Hamstrings exercises
Bends the knee and extends the hip. Because they cross both joints, they need both a hinge (hip) and a curl (knee) to be trained fully.
What loads it, and how many ways
16PRIME-MOVER LIFTS
44 more work the hamstrings as a synergist or stabiliser — real volume, and it counts toward your weekly total. 2 of the 16 need no equipment at all.
Anatomy: Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. Most hamstring injuries happen at long muscle length under speed, which is an argument for Romanian deadlifts and Nordic curls, not for stretching alone.
SOURCE·Published exercise references·PRIME MOVER ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION·REVIEWED JUL 2026
How the hamstrings list is built
- Start from the joint action, not the sensation. A muscle is credited when the action it produces is the one being resisted.
- Credit exactly one role per exercise: prime mover, or synergist and stabiliser. Nothing is listed twice.
- Rank by technical demand on a 1–5 scale — how much practice the movement needs to be done safely, not how hard the set feels.
- Attach the published MET category so the energy figure on every card traces back to the same table.
SOURCE·Published exercise references·ATTRIBUTION BY JOINT ACTION·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Every hamstrings lift, easiest first
Ranked by technical demand, not by quality. If the movement is new to you, start at the top of the column and earn your way down it.
| Exercise | Equipment | Pattern | Type | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banded Good Morning | Resistance band | Hinge | Compound | Beginner |
| Lying Leg Curl | Machine | Isolation | Isolation | Beginner |
| Resistance Band Leg Curl | Resistance band | Isolation | Isolation | Beginner |
| Resistance Band Romanian Deadlift | Resistance band | Hinge | Compound | Beginner |
| Seated Leg Curl | Machine | Isolation | Isolation | Beginner |
| Standing Leg Curl | Machine | Isolation | Isolation | Beginner |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | Dumbbells | Hinge | Compound | Beginner |
| Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift | Kettlebell | Hinge | Compound | Beginner |
| Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift | Smith machine | Hinge | Compound | Beginner |
| Band-Assisted Nordic Curl | Bodyweight + Resistance band | Hinge | Compound | Intermediate |
| Romanian Deadlift | Barbell | Hinge | Compound | Intermediate |
| Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift | Dumbbells + Kettlebell | Hinge | Compound | Intermediate |
| Stability Ball Leg Curl | Bodyweight | Isolation | Isolation | Intermediate |
| Barbell Good Morning | Barbell | Hinge | Compound | Advanced |
| Stiff-Leg Deadlift | Barbell | Hinge | Compound | Advanced |
| Nordic Hamstring Curl | Bodyweight | Hinge | Compound | Advanced |
Hamstrings at home, with nothing at all
No equipment, no gym, no excuse — 2 movements that train this muscle with bodyweight alone.
Also works the hamstrings as a synergist
These do not have it as the prime mover, but it contributes real work. That matters when you are counting weekly volume.
20 more not shown. Browse the full list of 365 exercises.
How to train it
Bends the knee and extends the hip. Because they cross both joints, they need both a hinge (hip) and a curl (knee) to be trained fully. Most hamstring injuries happen at long muscle length under speed, which is an argument for Romanian deadlifts and Nordic curls, not for stretching alone.
Volume is what drives growth: roughly ten to twenty hard sets per muscle group per week suits most people, spread over at least two sessions rather than crammed into one. Beyond that, the honest advice is unglamorous — pick two or three exercises, add weight or reps over time, and keep the technique the same as the load climbs.
The hamstrings appears in 2 of the 9 movement patterns on this site: hinge, isolation. Training more than one of them is how you avoid a muscle that is strong in exactly one position.
The questions that come up on the floor
What is the best exercise for the hamstrings?
There is no single best exercise, but the hamstrings is the prime mover in 16 movements on this site, across 2 movement patterns. A sensible programme picks one heavy compound movement and one isolation movement rather than collecting ten variations of the same thing. 11 of these are compound and 5 are isolation exercises.
How do I train the hamstrings at home?
2 of the 16 exercises here need no equipment at all — starting with the stability ball leg curl. A further 7 need only home-scale kit such as dumbbells or a resistance band. Progress at home comes from harder variations, slower tempo and single-limb versions rather than from adding plates.
Can I lose fat from the hamstrings area by training it?
No. Spot reduction does not work — training a muscle does not remove the fat that sits over it. Direct work builds the hamstrings; fat loss happens across the whole body in response to an overall calorie deficit, and where it comes off first is largely genetic.
What does the hamstrings actually do?
Bends the knee and extends the hip. Because they cross both joints, they need both a hinge (hip) and a curl (knee) to be trained fully. Most hamstring injuries happen at long muscle length under speed, which is an argument for Romanian deadlifts and Nordic curls, not for stretching alone.
Muscle roles follow standard kinesiology references and are described by joint action rather than by gym convention — see how this site is built. Energy figures are derived from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. Every reference is named and dated on the sources page. General information only — not medical or coaching advice. Load, form and progression should be adjusted to your own experience and any injury history. When in doubt, get coached in person.
SOURCE·Published exercise references·MUSCLE ROLES ASSIGNED BY JOINT ACTION·REVIEWED JUL 2026
The people behind these sites
Follow the build
This site and nine others like it are built and photographed by two people: Amit Sharma — behind the build; Geeta Patel — the poses, demonstrated. New work goes up on Instagram and Facebook before it reaches a page here.
Amit Sharma
@amitsharmaofficial
Instagram
Geeta Patel
@geetapatelnz
Instagram
Geeta Patel
GeetaPatelYoga
Facebook
Following changes nothing here — every page stays open, with no account and no wall.
