The 5 Best Exercises for the Backs of Your Thighs

Whether or not you’re an athlete chasing a PR or a weekend warrior simply trying to keep injury-free, including focused workouts for the backs of your thighs to your routine is a should. Let’s dive into the most effective strikes to maintain your hamstrings sturdy, balanced, and prepared for something.

However first, the advantages of strengthening your hamstrings

Your hamstrings do greater than you may assume—they’re powerhouses for each hip extension and knee flexion, in response to Shawn Collins, PT, DPT, CSCS, a efficiency bodily therapist at Bespoke Bodily Remedy in San Diego, California.

• For hip extension: They enable you bend at your waist, like when selecting one thing up off the ground.
• For knee flexion: They stabilize your knees and propel your physique ahead throughout operating.

However right here’s the catch: Hamstrings are among the many most steadily strained muscle tissues, Collins says. Preserving them sturdy isn’t nearly peak efficiency—it’s a wise approach to stop accidents. Plus, sturdy hamstrings take stress off your decrease again throughout every day duties, serving to you keep away from nagging aches and pains, he says.

One of the best workouts for backs of your thighs

Trying to stage up your hamstring recreation? These workouts goal power, stability, and suppleness, with choices for each health stage.

Professional-tip: Don’t program all of the strikes in a single session. You don’t wish to overload your hammies and get harm, which simply defeats the aim. As an alternative, begin by including one to 2 workouts on leg day and slowly progress from there.

1. Seated hamstring curl

Trying to isolate your hamstrings and end your sweat session sturdy? Seated hamstring curls are a should. They’re versatile, straightforward to scale for weight and vary of movement, and might be achieved on a machine, cable setup, and even with a resistance band, Collins says.

1. You will want a research seat and a resistance band or cable machine for this train.
2. Anchor a resistance band to one thing strong or set a cable machine at ankle-to-knee top.
3. Sit on a sturdy seat that retains your ft off the bottom and received’t budge.
4. Connect the band or cable to your ankle with an ankle cuff.
5. Pull your heel towards you so far as potential, then management the return.
6. Carry out 3 units of 12-15 reps.

2. Hamstring bridge

Kick your glutes bridge up a notch. This variation emphasizes your hamstrings by means of a larger vary of movement—excellent for the center of your exercise, Collins says.

1. You will want a sturdy sofa, chair, or bench for this train.
2. Lie in your again together with your heels on the sting of a sofa, chair or bench. Cross your fingers in opposition to your chest.
3. Squeeze your glutes and press into your heels to raise your hips off the ground.
4. Slowly decrease your hips again all the way down to the ground.
5. Full 3 units of 6-8 reps.

3. Single-leg hamstring bridge (both sides individually)

Nailed the hamstring bridge above? Take it to the subsequent stage with this single-leg model. It not solely challenges your hamstrings but additionally engages your hip stabilizers, Collins says.

1. You will want a sturdy sofa, chair, or bench for this train.
2. Lie in your again together with your heels on the sting of a sofa, chair or bench. Cross your fingers in opposition to your chest.
3. Carry your proper foot off the sofa, chair, or bench.
4. Squeeze your glutes and press into your left heel to raise your hips off the ground.
5. Slowly decrease your hips again all the way down to the ground.
6. Full 3 units of 6-8 reps per leg.

4. Romanian deadlift

This practical train strengthens your hamstrings and mimics the motion of selecting up objects—important for on a regular basis life, Collins says. As a result of it’s a demanding train, deal with it early in your exercise, proper after your warm-up, for max impression, he says.

1. You will want a set of dumbbells for this train.
2. Stand together with your ft hip-width aside, holding a dumbbell in every hand (palms dealing with in).
3. Barely bend your knees and decrease the burden by hinging at your hips.
4. Maintain your again straight and decrease the weights to mid-shin or so far as your flexibility permits.
5. Push by means of your ft to return to beginning place, preserving the weights near your shins.
6. Full 3-4 units of 5-8 reps.

5. Single-leg Romanian deadlift (both sides individually)

This Romanian deadlift development builds power and stability whereas focusing on imbalances between your legs, Collins says. Feeling slightly wobbly on one leg? Completely regular. Maintain onto one thing sturdy for stability if wanted.

1. You will want a dumbbell for this train.
2. Stand together with your ft hip-width aside, a slight bend in each knees, holding a dumbbell in your proper hand (palm dealing with in).
3. Press your butt again and hinge your hips ahead, extending your proper leg behind you. Concurrently press your left foot into the ground.
4. Hinge ahead and proceed decreasing till your torso is parallel to the ground otherwise you really feel a pull in your glutes and hamstrings (whichever comes first).
5. Press into your left foot, squeeze your glutes and reverse the motion to return again to the standing begin place.
6. Full 3-4 units of 5-8 reps per leg.