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Exercises/Hamstrings

The best hamstring exercises, rated

16 hamstring exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating S: Top picks 2

Rating SMachineSeated Leg CurlDirect evidence: seated (hip flexed) gave more hamstring growth than lying.How to do it Rating SMachineSingle-Leg Seated Leg CurlSame position as the seated leg curl (hip flexed), which grew the hamstrings more than the lying version in direct research.How to do it

Rating A: Great choices 8

Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Romanian DeadliftSame mechanics as the barbell RDL, fine at home until grip becomes the limit.How to do it Rating ADumbbellHand-Supported Single-Leg Romanian DeadliftThe support removes the balance problem of the regular single-leg RDL, so you can go heavier and closer to failure.How to do it Rating AMachineKneeling Leg CurlWorks like the standing single-leg curl: one leg at a time, stable and with the hip slightly flexed.How to do it Rating AMachineLying Leg CurlGood and stable, but trains the hamstrings at shorter lengths than the seated version.How to do it Rating ABarbellRomanian DeadliftLoads the hamstrings and glutes heavily in the stretch.How to do it Rating AMachineSingle-Leg Lying Leg CurlSame machine as the lying leg curl, one leg at a time.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Romanian DeadliftSame hip hinge as the RDL, but the fixed path makes it easier to learn and load.How to do it Rating AMachineStanding Single-Leg CurlStable unilateral curl.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 5

Rating BMachineGlute-Ham RaiseTrains knee flexion and hip extension together with a good stretch, but too hard for most lifters and few gyms have the machine.How to do it Rating BKettlebellKettlebell Romanian DeadliftA fine RDL at home, but kettlebells go up in big jumps and soon get too light.How to do it Rating BBodyweightNordic Hamstring CurlProbably lowers the risk of hamstring injuries (though the meta-analysis was later criticised), but for growth no better than back extensions or leg curls.How to do it Rating BDumbbellSingle-Leg Romanian DeadliftGood at home with light dumbbells, but balance limits the load.How to do it Rating BBodyweightSliding Leg CurlGood home option for knee flexion, but limited loading.How to do it

Rating C: Situational 1

Rating CBarbellGood MorningEffective stretch, but heavy lower-back loading with a long lever arm.How to do it

Also trains your hamstrings

Exercises for other muscles where your hamstrings help.

Rating ABodyweight45° Back ExtensionLoads the glutes and hamstrings in the stretch with little fatigue.How to do it Rating ABarbellB-Stance Hip ThrustAlmost single-leg, but with the stability of two feet: more load per glute without the balance problem of a true single-leg hip thrust.How to do it Rating ABarbellBarbell Hip ThrustGave as much glute growth as squats (but less quad growth), with low risk and easy to load.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Hip ThrustSame stimulus as the barbell version with less setup and more stability.How to do it Rating ADumbbellSingle-Leg Dumbbell Hip ThrustGoing unilateral gives you enough resistance at home even with little weight.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Hip ThrustSame stimulus as the barbell hip thrust.How to do it

Plan your training

What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
hamstring training

What is the best hamstring exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated hamstring exercises are the seated leg curl, single-leg seated leg curl, dumbbell Romanian deadlift and hand-supported single-leg Romanian deadlift. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my hamstrings at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the dumbbell Romanian deadlift, hand-supported single-leg Romanian deadlift, kettlebell Romanian deadlift and Nordic hamstring curl.

How many hamstring exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

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