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Programming
19 March, 2024

There’s no “best hamstring exercise”.

But, lets not get that mixed up.

Certain exercises are drastically better than others.

My ranking system is based upon 3 Criteria:

  1. Transfer to Sport: Fundamentally it has to improve your contact sports performance. If it doesn’t do that, it’s getting a big fat F.
  2. Stretch (at hip or knee): Muscles strains tend to occur in lengthened positions, so it’s important we’re strong there. As a bonus, this is usually a better hypertrophy stimulus. 
  3. Simple Progression (either load or velocity): It must have a simple progression, if you can’t easily overload, it’s getting knocked down.

S+:

– Sprinting 

S:

– RDL’s

– Seated Hamstring Curl

A:

– Straight-leg Bounds

– Single leg Romanian Deadlifts

– Nordics

– Razor Curls

B:

– Good Mornings

– Sliding Hamstring Curls

– Isometric Hamstring Bridge Holds

– Overcoming Hamstring Isometrics

– Back Extensions

– Glute-ham Raises

– Sprinters Hamstring Curls

C:

– Lying Hamstring Curls

– Kettlebell Swings

– Tantrums

– Deadlifts

– Trap-bar Deadlifts

– Forward Sled Drags

D:

– Banded Hamstring Curls

– Pullthroughs

– Reverse Hypertextensions

E:

– Back Squats (not a hamstring exercise)

– Split Squats (not a hamstring exercise)

So, what exercises do I pick?

There is no best hamstring exercises.

Anything B and above is an effective exercise, even C in certain contexts i.e. kettlebell swings are a fine high speed exercise if you’re coming back from injury.

As long as your ticking 3 boxes with your hamstring training:

  1. Straight-leg Hamstring Exercise: RDLs, Good Mornings, Back Extensions etc
  2. Bent-leg Hamstring Exercise: Seated Hamstring Curls, Sliding Hamstring Curls, Nordics etc
  3. High Speed Exercise: Sprinting, Straight-leg Bounds, Tantrums etc

My top 3 would be:

  1. RDL
  2. Seated Hamstring Curls
  3. Sprinting

Go build those athletic strings.

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