6 Basic Hamstring Workouts for Beginners

Hamstring workouts allow you to run faster, jump higher and lift more weight. That can help in doing bigger compound moves that use multiple muscle groups and are the foundation of any well-balanced strength program.

Hamstrings are a unique group of muscles in the lower body that work at two joints. When you flex your hamstrings, your knee bends, just like when you do leg curls. Your hamstrings also have an effect on your hip joint. They extend your hips, which means they move forward under your spine.

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Basic Hamstring Workouts for Beginners

Check out these six basic hamstring workouts for beginners that can help improve your hamstrings.

1) Handwalk

This workout not only lengthens the muscles in your hamstring and lower back, but it also makes your shoulders and core stronger.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Start with your hands on the floor and legs straight.
• Walk with straight legs and hands out.
• With straight legs, walk your feet back up to your hands.
• Use only your ankles to take small steps. Try not to use your hips, knees or quads.
• Perform two sets of ten reps each with 30 secs of rest in between.

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2) Glute Bridge

We have all seen this move in fitness videos. It's easy enough that anyone can do it, and it's useful to get stronger.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Lay on your back, with your feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees to 90 degrees.
• Drive your heels into the ground, and lift your torso and upper legs into the air.
• Extend your hips till your thighs and torso are in line with each other. Squeeze your glutes.
• Hold for a count of two seconds.
• Go back to the starting position to complete one rep. Do three sets of ten.

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3) Lateral Lunge

This is an excellent legs workout that can not only slim up your thighs but also build strength in your leg muscles.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Start by standing with your core tight and a kettlebell or dumbbell at your chest.
• Step a few feet to the right with your right foot, taking a pretty big step.
• While keeping your left leg straight, bend your right knee; push your bottom back, and slowly lower yourself.
• Try to get your thighs parallel to the ground by lowering as far as you can do so comfortably.
• Drive quickly up and to the left till you're back where you started.
• Add a high knee drive to the end of the move to make it more athletic.
• Try three sets of 8-12 reps each way.

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4) Knee Hug

It stretches your front leg's hamstring, glute and hip flexor, as well as your back leg's hip flexor.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Bring your right knee to your chest, and put your hands below the knee.
• Pull your right knee to your chest, and squeeze your left glute at the same time.
• Go back to where you started, and do the same thing on the left side.
• Keep going back and forth.
• Perform two sets of ten reps each with 30 secs of rest.

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5) Lunge Elbow to Instep

This full body stretch works your groin, hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings in particular.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Step forward with your left foot into a lunge position.
• Hold the stretch for two seconds by putting your right forearm on the ground and left elbow on the inside of your left foot.
• Put your left hand outside of your foot, and push your hips up while pointing your front toes up.
• Step out with your right foot and back in with your left foot. Keep going back and forth.
• Perform two sets of ten reps each with 30 secs of rest in between.

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6) Bulgarian Split Squat

An advanced variation of the split squat, this exercise especially targets your hamstrings and gives them a good stretch. Beginners can perform the exercise without weights and slowly progress to doing it with weights.

Here's how you do this hamstring workout:

• Start back at the bottom by putting your back foot on the bench or raised platform from the ground.
• Make a 90-degree angle with your legs, and push your heel into the floor while trying to keep your front shin straight.
• Hold your weights tightly, and squeeze your core and shoulder blades.
• Stand up, and lean slightly forward to keep your back from arching.
• Squat down while keeping your knee off the floor, and work to keep your front shin straight.
• Get your glutes and hamstrings to help you explode up from the bottom of the move.
• Do three sets of eight to 12 reps on each side.

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Takeaway

Include the aforementioned exercises in your fitness routine to get a great hamstring workout.