Hamstrings are often the muscles people forget about until they cause a problem.
Most of us spend plenty of time thinking about quads, glutes, abs, and arms, but the muscles at the back of the thighs play a huge role in strength, speed, posture, knee health, and overall lower-body power.
Whether you want to run faster, lift more, reduce your risk of injury, build stronger legs or move better in everyday life, your hamstrings need attention. They are not just there to make the back of your legs look better. They help you hinge, sprint, jump, slow down, stabilise and produce force.
This month, we are looking at four simple yet highly effective hamstring exercises that can help you build stronger legs and more power throughout the entire posterior chain.
Hamstrings and Leg Power
Your hamstrings are located at the back of your thighs and work closely with your glutes, calves, and lower back. Together, these muscles are often referred to as the posterior chain.
A strong posterior chain is useful for almost everything. It helps you pick things up from the floor, climb stairs, sprint, deadlift, jump, change direction and control your body when you slow down.
Weak hamstrings can contribute to tightness, poor hip control, lower back discomfort and knee issues. That does not mean every ache or niggle comes from your hamstrings, but it does mean they deserve a regular place in your training.
A good hamstring programme should include two main types of movement. The first is a hip hinge, where your hamstrings help control movement at the hip. The second is a knee-flexion movement, in which your hamstrings bend the knee. The four exercises below cover both.
1. Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is one of the best exercises for strengthening the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.
Unlike a conventional deadlift from the floor, the Romanian deadlift usually starts from a standing position. The focus is on pushing the hips back, controlling the lowering phase and feeling tension through the hamstrings.
It is a brilliant movement for building strength in the posterior chain, improving hip-hinge mechanics, and teaching you to load your hamstrings properly.
Technique:
Start standing tall with the barbell at hip level. Hold the bar with your palms facing your thighs and keep your grip tight.
Set your shoulders gently back, brace your abs and keep the bar close to your body. From here, push your hips back as if you are trying to touch a wall behind you with your backside.
Let the bar travel down your thighs while keeping it close. Your knees should stay slightly bent, but they should not keep bending like a squat. The movement comes from the hips moving back.
Lower as far as you can while maintaining a natural spine position and strong hamstring tension. Pause briefly in the bottom position, then drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
You should feel this in the back of your thighs and glutes, not in your lower back.
Coaching Tip:
Build up to performing ten controlled repetitions. The descent is where much of the benefit occurs, so do not rush it.
Think about a three-second lower, a brief pause, then a strong drive back to the top. Keep the bar close enough that it almost skims your legs on the way down and up.
If you are new to the movement, start with dumbbells or a kettlebell before moving to a barbell. The goal is to own the hinge pattern before chasing heavy weight.
2. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl
Swiss ball hamstring curls are a great way to train the hamstrings through knee flexion. In plain English, that means using the hamstrings to bend the knees and pull the heels towards the body.
This exercise also works the glutes and core because your hips need to stay lifted throughout the movement. It may look simple, but it can be surprisingly challenging when done properly.
Swiss ball curls are especially useful because they train control, tension and stability at the same time.
Technique:
Lie on your back with your arms on the floor and your heels resting on a Swiss ball.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. Keep your ribs down and your core engaged.
From this position, bend your knees and pull your heels towards your backside. Keep the hips lifted as the ball rolls in.
Squeeze your hamstrings in the top position, then slowly straighten your legs back to the start without letting your hips drop.
Coaching Tip:
The biggest mistake is letting the hips sag as the ball rolls in and out. Keep your backside squeezed and your hips high throughout.
Move slowly and focus your attention on the back of the thighs. If you rush the movement, you will lose tension and end up with a messy core exercise.
If the full version is too hard, start by simply holding the hip bridge position with your heels on the ball. Once you can hold that well, add small controlled curls.
3. Hamstring Walkout
Hamstring walkouts are a very effective bodyweight exercise, especially if you have a specific weakness in the area or are returning from injury.
They are also useful because they require no equipment. You can do them at home, in the gym, or as part of a warm up before lower-body training.
The movement looks simple, but the longer your heels walk away from your hips, the harder your hamstrings have to work to keep your pelvis stable and your hips lifted.
Technique:
Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips into a bridge position. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees.
From the top position, keep your weight through your heels and slowly walk your feet away from your backside, one small step at a time.
Only go as far as you can while keeping your hips lifted and your glutes switched on. Then walk your heels back towards your hips, maintaining control throughout.
Coaching Tip:
Keep your backside squeezed throughout the movement. If your hips drop, you have gone too far or moved too quickly.
