17 Powerful Hamstring Exercises For Women

The lower half of your body contains some of your biggest muscles including your glutes, hamstrings and quads. Strengthening these large lower body muscles is great for your overall physical health, performance and balance. 

When those muscles are strong, it’s not only your workouts that get easier, but all your daily movements, too. All good reasons to never skip leg day!

While glute strength and glute activation may be a popular focus area for many women, hamstring strength is equally as important and can sometimes be overlooked.

Continue reading to learn how to perform some of the most valuable hamstring exercises you can use to develop lower body strength at home and in the gym.

Jump to:

• Where are your hamstrings?

• At-home hamstring exercises

• Hamstring exercises for the gym

Where are your hamstring muscles?

Your hamstrings are a posterior muscle group (posterior meaning the back side), located at the back of your thigh. They are made up of three muscles: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. These muscle groups work together in important movements including extending your hips, tilting your pelvis and bending your knees.

Why should you exercise your hamstrings?

Healthy hamstrings should be strong but also flexible — if your muscle fibres can easily lengthen and contract, there is less risk of muscle tears and soreness. By strengthening this muscle area, you may help improve your posture, mobility and performance, while reducing your risk of injury.

If you’re a runner, hamstring strengthening exercises can also help to improve your speed and running stride. 

Developing strong hamstrings is important when it comes to your overall fitness — strong yet flexible hamstrings can help improve your ability to move with proper muscle and joint function,  which means you’re less likely to rely on other small muscle groups when you’re in motion. 

This over-reliance can contribute to injuries or muscle tightness and may make it hard to progress through your workouts and build strength.

How do you strengthen your hamstrings?

As with any muscle development, the key to building hamstring strength is progressive overload. 

In order to progress, your body needs to be forced to adapt to a pressure above what it has previously experienced. This means gradually increasing the physical demands on your body over time. To gain strength, size and endurance, you will need to gradually lift heavier weights, or lift the same weights but for more reps. 

The goal is to constantly challenge your body with extra pressure so that it is forced to adapt and grow, rather than hitting a workout plateau.

Hamstring exercises you can do at home

As one of the larger muscle groups in your body, your hamstrings will respond well to working out with heavier weights. But that doesn't mean you can't give your hamstrings a tough workout at home using minimal equipment or just your bodyweight.

Try these leg exercises to strengthen your hamstring muscles at home.

Good mornings

This hip-hinging exercise primarily targets the hamstrings, but benefits the glutes and lower back muscles as well. All you need is a barbell or even a wooden broomstick!

1. With a bar resting across both shoulders, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend your knees slightly and without changing the angle of your knees, hinge forward from your hips. Ensure that you maintain a proud chest and that your head is in line with your spine. You should feel tension in your hamstrings (back of your legs).

3. Exhale. Push through your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your hips to return to the starting position. 

Aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Glute bridge

This bridge exercise is commonly used for glute activation and strength, but it's also really useful for strengthening your hamstrings. You can add additional weight or just use your bodyweight - making it an easy exercise to perform anywhere.

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, hip-width apart with your spine in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, press your heels into the mat, activate (squeeze) your glutes and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders.

3. Inhale. Lower your pelvis to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Learn more:Bridge Exercises: Benefits, How To Do It & Variations

Kettlebell swing

Performing a kettlebell swing correctly is all about the hips, and the hamstring muscles will see most of the benefits! If you don’t have a kettlebell, you could also use a dumbbell. 

1. Holding a kettlebell directly in front of your body, stand with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Inhale. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, tilt forwards from your hips and allow the kettlebell to gently swing backwards between your legs. This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your legs and hips to swing the kettlebell forwards and upwards to shoulder height.

3. Inhale. Bend your knees and tilt forward from your hips to lower the kettlebell and return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions, ensuring your glutes and hamstrings power the movement and you are not lifting the kettlebell with your arms and shoulders. You also want to make sure you are bending primarily at the hip, rather than your knees. It should feel very different to a squat! 

Stiff-legged deadlift (with dumbbells)

While deadlifts are arguably one of the best exercises to include in your lower body workout routine, this stiff-legged variation allows you to concentrate more on your hamstrings. All you need is a pair of dumbbells.

1. Holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body) in front of your legs, stand with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bending from the hips only, allow the dumbbells to run along the length of your thighs and halfway down your shins, ensuring you maintain a proud chest and your head stays in line with your spine. You should feel tension in your hamstrings (back of your legs).

3. As you reach halfway down your shins, exhale. Push through your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position. Ensure the dumbbells remain very close to your legs. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Romanian kettlebell deadlift

Similar to the stiff-legged deadlift, this kettlebell variation of the exercise allows you to focus on your hamstrings.

