HAMSTRINGS WORKOUT

Women are more quadriceps dominant than men, and therefore tend to have weaker hamstrings. And having weaker hamstrings makes females more prone to knee injury. 

So, by emphasizing the top seven hamstring exercises provided in this article, you won’t just build sexier, better looking legs— you will also build a stronger, more well-balanced lower body that may be less prone to knee injury.

Here are some hamstring exercises that require little to no equipment so your hamstrings don’t get left out of your home workout routine. Do 3-4 sets of 15-20 reps (25 reps for exercises with no resistance).

Barbell Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell in front of your thighs with your arms straight. 

Keeping your back straight, hinge at your hips and bend forward toward the floor, keeping your knees bent at a 15- to 20-degree angle. As you hinge forward, drive your hips backward and do not allow your back to round out. 

Once your torso is roughly parallel to the floor or the weight plates lightly tap the floor, drive your hips forward toward the barbell, reversing the motion to stand tall again and complete one rep.

Floor Glute-Ham Raise

Since many gyms don’t have a glute-ham machine, you can use a partner to perform this exercise or brace your feet under something stable. If you’re using a partner, have them place their hands on your ankles and firmly hold them down.

With your knees resting on a pad or a rolled up towel, perform the exercise as directed in the glute-ham raise machine description. Place your hands in front of you as you reach the floor. 

Due to the difficult nature of this exercise, you may have to use your arms to lightly push off the floor to aid your return back to the starting position.

One-Leg One-Arm Dumbbell RDL

Stand on one leg and hold a dumbbell in the opposite hand. Keeping your back and arm straight, hinge at your hip and bend forward toward the floor, keeping your weight-bearing knee bent at roughly a 15- to 20-degree angle. 

As you hinge, allow your non-weight-bearing leg to elevate upward so it remains in a straight line with your torso, and do not allow your lower back to round out. 

At the bottom position (when your torso is roughly parallel to the ground), be sure to keep your hips flat and do not allow them to rotate. 

Once your torso and non-weight-bearing leg are roughly parallel to the floor, reverse the motion by driving your hips forward to stand tall again, completing one rep.