Top Hamstring Workouts to Build Stronger Legs and Glutes

When you think about your leg workouts, do you include exercises that target your hamstrings? Or are you more focused on glute exercises? It’s a common scenario that many people tend to prioritize glute workouts over hamstring training. This isn’t surprising considering social media trends where hashtags for glutes workouts far outnumber those for hamstring workouts. But here’s something important to know: hamstrings make up about one-third of your entire lower body muscle mass.

Ignoring your hamstrings during leg days can hold back the full strength and power of your glutes as well as your entire leg. Your hamstrings are critical players in leg strength, speed, and overall lower-body function, so missing them means missing out on your true potential in performance and aesthetics.

Your hamstrings are actually made up of three muscles located at the back of your thighs, forming part of the posterior chain. These muscles are the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris. Each has its unique role, from helping with knee flexion to assisting hip extension—actions crucial for everyday movements as well as athletic performance.

What’s interesting is that all three muscles cross both your hip and knee joints, giving them two main functions: extending your hips when you do movements like glute bridges or good mornings, and bending your knees during exercises such as leg curls. Understanding this dual function helps explain why you need to include a variety of exercises that challenge both aspects.

Many folks assume squats are enough to strengthen hamstrings, but recent studies have shown that squats barely stimulate these muscles. On the other hand, leg curls, especially when done seated rather than lying down, are much more effective at targeting your hamstrings. If this is confusing you, don’t worry; we’re breaking down the best exercises so you can get it right.

To help you develop balanced and powerful legs, here are ten of the most effective hamstring exercises you should consider adding to your workouts. These exercises target both hip extension and knee flexion to ensure comprehensive hamstring strengthening.

1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells in front of your hips. Keep your back straight and chest lifted as you hinge at your hips, pushing them back like you’re closing a drawer behind you. Lower the dumbbells down close to your shins, feeling a deep stretch in the hamstrings, then squeeze your glutes to return to standing.

2. Lying Leg Curl: Lie face down on a leg curl machine, positioning the roller just above your heels. Grip the handles and curl your legs up by bending your knees until your ankles get close to your butt. Keep hips on the bench; hold briefly at the top before slowly returning to start.

3. Single-Leg Deadlift: Begin standing tall, balance on one leg with a slight knee bend, and hinge forward at the hips while extending the other leg straight back. Your body should form a straight line from head to raised foot. Use weights for added resistance as you lower the weights down and come back up. Switch sides and repeat.

4. Staggered-Stance Kettlebell Deadlift: Holding a kettlebell on one side, step the opposite foot behind the planted leg, possibly raising the heel. Bend hips and knees slightly as you lower your torso and the kettlebell toward the floor, then stand back up. Perform on both sides for balance.

5. Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift: Holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, keep a small bend in your knees and hinge at the hips, lowering the weights while feeling the hamstring stretch. Drive hips forward and squeeze glutes to return upright.

6. Glute Bridge: Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat hip-width apart. Engage your glutes and push through your heels to raise your hips towards the ceiling, pause, then slowly lower back down starting from your shoulders.

7. Banded Good Morning: Stand on a resistance band with feet hip-distance apart, band looped around your neck, and hold ends at shoulder height. Unlock knees slightly and hinge at your hips keeping your back neutral, then extend hips back to standing position.

8. Nordic Hamstring Curl: Kneel on a padded surface while a partner holds your lower legs or ankles. Slowly lean forward from the knees as far as possible while maintaining a straight body. Use your hamstrings to pull yourself back up, controlling the movement throughout.

9. Kettlebell Swing: Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, squat to pick up the kettlebell, and then thrust your hips forward to swing it up to shoulder height. Let the kettlebell swing down by hinging at the hips. This dynamic move recruits your hamstrings powerfully.

10. Reverse Lunge: Stand tall and take a step backward, lowering the rear leg until the knee nearly touches the floor and your front leg forms a 90-degree angle. Push through your front foot to return to standing, then switch legs.

You might wonder why hamstrings deserve special attention when you’re already crushing squats and lunges. The truth is, strong hamstrings play a vital role beyond just muscle tone. They protect your knees by stabilizing these joints during movements like running and jumping. Weak hamstrings leave your knees vulnerable to injury and can affect your form during complex lifts, potentially causing strain.

In addition to injury prevention, hamstring health is essential for avoiding lower back pain, especially if you spend long hours sitting, which can tighten and weaken these muscles. A balanced routine that combines strengthening with lengthening exercises, like stiff-legged deadlifts and good mornings, can help alleviate pain and improve mobility.

Many people unknowingly develop muscular imbalances because the quadriceps often get more workout love than the hamstrings. This imbalance puts extra stress on your knees and affects your overall leg function. By including hamstring-focused exercises, you not only enhance your strength balance but also improve your posture and athletic performance.

So, building a strong, flexible, and balanced posterior chain is key for injury prevention, pain reduction, and overall functional fitness, making hamstring exercises an absolute must in your regimen.

Just like with any muscle group, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer for how frequently you should train your hamstrings. It depends largely on your current fitness level, your training goals, and how your body responds. If you’re just starting out, introducing hamstring exercises once a week is a smart way to begin. This helps avoid overtraining and reduces soreness while your muscles adapt.

For those who have some experience under their belt, aiming to train hamstrings at least twice a week is a great guideline for ongoing strength and development. Some research specifically on Nordic hamstring curls shows that performing these exercises once a week produces similar strength gains compared to twice a week, so quality over quantity matters.

When designing your leg day, try to include at least three different hamstring exercises that cover both hip extension and knee flexion movements. For instance, pairing leg curls, which focus on knee bending, with glute bridges, which target hip extension, creates a balanced workout stimulating all parts of your hamstrings.

If you’re recovering from a hamstring injury, consult with a healthcare professional before jumping back in. Depending on the injury severity, bodyweight exercises might be a safer starting point compared to weighted moves. And if you’ve just pulled your hamstring, it’s generally best to pause intense lower-body workouts to allow healing before resuming.