1. Holding a kettlebell with both hands in an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body) in front of your legs, stand with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bending from the hips only, allow the kettlebell to run along the length of your thighs and halfway down your shins, ensuring that you maintain a proud chest and that your head is in line with your spine. You should feel tension in your hamstrings (back of your legs).

3. As you reach halfway down your shins, exhale. Push through your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position, with the kettlebell remaining very close to your legs. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Single-leg deadlift

This deadlift variation is surprisingly difficult! The extra balance and stability needed for the exercise is what makes it challenging, so you can either do it with a light dumbbell or kettlebell or your bodyweight.

1. Hold a weight with your left hand in a neutral grip (palm facing inward) and place your right hand on your hip, with your feet shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend your left knee slightly and without changing the angle of your left knee, hinge forward from your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor, extending your right leg behind you. At the same time, extend your left arm and the dumbbell towards the floor. Keep your hips level, maintain a proud chest and keep your head in line with your spine. You should feel tension in your left hamstring (back of your leg).

3. Exhale. Push through your left heel and use your glute and hamstrings to extend your hips to return to the starting position. Complete half of the specified repetitions on the same side before completing the remaining repetitions on the other side.

Hamstring curl (fitball)

This exercise is not as easy as it looks and you’ll definitely feel the burn in your hamstrings and glutes!  You can perform this exercise on a ball or with your heels resting in TRX handles (suspension trainers). 

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat with your feet elevated on a fitball. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat.

2. Inhale. Using your glutes and hamstrings, gently raise your hips off the floor until you are resting on your upper back and your body forms one straight line from head to toe. This is your starting position.

3. As you exhale, bend your knees to bring your feet in towards your glutes while keeping your feet together and hips elevated off the mat. This movement will cause the fitball to roll in towards you.

4. Inhale. Extend your knees to return to the starting position, keeping your hips elevated the entire time. This movement will cause the fitball to roll away from you.

Aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Bulgarian split squat

The Bulgarian split squat is a compound exercise that requires balance and also works your quads (the muscles on the front of your thighs). It can take a little while to find the right foot placement, but this is an effective lower body exercise once you do. 

Feel free to start with your bodyweight as you find your balance and confidence, and then progress to adding weights like dumbbells.

1. With a bench or chair placed behind you and a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Carefully place your right foot behind you with the ball of your foot resting on top of the bench. Shuffle your left foot forward, if needed, until you feel balanced. Your front standing leg should be about half a metre in front of the bench. 

2. Keep your arms by your sides to hold the dumbbells in a neutral grip (palms facing inwards). This is your starting position.

3. Inhale. Bend both knees to approximately 90 degrees, without letting your front knee travel in front of your toes. 

4. Exhale and push through the heel of your left foot and toe of your right foot to extend both legs and return to the starting position.

Aim to complete 10-12 repetitions on one side, before completing the remaining repetitions on the other side. Repeat this for a total of 3 sets.

Single leg glute bridge

This variation of the glute bridge adds an extra challenge and tests your stability without adding any weights.

1. Lie flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your left knee and position your foot firmly on the mat, extending your right leg directly in front of you or to the ceiling, keeping your spine in a neutral position with your arms resting by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Exhale. Press your left heel into the mat, activate your glutes and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders.

3. Inhale. Lower your pelvis to return to the starting position. Complete half of the specified repetitions on the same side before completing the remaining repetitions on the other side.

Single leg box squat

Try this single leg squat using your bodyweight or increase the difficulty by holding a plate, dumbbell or kettlebell throughout the movement.

1. Place a bench horizontally behind you. Holding an optional weight plate with both hands against your chest, stand with your feet hip-width apart before lifting  your left foot so that you are balancing on your right leg. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Keeping your left leg extended, bend at your hips and right knee, keeping your knee in line with your toes. Continue bending your knee until you are able to lightly sit on the bench behind you, with your back remaining between a 45- to 90-degree angle to your hips.

3. Exhale. Push through the heel of your right foot and extend your leg to return to the starting position. Complete half of the specified number of repetitions on the same side, before completing the remaining repetitions on the other side.

Hamstring exercises to do at the gym

The following gym-based exercises are some of the most powerful hamstring strengthening exercises you can do. Try to incorporate these into your lower or full body days with a focus on good form. Remember, it’s highly recommended that you perform a warm-up before any weights session!

These exercises will require a good range of gym equipment, but the extra resistance they provide will help you see more progress. Just remember, in order to see and feel results you need to consistently and regularly work this area, with the correct form.

Conventional deadlift

The conventional deadlift is the OG posterior chain exercise. As a powerful compound exercise, your whole body will benefit from performing deadlifts.

