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How to build up hamstring strength?

  • 27-06-2009 07:00PM
    #1
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,396 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    Hi everybody,

    As a result of a lot of cycling etc. my quads are much stronger than my hamstrings. Quads should be about 25% stronger than hamstrings but the gap is larger for me. This is causing knee pain.

    My question is how do I develop hamstring strength? I am a member of a great gym, but I wouldn't consider myself 'strong' as I mostly concentrate on cycling and triathlon training.

    Thanks for the help! I hope this isn't viewed as seeking medical advice, which is not the purpose of the thread.


Comments

  • #2
    gnolan
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,503 ✭✭✭gnolan


    You can try stiff-legged deadlifts, glute-ham raises, ham curls.

    From personal experience i found single-leg split squats really get your glutes and hamstrings

    Check this out:http://exrx.net/Lists/ExList/ThighWt.html#anchor1942303


  • #3
    itsallaboutheL
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,333 ✭✭✭✭itsallaboutheL


    Good Mornings would do ze job also


  • #4
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,396 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Thank you for the help! I will certainly try your suggestions (but I will ask an instructor how to do them first, just in case!).


  • #5
    Khannie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,485 ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    **Timbuk2** wrote: »
    I hope this isn't viewed as seeking medical advice, which is not the purpose of the thread.

    Not in the slightest. :)

    Glute-hams always get me.


  • #6
    DoireNod
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 863 ✭✭✭DoireNod


    I recently started lunges and they are great! They've really helped me improve my squatting.

    Squats will build strength in the whole leg and certainly hamstrings.


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  • #7
    the drifter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭the drifter


    lads pretty much hav eit all above

    stiff leg deadlifts
    romainian deadlifts
    glute hams
    good mornings!!!!

    as for asking the instructor...pretty good videos can be found on yourtube...if you dont think your doing em right record em and post them here and peop's will be glad to help...

    im in the process of correcting your above problem myself as i was always overly quad dominant in my lifts..


  • #8
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,396 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Thank you for the help everybody! I will get started on hamstring exercises as soon as possible (hopefully tomorrow)

    Should I hold back on the squats for the moment? I always thought squats were mainly for quads, is this true?

    I will look at the videos on youtube, but it is no trouble asking the instructors as they are in my gym and they are all very helpful! In any case, I could ask one to watch me to make sure I am doing it correctly.


  • #9
    the drifter
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,338 ✭✭✭the drifter


    nope no reason to stop squatting....there is never a reason to stop squatting.....never ever...:P


  • #10
    DoireNod
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 863 ✭✭✭DoireNod


    the drifter wrote: »
    nope no reason to stop squatting....there is never a reason to stop squatting.....never ever...:P

    :D Agreed!


  • #11
    itsallaboutheL
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,333 ✭✭✭✭itsallaboutheL


    **Timbuk2** wrote: »
    Thank you for the help everybody! I will get started on hamstring exercises as soon as possible (hopefully tomorrow)

    Should I hold back on the squats for the moment? I always thought squats were mainly for quads, is this true?

    I will look at the videos on youtube, but it is no trouble asking the instructors as they are in my gym and they are all very helpful! In any case, I could ask one to watch me to make sure I am doing it correctly.


    I'd put a tenner on them not knowing what a GHR or GM is!


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  • #12
    slemons
    Closed Accounts Posts: 532 ✭✭✭slemons


    Well here's an odd one, but if you can find a leg press machine that has its foot and back plate parallel to the ground, then...
    Do reverse leg presses. Basically put yourself into it backwards.
    Its an excellent exercise and about the only thing a leg press is good for.

    Other than that bulgarians, leg curl(for knee flexion - the second lesser aspect of ham strnegth but still important), bulgarians holds for 1minute, sldl as the lads said (although they fúck up my low back - watch for this).
    Strongman stuff like reverse sled dragging is excellent too...
    And a prowler low push if you have access.
    Good luck.


