Hamstring workouts
A hamstring workout that trains both of the hamstrings’ jobs — bending the knee and extending the hip — with every hamstring exercise in the library below.
The hamstrings bend the knee and extend the hip, and the best hamstring workouts train both: leg curls for the knee, and Romanian deadlifts and good mornings for the hip. Squats train them surprisingly little.
Hamstring workout
Two hip exercises and two leg curls.
Romanian Deadlift- Sets
- 4
- Reps
- 6–10
- Rest
- 2 min
Lever Seated Leg Curl- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–15
- Rest
- 90 s
Barbell Good Morning- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 8–10
- Rest
- 2 min
Lever Lying Leg Curl- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–12
- Rest
- 60 s
Glute-ham Raise- Sets
- 2
- Reps
- 5–8
- Rest
- 90 s
Can’t do one of these?
Machine taken or training somewhere else? Each of these has substitutes that work the same muscles.
Tips
- On Romanian deadlifts, push your hips back until you feel a strong stretch, and stop when your back starts to round, wherever that is.
- Seated leg curls train the hamstrings at a longer length than lying curls, so they’re a good first choice when you can only pick one.
- Hamstrings respond well to slow lowering. Take three seconds down on curls and hinges.
Run this workout in SPLYT
Every exercise here is in SPLYT’s library. Save the workout as a template, log your sets on iPhone or Apple Watch, and next time your weights are already filled in from what you lifted.
56 hamstring exercises
Every one links to step-by-step instructions and a demonstration. Swap any of them into the workouts above.
- Glute-ham RaiseBody weight
Barbell DeadliftBarbell
Band Pull ThroughBand- Romanian DeadliftBarbell
- Barbell Good MorningBarbell
- Lever Lying Leg CurlLeverage machine
Barbell Sumo DeadliftBarbell- Lever Seated Leg CurlLeverage machine
Dumbbell Lying FemoralDumbbell- Barbell Romanian DeadliftBarbell
Single Leg Platform SlideBody weight
Dumbbell Romanian DeadliftDumbbell
Dumbbell Sumo Pull ThroughDumbbell
Dumbbell Stiff Leg DeadliftDumbbell
Dumbbell Single Leg DeadliftDumbbell- Leg CurlMachine
Power CleanBarbell
Kick Out SitBody weight
Questions
How many hamstring exercises are there?
SPLYT’s exercise library has 56 hamstring exercises, including Glute-ham Raise, Barbell Deadlift and Band Pull Through, each with step-by-step instructions, a demonstration and the muscles it works.
Why are my hamstrings always tight?
Tight-feeling hamstrings are often weak rather than short. Training them through a full range with Romanian deadlifts and leg curls usually improves both strength and flexibility.