When it comes to building leg muscle, few people know what they’re talking about better than Erin Stern.
The two-time Ms. Figure Olympia splits her time between coaching clients and competing on the biggest stages in bodybuilding. Here are Stern’s two favorite exercises for the hammies — we guarantee you aren’t doing either of them already.
The 2 Best Hamstring Exercises: Erin Stern
First, a brief anatomy overview from Stern herself. “The hamstrings are a biarticular muscle,” Stern said on Jul. 31, 2024 on social media. “They cross two joints and are responsible for both hip extension and knee flexion.”
- She’s correct. Your hamstrings are a unique muscle on the back of your legs in that they perform two opposing functions; bending your knee and straightening your hip.
- A 2017 study noted high muscle activation in the hamstrings during sprinting and strengthening exercises, even though the mechanics weren’t the same. (1)
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So, since the hamstrings have two primary functions, it follows that the best hamstring workout incorporates exercises that train each of those roles separately. That’s why Stern recommends the Nordic hamstring curl and banded Romanian deadlift.
1. Nordic Hamstring Curl
- “You can do this move with a partner or by wedging your feet under something heavy,” Stern said. She prefers using a lat pulldown station plus a bar attachment or dowel to provide stability.
Nordic curls are both a great muscle-building move and knee health exercise. In fact, one study highlighted their value in preventing and rehabilitating injuries such as ACL tears. (2) Here’s how to do it:
- Get into a kneeling position and secure the backs of your heels under something heavy and stable, such as a squat rack. You can also have a partner hold your feet down.
- Squeeze your glutes to extend your hips.
- Brace your core and slowly lower yourself down and forward toward the floor without bending at the waist.
- As you approach the floor, be prepared to break your fall with your hands, or you can stabilize yourself by holding onto a dowel or similar item to control your descent.
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From the Expert: “The idea here is to use the bar as little as possible for stability,” Stern noted. You should strive to lower yourself all the way down under control, but it’s okay to get a bit of help by bracing yourself with a “kickstand” item.
2. Banded Romanian Deadlift
Stern prefers the banded Romanian deadlift (RDL) to train the hamstrings in hip extension. This RDL variation adds a bit of elastic tension to the hip hinge, which Stern says can help you really squeeze your glutes and hammies at the top of each rep.
- Fix a resistance band around two stable structures, such as the pillars of a power rack around waist height.
- Step forward into the band to pull it slightly taut and pick up a barbell from the floor in front of you.
- Lean forward slightly to maintain your balance while bracing your core and holding your arms low and relaxed.
- Tip over into a hip hinge, allowing the band to pull your hips backward as the bar glides down your thighs.
- When the bar reaches around knee height, reverse the motion and push your hips into the band to stand back up.
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From the Expert: Stern prefers to do this move with a dumbbell, but you can absolutely use a barbell or kettlebell as well. We recommend the barbell for its progressive overload potential, which will help you increase your strength.
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References
- van den Tillaar R, Solheim JAB, Bencke J. COMPARISON OF HAMSTRING MUSCLE ACTIVATION DURING HIGH-SPEED RUNNING AND VARIOUS HAMSTRING STRENGTHENING EXERCISES. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2017 Oct;12(5):718-727. PMID: 29181249; PMCID: PMC5685404.
- Cuthbert M, Ripley N, McMahon JJ, Evans M, Haff GG, Comfort P. The Effect of Nordic Hamstring Exercise Intervention Volume on Eccentric Strength and Muscle Architecture Adaptations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analyses. Sports Med. 2020 Jan;50(1):83-99. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01178-7. Erratum in: Sports Med. 2020 Jan;50(1):101-102. doi: 10.1007/s40279-019-01208-4. PMID: 31502142; PMCID: PMC6942028.
Featured Image: @2x_ms_olympia / Instagram
