Hamstrings
The Hamstrings are a group of three muscles which primarily help to flex the knee, however, they also aid in hip extension as they cross both the knee and hip joint.
In this post we’ll go through some brief anatomy the hamstring group, and their function. We’ll then go through some exercises that work the muscles of the hamstring.
Anatomy and function of the Hamstring group
As already mentioned, the Hamstring group consists of three muscles that aid in knee flexion, and hip extension. Having strong hamstrings can help you run fast, jump high, maintain good posture, help prevent leg injuries and play an important part in gait pattern when walking. Weak and right hamstrings can lead to a tilting of the pelvis, and improper skeletal alignment, which can lead to injury.
Here are the three muscles that make up the hamstring group:
Semimembranosus – this muscle aids in knee flexion, hip extension and internal rotation of the lower leg when the knee is in a flexed position.
Semitendinosus – this muscle also assists knee flexion, hip extension and internal rotation of the lower leg when the knee is in a flexed position.
Biceps Femoris – Long Head – the long head of the biceps femoris helps knee flexion, hip extension, and external rotation of the lower leg when the knee is slightly flexed, and assists in external rotation of the thigh when the hip is extended.
Biceps Femoris – Short Head – the short head of the biceps femoris aids in knee flexion and external rotation of the lower leg when the knee is slightly flexed.
Now that we’ve done a quick whistle stop tour of the muscles and function of the hamstrings, and highlighted their importance, let’s look at how we strengthen them.
How do we strengthen the Hamstring group?
There are numerous exercises to choose from to strengthen the hamstrings, here are just a few (click on the exercises to see a demonstration):
Deadlift variations:
• Conventional Deadlift
• Trap Bar Deadlift
• Romanian Deadlift
• Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Unilateral exercises:
• Staggered Stance Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
• Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
Machine exercises:
• Seated Hamstring Curl
• Prone Hamstring Curl
Bodyweight exercises:
• Nordic Hamstring Curl
• Slider Hamstring Curl
As well as strengthening the hamstrings, we can stretch them. As mentioned before, weak and tight hamstrings can lead to tilting of the pelvis, poor posture and injury. Here are a couple of hamstring stretches:
• Dynamic Hamstring Stretch
• Seated Hamstring Stretch