gluteus maximus becomes more active).

Muscles Worked

The muscles used for hamstring may change slightly based on the your trained range of motion and technique, but in the most general case, the muscles used for hamstring are:

Primary Muscles

  • Hamstrings

Synergyst Muscles

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Hamstring work?
Hamstring works hamstrings.
What is Hamstring good for?
Hamstring is beneficial for conditioning and to strengthen. It works the best for legs, lower body and upper legs, as it works hamstrings. Hamstring is a great bodyweight exercise for men, men over 50, women and women over 50.
Is Hamstring a good exercise?
Hamstring is a popular bodyweight exercise for hamstrings.

Training, Progressions and Regressions

Interested in how to improve your Hamstring faster?

Hamstring Training and Progressions

Standards and Averages

Wonder how do others perform in Hamstring and how should you?

Hamstring Standards and Averages

Alternatives

Wonder how to work the same muscles with other exercises?

Hamstring Alternatives

Variations

Wonder how to make Hamstring either easier or more challenging?

Hamstring Variations

Discover more

Classification

Type(s) Bodyweight, Calisthenic, Strength
Muscles Worked Biceps Femoris
Difficulty Level(s) Easy, Simple
Equipment No Equipment
Location At Gym, At Home, Outdoor

Muscles Worked

Target muscle(s) Hamstrings
Synergyst muscle(s)

Related exercises

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