i'm sam this is chris and we're going to
show you the five best hamstring
exercises
these exercises are suitable for
absolutely everybody so we're going to
start with a lying leg curl if you just
want to get into position on the bench
so the pad is just above your ankles
now you can lie completely flat or your
chest slightly raised to get a better
contraction
so chris is gonna raise both legs at the
same time and squeeze his heels towards
his glutes
with control and slowly back down
and again
so we don't want to let the weights
bounce at the bottom and make sure that
we've got full control at all times
to progress this exercise you can do it
single leg
you can add more weight
up your reps or change your tempo we're
primarily focusing on the hamstrings but
secondary it will target your other
muscles in your legs so that was the
lying leg curl
[Music]
is now going to demonstrate a leg press
with a slight change of foot position we
will specifically target hamstrings on
this so normally your foot position
would be right in the middle of the
platform but to target the hamstrings
we're going to move them a little bit
wider than hip distance apart and
towards the top of the platform that way
we'll target the hamstrings if you'd
like to remove the safety catch and bend
your knees into your chest
pushing all the way up
but not locking the knees out
chest is into the back rest and hands
are firmly planted with an overhand grip
on the handles to make sure that chris
has got full control at all times
chris is using his breathing
to make sure that he can get the
platform up smoothly
you want to keep it slow
and controlled at all times so this was
a leg press specifically targeting the
hamstrings
our next exercise is a wide stance
v-squat with all of these exercises you
want to make sure you've got your
technique right before you start to add
weight
that being said once you have got your
technique right you want to make sure
that you choose a way that is
challenging for you chris would you like
to get on the platform
chris's feet
are wide and high on the platform
this is making sure that we specifically
target the hamstrings all down the back
of the legs as chris lifts up the safety
catch is released
chris is going to squat down
and all the way up it's important here
to make sure that your bum is firmly
planted into the back rest to make sure
that you support in your back and you've
got control at all times make sure that
you're breathing with this exercise and
using your breath to get the weight up
and now all the way down as low as you
can targeting all the way down the back
as you can see the angle of chris's legs
here that is his full range of motion
all the way down to the bottom if you
feel your back coming off this back pad
then you're maybe going too low you want
to make sure that your back is in
contact at all times
[Music]
we're now going to demonstrate a stiff
leg deadlift specifically targeting your
hamstrings so chris is going to start
from the floor however if you find that
difficult you can start from the rack or
maybe have the bar on some blocks
you want to get the bar as close to your
shins as possible
hinging from the hips
with an overhand grip
to grip the bar
back is flat you want to keep your chin
tucked into your chest hinge from the
hips drive the bar upwards
squeezing your hips into the bar when
you get to the top
so
as you can see the arms are locked no
bend at the elbow
shoulders are down core tight hamstrings
are engaged at all times so putting all
that together a full rep would look like
this
legs are straight whilst not locking the
knees out
as he gets up to this point he drives
his hips into the bar
and a slight squeeze of the hamstrings
and glutes at the top
chin is tucked in don't be tempted to
look forward you want to protect your
spine at all times good form is to be in
control of the bar at all times
as you can see as chris is going down
he's not slamming the bar he's not
dropping it
this is a slow and controlled movement
if you want to focus on building muscle
rather than strength we would advise
that you keep your reps at six or above
and that was a straight leg deadlift
so we're now going to demonstrate a
single leg stiff leg deadlift so you
want the weight in the same side as your
working leg if you would like to pick
the kettlebell up brace your core lift
one leg off the ground and behind you
tip from the hip with the weight coming
down as low as you can
again chin is tucked in arm is straight
squeeze at the glutes and the hamstrings
and core tight to help balance
chrissy's doing this on one leg
but you would even it out and do the
same amount of reps on the other side
you will naturally be stronger on one
leg than the other that's totally okay
so that was the single leg stiff leg
deadlift which completes our five best
hamstring exercises don't forget to like
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