A comment by FGN, on the recent Cardio and Calisthenics post asked:

Daniel, How do you strengthen your hamstrings properly? I like the routine but I think i’m neglecting my hamstrings.

Instead of replying in a comment I will discuss this issue in this post. Sometimes an answer to a question requires more than a few sentences in the comments section, and this is one of those questions.

What are the hamstring muscles?

The hamstring muscles are a group of muscles located at the posterior (back) of the thigh. They comprise of 4 muscles as labelled on the diagram.

1. Biceps femoris - long head
2. Biceps femoris - short head
3. Semitendinosous
4. Semimembranosus

The hamstring group of muscles are responsible primarily for flexing (bending) the leg at the knee and extend the hip (pull the thigh backwards).

Secondary actions include medial rotation(in towards the midline of the body) of the leg at the knee joint.

Uses of the actions includes the slowing down of the leg at the end of its swing during walking, running, and kicking movements. The hamstring muscles are therefore susceptible to injury as they are required to resist the momentum of these body parts.

The hamstring muscles are often neglected when strength training and also in everyday life. Everyday actions like bending down to pick something up, when performed correctly with a knee bend, are often performed by flexing the trunk forward. Also, the nature of a vast amount of modern occupations require us to be sat in a chair at the desk compared to the jobs of yesteryear that were arduous and labour intensive, requiring knee flexion on a regular basis.

So, going back to the question by FGN…You probably are neglecting your hamstring muscles more than you admit to and without actually realising it.

How to resolve this

Start with improving the flexibility of this muscle group. Muscular strength is largely dependent on muscular flexibility because of the forceful effort required to improve strength. With sound flexibility your tendons and ligaments will be able to manage the large forces experienced during strength training. Consider reading the post on the components of fitness for an in depth review of how different components interact to improve fitness as a whole.

Hamstring flexibility

• Lie on your back with one knee bent, foot on the floor. Bring the other leg towards the chest, bend at the knee if flexibility is particularly poor.
• Head and shoulders should remain flat to the floor and relaxed. Inhale, then exhale and gently stretch the leg upwards and outwards from the hip joint, and then towards the centre of the chest.
• Try to increase the range of movement with each exhalation by bringing the knee closer to the chest, and straighten the knee joint.
• To stretch the medial aspect of the hamstring muscles stretch the leg upwards and outwards of the hip joint, and then towards the shoulder of the leg being stretched.
• Swap sides by inhaling, then move the leg towards the opposite shoulder as you exhale. This will work the lateral aspect of the hamstring muscles.

Initially, begin the stretch with a flexed knee (slight bend), as your flexibility improves you will be able to perform this action with an extended knee joint (straight leg).

Once you have a reasonable range of movement in terms of knee flexion and hip extension you can safely begin to strength train the hamstring muscles.

Hamstring Muscles Exercises

Lumbar hip extension/flexion

• Place your hand on the floor shoulder width apart
• Flex your at the knee joint of both legs so that your are on your knees.
• Inhale, bring the knee (flex) of one leg towards your chest, hold for 1 second
• Extend the knee until the leg is outstretched fully, exhale as you do
• Repeat

Squats

• The squat begins by positioning your feet shoulder width apart with the toes pointing outwards slightly.
• Inhale a breath, slightly arch the back and begin to lower the body by bending at the hips first and then the knees.
• Keep the head up and your upper body erect, lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor exhaling as you do.
• At the bottom of the exercise hold for 1 second, then begin to rise. Push through your feet and use the muscles of the quadriceps for power. When you return to the starting position exhale.

Isometric knee flexion

Isometric exercises are useful for improving muscular strength, and hypertrophy (muscle size).

• Take a seated position on the floor with hands slightly behind your torso
• Raise one leg, and flex the knee with a less than 90 degree angle
• With force, push the heel of the foot down towards the floor until you feel a reasonable resistance
• Breath continuously throughout
• Hold each exercise for 20 seconds, repeat 2-3 times, and change legs.

These exercises will help to improve the hamstring muscle group strength with regular practise. It is important to consider the opposing muscle group that are the quadriceps. The two muscle groups should have a strength relationship ratio that is close to 1:1. Most people will have considerably stronger quadriceps for the reasons mentioned earlier.