Smaller steps are usually better. The aim is control and tension, not seeing how far you can shuffle across the floor.
This works well as an activation drill before deadlifts or as an accessory exercise towards the end of a lower body session.
4. Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing is a fantastic exercise for the hamstrings, glutes and lower back. It is also dynamic, which means it can help build power while raising your heart rate.
Unlike a squat, the swing is driven by the hips. The kettlebell moves because your hips snap forwards, not because you lift it with your arms.
This makes it a great exercise for teaching explosive hip extension, which carries over well to sport, running and general athletic movement.
Technique:
Stand tall with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart and the kettlebell slightly in front of you.
Hinge at the hips, grip the kettlebell with both hands and set your shoulders. Pull the kettlebell back between your legs, then quickly extend your hips forward.
As your hips drive through, squeeze your glutes and let the kettlebell float to around chest height. Your arms should stay relaxed. They are guiding the bell rather than lifting it.
As the kettlebell comes back down, hinge again and let it pass between your legs. Keep your core tight, spine neutral and movement sharp.
Coaching Tip:
Work within a range where you can maintain a neutral spine. If your back rounds or you feel the movement mainly in your lower back, stop and reset.
Think hips, not arms. The kettlebell should move with the power of your lower body.
Start light enough to learn the pattern properly. Once your technique is sharp, your swing can become a very effective strength and conditioning tool.
Building These Exercises Into Training
These four exercises all target the hamstrings, but they do not need to be thrown into the same session every time.
A structured lower-body session might include one main hinge exercise, one single-leg movement, and one hamstring accessory movement.
For example, you could start with Romanian deadlifts as your main strength lift, then use lunges or split squats, then finish with Swiss ball curls or hamstring walkouts.
On another day, you might use kettlebell swings as part of your warm up or conditioning block, then move into squats, hip thrusts, and lighter hamstring curls.
The key is to train the hamstrings regularly without battering them every session. They respond well to controlled strength work, gradual progression and enough recovery.
Reps Sets and Progression
If your goal is strength, use heavier loads and lower repetitions on exercises such as Romanian deadlifts. Three to five sets of five to eight reps can work well once your technique is solid.
If your goal is muscle and control, use moderate repetitions. Two to four sets of eight to twelve reps is a good place to start.
For exercises such as Swiss ball curls and hamstring walkouts, quality is more important than chasing big numbers. Start with two or three sets of six to ten controlled reps, then gradually build up.
Progression can come from adding weight, increasing reps, slowing the tempo, pausing in the hardest position or improving your range of movement. You do not need to change exercises every week. Getting better at the basics is where the progress happens.
Hamstrings and Injury Prevention
Hamstrings often become an issue during sprinting, sudden changes of direction or poorly controlled lifting. This is especially true when they are weak, undertrained, or unprepared for the demands placed on them.
Strengthening the hamstrings through both hip-hinge and knee-flexion work can help build resilience. It also improves your ability to control the hips and knees during sport and gym training.
That said, pain is not something to push through. If you have a hamstring strain, recurring tightness, or sharp discomfort during training, get it properly assessed. The right exercise at the wrong time can still make things worse.
At Foundry, we would rather you train with good movement and sensible progressions than chase numbers and end up taking weeks off.
Technique First Then Intensity
Hamstring exercises reward good technique. They also punish sloppy reps.
If you rush the hinge, lose your brace, use too much weight or rely on momentum, you may feel your lower back taking over. If your hips drop during curls and walkouts, you lose the training effect and place stress where you do not want it.
Take your time. Control the lowering phase. Keep tension where it should be. Add intensity only once the movement looks and feels right.
This is where coaching makes a big difference. A small adjustment to foot position, hip movement or tempo can completely change how an exercise feels.
Small Group Personal Training at Foundry
If you want stronger hamstrings, better leg power and a more confident lower body, you do not need a complicated plan. You need the right exercises, done well, progressed consistently.
Our small group personal training sessions are built around proper coaching, smart programming, and individual support. We teach you how to move, lift and train with purpose, whether you are new to strength training or already have gym experience.
Your coach at Foundry will help you understand which exercises suit your body, which areas need attention and how to progress safely. That might mean improving your Romanian deadlift, learning how to swing a kettlebell properly, building single-leg strength or using accessory work to strengthen weak links.
If you have questions about hamstring training, leg power, or lower-body strength, visit one of our gyms and speak to the Foundry team. We will help you build stronger legs in a way that works for your body, goals, and lifestyle.
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