hamstring and glute exercise: 7 Best Hamstring and Glute Exercises for Male Bodybuilders

Whether you are a budding male bodybuilder or an experienced one, strengthening your hamstring and glute is very important for making your muscles stronger and improving your overall performance.

A stronger hamstring and glute helps boost your athletic activities and improve your sprinting, running, squatting, cycling and deadlifting performance. Moreover, it also reduces the risk of pain and injuries.

So, for all these reasons and for your overall fitness, we’ve listed below some of the best hamstring and glute exercises that you can do to improve your bodybuilding performance. These exercises will help build your glute muscle mobility, mass, strength and balance and assist you to perform well in your sport.

Best hamstring and glute exercises to try

1) Romanian deadlift

Romanian deadlifts. (Image credits: Pexels/ Anastasia Shuraeva)

The Romanian deadlift is one of the best exercises to build stronger hamstrings and activate your glute muscles.

Instructions:

Set an appropriate weight on the barbell, and put it in front of you on the floor.
Stand upright, with your feet directly under the middle of the barbell.
Hinge at your hips, and grab the barbell with both hands. Keep your back straigh,t and slightly bend your knees as you hinge down.
Hold the bar tightly with an overhand grip, and make sure your hands are wider than your shoulder width. Your palms should be facing your body.
Inhale; push your body through your feet into the ground; engage your core, and slowly lift the barbell.
As you lift the bar, pull your shoulders back, and slightly press your hips forward to completely stand up. That will complete one rep.
Hold the position for a few seconds, and slowly lower the barbell till it reaches your knees, and again lift it to complete a second rep.
Do as many reps as you can.

However, make sure to keep the barbell close to your body and your back absolutely straight throughout the exercise.

2) Hamstring curls

Lying hamstring curls. (Image credits: Freepik)

Hamstring or lying leg curls largely target your hamstring muscles and can be done in several ways. You can perform this exercise using a lying machine leg curl or a seated hamstring curl machine, or it can be done as a standing cable leg curl or dumbbell hamstring curl.

Instructions (lying machine leg curls):

Lie down on a hamstring curl machine. Put your feet under the roller pad. The roller pad should always rest above your heels and below your calves.
Hold the side of the bench, and keep your legs extended straight behind you.
Slowly curl both your legs till you feel a stretch in your glute and hamstring muscles.
Hold for a couple of seconds, and straighten your legs. That will complete one rep.
Repeat the exercise for 10 to 12 repetitions.

3) Weighted step up

Weighted step up is one of the most effective exercises for toning and strengthening your hamstring and glute muscles. For a weighted step up, you have to hold dumbbells.

Instructions:

Stand in front of a stool, box or flat bench, with your feet at your hip distance.
Your palms should be at your sides and face inwards.
Put your left foot on the stool so that your knees get bent at a 90-degree angle.
Pressing your body through your left foot, bring your right foot onto the stool to meet your left foot. That'll be one rep.
Bend your left knee, and return your right foot to the floor, followed by your left foot.
Repeat the move 10 to 12 times.

4) Weighted glute bridge

The weighted glute bridge helps to strengthen your hamstring and glute. Build bigger glute muscles and also help improve your overall mobility and balance.

Instructions:

Lie down on an exercise mat on your back. Your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle, and your feet should be flat on the mat.
Hold a dumbbell or a weight plate, and put it on your thighs.
Engage your abs; inhale, and slowly start to press your hips upwards.
Squeeze your hamstring and glute muscles, and hold the top position for a few seconds.
Lower your hips on the mat.

5) Barbell hip thrust

The barbell hip thrust is one of the best hamstring and glute exercises that help make these muscles strong and toned. This exercise activates your erector spine, hamstrings and gluteus maximus muscles.

Instructions:

Start by setting the smith machine bar to bar. Make sure to set it to an appropriate height that’s suitable for you.
Put a bench on the ground a few inches behind the bar.
Put your upper body on the bench; keep your feet firmly on the floor, and bend your knees at a 90-degree angle so that your knees and chest are in a line.
Hold the bar with your hands, or let it rest on your thighs.
Engage your abs, and push your hips upward. Push them as high as you can.
Squeeze your hamstring and glute muscles, and hold the position for two seconds.
Lower your hip, and return to the starting position.

6) Weighted split squat

Bulgarian split squats. (Image credits: Freepik)

Weighted bulgarian split squats are sometimes confused with in-line lunges, but they are quite different. A weighted split squat is a more effective exercise for your hamstring and glute muscles than in-line lunge.

Instructions:

Set the appropriate weight onto the barbell, and unrack it from the machine.
Place the barbell on the back of your shoulders, and stand upright by keeping your feet together.
Bring your right leg back as you squat on your left leg. Go as low as you can during the squat position.
Press your feet into the ground as you squeeze your front leg, and extend your knees.
Return to the initial position.

You may also use a smith machine or a dumbbell to perform this exercise.

7) Cable pull through

The cable pull through is a highly productive hamstring and glute exercise. It increases the muscular activation of your glutes and hamstrings and also reduces eccentric muscle damage.

Instructions:

On a cable pulley machine, attach a rope to its lowest section.
Keep your feet shoulder-width apart, and stand straight. Keep your back straight, and let it face the cable pulley machine.
Slowly hinge at your hips, and bend your knees to hold the rope between your legs.
Engage your lower body muscles, and extend your hips forward to stand straight. That will complete one rep.
You’ll feel a little stretch in your hamstrings and glutes.

It's always best to perform these exercises under the guidance of a certified trainer. Moreover, if you have had leg or lower-body injuries in the past, consult a doctor before starting your workout to ensure if they are safe for you.

Edited by Bhargav