The best hamstring exercises for a powerful lower body

Your hamstrings may not always steal the spotlight, but they’re just as important as your quads and calves.

With strong hamstrings, you’ll notice the difference everyday, everywhere – powering through workouts, moving with ease and protecting your knees and lower back from injuries.

What muscles make up your hamstrings?

Your hamstrings are comprised of a powerful trio of muscles running down the back of your thigh. These include the biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus (say those three times fast).

These muscles connect your pelvis to just below your knee, driving hip extension and knee flexion – essential for standing up, walking and just about every athletic movement you can think of. Other than generating power for lifts, your hamstrings are also responsible for stabilizing your entire lower body.

And if that’s not enough to convince you to strengthen them, hamstring injuries are common at every fitness level – which is why targeted training is so important.

4 benefits of stronger hamstrings

You’ll want to keep your hamstrings in tip-top shape at all times – here’s why.

1. Balanced leg strength
Being quad-dominant is fairly common – meaning that your hamstrings are generally less developed than your quads. This can bring feelings of tightness behind your thighs or discomfort in your knees in everyday movements.

Targeted hamstring training helps even out your lower body strength imbalances and reduces overcompensation from other leg muscles, leading to better stability, stronger lifts and pain-free movement.

2. Injury prevention
Your hamstrings act like built-in shock absorbers, protecting your knees and reducing strain on your lower body – especially if you play sports with quick stops and starts like soccer or tennis.

Without strong hamstrings, particularly eccentric strength (which controls movement as the muscle lengthens), you’re putting yourself at a higher risk for injuries.

3. More power and speed
Stronger hamstrings mean stronger movement – both in sport and in the gym. Well-developed hamstrings help you generate explosive power, control your leg extension and move with more agility.

4. Better everyday movement
Even if you’re not training for the Olympic Games, strong hamstrings help keep stiffness and aches in check. They support posture, reduce lower-back strain and make daily movement feel smoother – from standing up with ease to walking longer without discomfort.

Now that you know why strong hamstrings matter, let’s get down to the business of building them.

5 exercises for stronger hamstrings

These five powerhouse moves will strengthen and stabilize your hamstrings, helping you move with more power and control.

1. Leg curl
This exercise purely isolates the hamstrings, making it one of the best moves for maximum muscle activation and building lower-body strength. You can perform leg curls standing or lying down, depending on the equipment available to you.

How to do it (multi-gym version):

1. Position yourself so your left calf rests on the leg curl/leg extension cushion.

2. Activate your hamstring and curl your left leg up towards your glute. Stop when your shin is parallel to the ground.

3. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat, then swap legs.

2. Barbell stiff-leg deadlift
The stiff-leg deadlift is a powerful move for building both lower body and lower back strength. That being said, make sure you’re lifting with correct form and extend time under tension – you’re looking to feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings and your entire posterior chain.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with your toes pointing forward or slightly outward.

2. Position yourself so that the barbell is nearly touching your shins. It should be around your mid-foot.

3. Bend your knees and grip the barbell with both hands, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with an overhand grip (palms facing you).

4. While maintaining a straight back, engage your hamstrings and hinge at the hips as you lift the barbell up. Keep your chest up, shoulders back and spine neutral – avoid rounding your back.

5. Slowly reverse the motion by moving your hips back while keeping your legs straight. Once the bar is past your knees, bend your legs while you lower the barbell to the floor.

3. Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Commonly abbreviated as RDL, this move involves more hamstring engagement as compared to the regular deadlift. By starting in a standing position and increasing time under tension, your hamstrings will be working overtime to both lift the dumbbells and stabilize your body.

How to do it:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing you).

2. Keeping your arms and back straight, hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells along your shins.

3. Aim to go as low as you can while keeping your back straight – you should feel your hamstrings fully engaged during this movement.

4. Slowly reverse the motion and repeat.

4. Dumbbell elevated glute bridge
This move targets the glutes with a powerful emphasis on the hamstrings. The added elevation amps up hamstring activation, taking the regular glute bridge to the next level for even more muscle engagement.