  • #13
    Transform
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,394 ✭✭✭Transform


    totaly BS - there is EVERY good reason to stop squatting if you have over dominant quads and just switch onto single leg work for the legs instead.

    the ham/qaud balance will not happen unless you give the quads a bit of a break from the squats for about a month or what ever is needed. Oh and a ton of foam rolling in the quads will help lots.

    I very very very rarely start people on squats (vitrially no women for that matter) as 9 times out of 10 the clients come with crap glute strength, over tight and weak hams and very tight hips.

    So taking all that in should you still do squats while rebalancing - hellllllllllll no!


  • #14
    ladowack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭ladowack


    I've had bad knee pain a good couple of months ago and posted a message here as well if i remember, your prob dead right in your analysis and in my opinion most knee pain is due to inbalance. I remedied mine by doing legs curls(prone ones) and I would advise anyone else in same position to due similar. I'm now completely pain free and squating heavy again (180kg for reps for me)

    I would not take much heed in anyone who tells you to do more squats or stiff leg deads or even GHRs or GMs since you are not likely to hit the hams sufficently as
    1. and most importantly these are advanced movements.
    2. they are not contracting the hams over a full ROM and that is what you need.
    3. they are very easy to overload if your not allready quite flexible.
    Also I would advise to do some VMO work (as Hanley advised me, and he was right) and I did leg extensions(shock horror) to target these.


  • #15
    **Timbuk2**
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,396 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Thanks for the help!

    ladowack, your post was very helpful! However, I don't think my gym has the equipment to do prone leg curls.

    Are Good Mornings really not beneficial to hamstrings? I looked them up on the internet and thought they looked good. I suppose if I'm trying to isolate hamstrings, I would try to straighten my legs as much as possible without locking them. Is this correct?


  • #16
    entropi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,730 ✭✭✭✭entropi


    **Timbuk2** wrote: »
    Are Good Mornings really not beneficial to hamstrings? I looked them up on the internet and thought they looked good. I suppose if I'm trying to isolate hamstrings, I would try to straighten my legs as much as possible without locking them. Is this correct?
    Its correct yes, you never lock a joint when doing an exercise as it can cause serious injury if one little thing went wrong with your stance/weight distribution.

    Good Mornings are a really good exercise, however stiff leg deadlifts and squats would be really good compound exercises that will definately help.

    p.s. the whole squats thing...there is one general assumption with lifting that i would hold as being true, all you need are squats and milk:D


  • #17
    ladowack
    Closed Accounts Posts: 55 ✭✭ladowack


    **Timbuk2** wrote: »
    Thanks for the help!

    ladowack, your post was very helpful! However, I don't think my gym has the equipment to do prone leg curls.

    Are Good Mornings really not beneficial to hamstrings? I looked them up on the internet and thought they looked good. I suppose if I'm trying to isolate hamstrings, I would try to straighten my legs as much as possible without locking them. Is this correct?

    Prone leg curls are good but ordinary sitting upright on a seat leg curls are perfectly fine as well, every gym has a leg curl machine.

    The main thing for you is to get a good range of motion and full contraction of the hamstrings (start with legs straight finish with them bent fully, marginally better on prone machine) and GM's/SLDL will simply not give you this so DON'T do them, and added to the fact that they are in my opinion a novice/advanced movement and you need good flexibility and good muscle balance to get good use out of them, stick mainly with curls (4 sets 12-15 reps twice a week, don't go to failure but increase weight every session on your last sets)

    GMs are a good lift to develop glute/ham strength with a certain ROM for powerlifting/weightlifting, and to the beginner/novice they are still one of the best ways to pull a hammy/round a back/roll your neck and miss the gym/sport for two weeks.

    Get the balance right first by doing curls and get pain free, then you might be interested in the other movements, however I'd say you'll be back on the bike at that stage:)

    PS. I could also mention parallel box squats sitting way back on them but TBH its a rare gym that has them so curls will do. if you know what a foam roller is and have access to one as Transform mentions then use it.


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