3 Reasons to Strengthen Your Hamstrings

What Are They & What Do They Do? 

The hamstrings are 4 muscles (the biceps femoris long head, biceps femoris short head,  semitendinosus, & semimembranosus) in the back of the thigh

These 4 muscles are responsible for flexing/bending the knee, extending/straightening the hip, & stabilizing both the knee & the pelvis during movement.​
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Why Are Strong Hamstrings Important?

1) Injury Prevention 

As mentioned, the hamstrings are important joint stabilisers & ensure alignment of the hips. Weak hammies increases injury risk - of both the hammies themselves & of other structures & musculature

2) Sports Performance 

The hamstrings are crucial for sports performance. They push your body forward as you run by extending your hips & are also critical for deceleration & change of direction. If you run or play a sport that demands these things from you, strong hammies are non-negotiable!

3) Everyday Life 

Whether it’s getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, or bending down to pick something up from the floor, strong hamstrings make it a lot easier to perform every day tasks without dramas.

How Do You Strengthen Your Hamstrings?

There's no shortage of resistance training exercises that you can use to build the size & strength of your hammies.

​Your hamstrings will be called upon during movements such as squats, lunges, & leg presses, but if you wanted to target them a little more specifically, I'd recommend choosing some of the following exercises:

- RDL's 
- 45 Degree Hip Extension 
- Hip Thrusts
- Seated Leg Curl Machine
- Lying Leg Curl machine
- Foam roller leg curls 
- Nordic hamstring curls

To maximise hamstring strength, it's important to train the muscles at both lengthened & shortened ranges. Therefore when it comes to your training program, I'd suggest including exercises that challenge the hamstrings in both positions (e.g. RDL's for a lengthened range challenge, & lying leg curls for a shortened range challenge).