How to do it:

1. Start lying on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand. Rest the dumbbells on your hips.

2. Raise your legs onto a physio ball or chair, resting your heels on the surface.

3. Push up with your glutes, aiming to align your core with your legs.

4. Once you reach the top, pause briefly before returning to the starting position, then repeat.

5. Physio ball hamstring curl
This exercise requires constant core activation and engages the hamstrings throughout the entirety of the movement. We’re warning you – it’s harder than it looks!

How to do it:

1. Start by lying on the floor with your legs straight.

2. Raise your legs to rest your heels on the physio ball – your lower body should be straight and off the ground. This will be your starting position.

3. With constant pressure on the ball (so it doesn’t slip away), activate your core and bring your knees towards your chest in a reverse crunch motion. Your lower body should be off the ground throughout the entire movement.

4. Once your thighs form an L-shape with your torso, reverse the motion by pushing the ball back to the starting position with your feet, then repeat.

4 tips to prevent common hamstring injuries

Hamstring injuries can occur when the muscles are overloaded or overstretched – a typical example being sudden sprints or rapid directional changes during sports. Keep those injuries at bay with these pointers:

1. Incorporate dynamic warm-ups: Before any intense activity, warm up your hamstrings with leg swings and hip openers – save deeper static stretches for after your workout
2. Stretch regularly: Incorporate a mix of standing and seated hamstring stretches a few times a week – especially if you spend a lot of time sitting.
3. Balance your workouts: Doing leg curls alone won’t cut it. Combine your hamstring exercises with glute and core training to create a stable, resilient posterior chain.
4. Listen to your body: If your hamstrings or legs feel spent, don’t push it with another training session – opt for rest and recovery instead.

Building hamstring exercises into your routine

You don’t need a total overhaul of your workout plan to strengthen your hammies – you just need a few tweaks. Here’s how:

• Mix it into leg days: If you’re not doing those exercises above, you’re missing out. Remember to add leg curls and Romanian deadlifts into your lower body sessions to minimize any strength imbalances.
• Have a dedicated posterior chain day: Apart from developing stronger hamstrings, having a specific posterior chain session will help you build explosiveness and power. Try exercises like dumbbell good mornings, Bulgarian split squats and kettlebell swings to keep things interesting.
• Incorporate unilateral movements: Most of the exercises above can be performed with one leg – this ensures each side gets equal work and addresses any strength imbalances between legs.

Your hamstring exercises FAQ

How can I tell if my hamstrings are weak?
Weak hamstrings might show up as persistent tightness or discomfort at the back of your thighs during everyday movements – for example, bending over or standing up.

If your quads are doing most of the work during squats or you feel extra strain in your lower back, it might be time to give your hamstrings some extra attention. Incorporating targeted exercises and noticing how your muscles respond is the best way to gauge their strength.

How often should I train my hamstrings?
While consistency is key, training the same muscle group daily can lead to overuse and injuries.

For most people, two to three lower body workouts per week (including hamstring exercises) strike the perfect balance. On rest or active recovery days, opt for lighter activities like stretching, foam rolling or gentle cardio to keep the muscles active without overloading them. Remember – recovery is just as important as the workout.

Does walking help with hamstring pain?
Walking promotes blood circulation and can be a great remedy for mild hamstring discomfort – especially if you pair it with targeted stretches. However, if you’re experiencing sharp pain or suspect a more serious injury, it’s best to ease off and consult a professional.

How can I fix weak hamstrings?
There isn’t a quick fix for weak hamstrings, but it’s never too late to start training. Mix the moves above into your lower body routine twice a week, focusing on quality reps over quantity, and add weight as your hamstrings get stronger.

Prefer working out from home instead? Add these 7 essential moves to your next leg day workout.

By incorporating these targeted moves and strategies into your routine, you’ll boost lower-body power, cut down injury risks and make everyday movements feel smoother. Strengthening your hamstrings is all about balance – give them the attention they deserve, and you’ll notice the difference in every step you take.