1. Hold a barbell in front of your legs with both hands in an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body) with your feet shoulder-width apart. Draw your shoulder blades down and back to push your chest out slightly. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bend your knees slightly and without changing the angle of your knees, hinge forwards from your hips and allow the barbell to run along the length of your thighs and halfway down your shins. Ensure you maintain a proud chest and keep your head in line with your spine. You should feel tension in your hamstrings.

3. As you reach halfway down your shins, exhale. Push through your heels and, using your glutes and hamstrings, extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position. Ensure that the barbell remains close to your legs.

Aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Hamstring curl (leg curl machine)

No leg day at the gym is complete without a couple of sets on the leg curl machine! Make sure you have the machine set up well and comfortably before you begin.

1. Begin lying in a prone position (face down) on the leg curl machine. Place your legs under the circular leg pad so that your legs are straight and the pad is resting between your calf and your ankle. Place both hands on the handles. This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, keep your torso as still as possible and bend your knees to pull your heels towards your glutes and bring the circular pad up. You should feel tension in your hamstrings.

3. Inhale. Slowly extend your knees to return to the starting position.

Aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Seated leg curl

If the machine isn’t available for prone leg curls, using the seated leg curl machine is another great way to strengthen your hamstrings.

1. Begin in a seated position on the leg curl machine with your back pressed firmly into the back pad. Place your legs on the circular leg pad so the pad is resting between your calf and your ankle. Adjust the position of the lap pad so it’s resting on top of your thighs. Place both hands on the handles. This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, keep your torso as still as possible and bend your knees and push the circular pad down to bring your heels towards your glutes. You should feel tension in your hamstrings (on the underside of your legs).

3. Inhale. Slowly extend your knees to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Cable hip extension

Upper body exercises like lat-pulldowns, tricep pushdowns and cable flies are usually among the most popular cable machine exercises, but the cable hip extension shows just how useful it can be for working your hamstrings, too.

1. Connect the rope attachment and set the cable pulley at the bottom of the pole. Turn to face away from the cable pulley. Standing one step away with your feet slightly further than shoulder-width apart, keeping one foot on either side of the cable pulley. Place both hands on the rope with a neutral grip (palms facing inwards) and find a neutral standing position, holding the rope directly in front of your body with arms extended. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, hinge forward from your hips until your torso is parallel to the floor.

3. Once your torso is parallel with the floor, exhale, push through your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your hips to return to the starting position. Keep your arms extended and relaxed. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Sumo deadlift

A small change in your stance can make a big difference to your deadlift. Try this variation of a conventional deadlift on your next leg day.

1. Holding a barbell or kettlebell with an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body) in front of your legs, stand with your feet further than hip-width apart and your feet pointing slightly outwards. This is your starting position.

2. Inhale. Bending from the hips only, allow the barbell to run along the length of your thighs. Once the barbell reaches your knees, bend your knees and allow it to run halfway down the length of your shins, keeping your chest proud and your head in line with your spine.

3. As you reach halfway down your shins, exhale, push through your heels and use your glutes and hamstrings to extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position. Ensure that the barbell remains close to your legs.

Aim to complete 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Barbell glute bridge

What's the simplest way to take your glute bridge to the next level? Add extra weight with a barbell.

1. Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, hip-width apart with your spine in a neutral position. Lay a barbell across your hip bones, holding it with an overhand grip (palms facing towards your body). This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, press your heels into the mat, activate your glutes and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders.

3. Inhale. Lower your pelvis to return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Barbell hip thrust

This glute and hamstring barbell exercise may look similar to a glute bridge, but it makes use of a bench. Both have a place in a good lower body program! Like deadlifts, this is an exercise where you'll enjoy seeing the weight you can lift increase over time.

1. Begin seated on the ground, with a bench placed horizontally behind you, and your knees bent. Lay a barbell across your hips, holding it with both hands on either side of your hips. Depending on the weight of your barbell, you may want to place a barbell pad or towel around the bar to increase comfort. With your knees bent and feet firmly planted on the floor, lean back onto the bench so that it is gently pressing into your upper back. This is your starting position.

2. As you exhale, hold onto the barbell, press your heels into the mat and squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting your shoulders on the bench and keeping your head in line with your spine.

3. Inhale and lower your hips to return to the starting position, but without resting your glutes on the mat. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions.

Strengthen your legs with hamstring exercises

Whether you prefer to workout at home or enjoy a challenging leg day using gym equipment, including a range of hamstring exercises in your workouts is important for developing strength and stability.

Now you know some of the best hamstring exercises, you can put them into practice! Remember, the best way to achieve results with your fitness is consistency. Be patient and stay focused on your journey.

Many hamstring exercises also involve your glutes, so it’s a good idea to include some glute and  hamstring stretches after your workouts for the best results and recovery!