The 4 Best Hamstring Exercises
Note: If you are viewing exercise videos on a mobile device, please switch to horizontal view for the best experience.
The video from Physiotutors discusses four effective hamstring exercises, emphasizing their importance in hamstring injury prevention and rehabilitation, especially in elite sports. The video mentions that while the Nordic hamstring curl is highly regarded, there are other exercises beneficial for specific parts of the hamstring muscles, which include the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and both the long and short head of the biceps femoris.
Based on the research by Mendes Villanueva et al. (2016), the video highlights how different exercises target various parts of the hamstring:
- Flywheel Leg Curl and Nordic Hamstring Curl: These exercises are excellent for general hamstring strengthening, particularly targeting the Biceps Femoris short head and the semitendinosus and semimembranosus.
- Hip Extension Conic Pulley: This exercise is recommended for more specific targeting of the proximal biceps femoris long head while minimizing activity in other muscles.
The video demonstrates four specific exercises:
- Buffalo Fall: A kneeling exercise focusing on eccentric contraction of the hamstrings.
- Leg Curl: Performed on a bench with one leg attached to a cable pulley, involving knee flexion and eccentric movement.
- Russian Belt Exercise: Done on an inclined surface, combining hip flexion and eccentric contraction.
- Cable Pulley: A supine position exercise with hip extension and eccentric movement.
These exercises are designed to effectively strengthen different regions of the hamstring muscles, offering a comprehensive approach to hamstring training.