Hamstrings

About the Hamstrings

Your hamstrings bend your knee joint and help you walk. They work opposite to your quads. When you do a deadlift or walk down stairs, your hamstrings are working hard.

Biceps Femoris: On the outside of your thigh. It's the only hamstring that helps rotate your lower leg outward.
Semitendinosus: On the inside of your thigh. It helps rotate your lower leg inward when your knee is bent.
Semimembranosus: Deep muscle next to semitendinosus. It's the strongest hamstring muscle and helps protect your knee joint.

Best Hamstrings exercises

Hamstrings flex the knee and extend the hip. RDLs and good mornings lengthen them; leg curls shorten them. Do not pick only one.

Romanian Deadlift (barbell)
Romanian Deadlift from Deficit (barbell)
Clean Deadlift (barbell)
Front Leg Raises Stretch (body only)
Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift (dumbbell)
Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift (kettlebells)
Lunge Pass Through (kettlebells)
Natural Glute Ham Raise (body only)

Common mistakes

Rounding the back on RDLs instead of hinging.
Using so much knee bend that the hamstring goes slack.
Skipping eccentric control on curls.

Log Hamstrings work in Easy Reps

Open the lift in the app library, log weight and reps, and PRs update when you earn them. No account and no subscription. Download Easy Reps or browse the full exercise library.