If you’ve ever tried to touch your toes, you’ve probably felt your hamstrings. The hamstring muscles — three in total — run along the back of your leg from your hip to your knee. 

Together, the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus make it possible for us to walk, run, climb stairs, and squat, among other things. 

Unfortunately, the hamstring muscles are one of the most injured muscle groups. It’s really easy to end up with a strained hamstring (sometimes called a pulled hamstring). A hamstring injury — whether mild or serious — can cause some serious setbacks both in fitness and daily life. 

Strong hamstrings mean you are less likely to be injured and can also set you up for fitness success. In fact, hamstrings play an important role in your lower body and building up the muscle in your hamstrings prevents you from overcompensating with other muscles. Often one of the root causes of knee injuries is weak hammies. 

Strengthened hamstrings also increase overall stability, as well as make your legs more powerful. This means you will be able to run and jump even faster.

Incorporating hamstring strength exercises into your workout routine is a must. If you already have a strength or resistance training focus, adding in a few of the best exercises to strengthen your hamstrings will make a huge difference. If you don’t already prioritize weightlifting, choosing one or two exercises to do a few times a week will help you build strength. 

Runners and cyclists, in particular, will see huge performance gains when they strengthen their hamstrings because the three hamstring muscles provide the power for both explosive and sustained movements. 

Our Favorite Hamstring Exercises 

The exercises below are some of our favorites for strengthening hamstrings. Mix-and-match as you see fit and choose what works best with your current training plan. 

Be sure to follow any necessary safety precautions when doing these exercises. 

Deadlift 

You can’t go wrong with a deadlift! This classic exercise really dials in on not just your hamstrings, but also your gluteal muscles. When you do a deadlift, you will definitely feel the burn. 

Deadlifts are traditionally done with a barbell. To start, stand so the barbell sits over the middle of your foot. Widen your feet so they align with your shoulders. Squat down and grab the bar. With legs bent, pull back your shoulders and engage through your core. Then, begin lifting through your legs, keeping your arms straight as you rise. Continue until you are standing up straight and then lower with control. 

With this exercise, it’s important that you refrain from using your back muscles. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of lifting with your back, but doing so is a recipe for injury. 

Leg Curls

Leg curls are a great option if you have access to weight machines, because they directly target your hamstrings. Most gyms have two different leg curl machines: seated leg curls and lying leg curls. While both machines work your hamstrings, seated leg curls are typically considered easier than their lying counterparts. 

Once you decide which kind of leg curl you want to do, set the machine to your height and choose your weight. We usually recommend three sets of ten reps. 

Don’t have access to a gym? No problem. You can do a similar exercise with a simple resistance band and get the same benefits. To do this with a resistance band, stand with both legs inside of the band. Then, step on the band to hold it down with your left heel, keeping the band looped around your right ankle. Kick your right leg back as if trying to touch your heel to your butt. Lower with control. This is one rep. Repeat for three sets of ten on each side.  

Kettlebell Swings 

Kettlebell swings are a popular exercise because they are effective at working a variety of muscles, the hamstrings included. To do a kettlebell swing, all you need is a kettlebell and a place to exercise. 

Start by placing a kettlebell about one foot in front of you. Then place your feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Keeping your core engaged, hinge at the hips and grab onto the kettlebell with both hands. Now you will want to swing the kettlebell between your legs, going behind you. Next, you are going to activate your hamstrings and glutes to get enough power to swing forward and stand up straight with an activated core. Then, like a pendulum, swing back so the kettlebell is between your legs. Repeat this for three sets of 10 reps. 

Track Your Progress With ZOZOFIT 

As you work on strengthening your hamstrings, be sure to track your fitness progress by using the ZOZOFIT app. Not only can you scan your entire body in less than two minutes with your smartphone, but you can also view other metrics and data which will help you make more informed decisions about your workouts.