My Favorite Hamstring Exercise For Beginners

Not feeling your hamstrings and glutes after hinging exercise can be frustrating. Add on top of that your back is smoked and you have a recipe for burnout and unwillingness to do any kind of deadlift. In this video, I show you my favorite deadlift variation as of late: the single leg rdl to dumbbell row.

Give this a shot with light weights to start to feel your hamstrings and glutes!

Are you looking for a training program that fits your needs? Are you afraid that you might have to take a step back to make progress? Not to worry! I have the experience that will move in the right direction while making you feel continuously challenged and making progress. Click the link below to get started today!

How to Train Your Hamstrings...

When working with clients, I commonly hear that their hamstrings are “tight.” But are the muscles that make up the hamstrings really tight? Most likely not. When there is restriction in ranges of motion, it is rarely caused by the actual length of the muscle and most of the time caused by the position of the joints relative to the muscle. Imagine I took a garden hose and stretch it out, attaching it to a post on either side. If I take one post and bring it farther back, the tension on the hose will be higher, but the actual length of the hose does not change. That’s what happens with your “tight” hamstrings.

The hamstring attaches to the bottom of your pelvis. When the hip flexors are active due to a compensatory breathing pattern, the pelvis will rotate forward. When the pelvis rotates forward this tensions the hamstrings (see picture above).

Now that we know how the hamstrings get out of position, how do you get the hamstrings back into the correct position so that you can train them? In the video, I run you through a simple exercise to reposition the pelvis in order to train them more affectively. Sometimes you have to turn them down before you can turn them up!

If you have tight hamstrings, I’m here to help! Click the link below to get started today!

Strengthen Your Hamstrings!

The hamstrings play a big part in not only the health of the knee, but the stability of the pelvis. Single leg work allows me to position the muscles properly in order for the client to build the hamstrings. Hinging (bending over at the waist) is accesses the hamstrings strikes fear into the hearts (or backs) of most aging athletes. For better hinging, work on getting a solid ribcage position and a back pocket tuck. From there, isolate one side and go nice and slow on the way down.

These single leg variations are an awesome addition to anyone’s workout routine, and allow for tons of variety. Try each exercise for four weeks, build the intensity (increase weight, reps, or sets) then switch to a new exercise. Your hinging will improve guaranteed!

Looking for a personalized touch to your training? Click the link in my bio to set up a free assessment today!