Best Hamstrings Exercises for Strength — Top 10 Ranked
Building hamstrings strength requires the right exercise selection. Not all hamstrings exercises are created equal — some are dramatically better for strength than others. We ranked these based on muscle activation, progressive overload potential, and how well they match the 3-6 reps rep range that strength training demands.
Exercises are ranked by: (1) Hamstrings muscle activation percentage, (2) compatibility with 3-6 reps rep ranges, (3) progressive overload potential, and (4) injury safety at the required intensity.
The Romanian deadlift is the best hamstring exercise and a foundational hip-hinge movement. It loads the hamstrings through a deep stretch while building the entire posterior chain.
Key Form Cue
Stand with feet hip-width, holding the barbell with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.
The stiff-leg deadlift keeps the knees straighter than the Romanian version, putting more stretch on the hamstrings. The bar starts from the floor on each rep, unlike the RDL which is done top-down.
Key Form Cue
Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell on the floor.
The good morning is a barbell hip-hinge exercise that loads the hamstrings and spinal erectors. It builds posterior chain strength that directly transfers to squats and deadlifts.
Key Form Cue
Place the barbell on your upper back as you would for a squat.
The Nordic curl is one of the most effective hamstring exercises and the gold standard for eccentric hamstring strength. Research shows it significantly reduces hamstring injury rates in athletes.
Key Form Cue
Kneel on a pad with your feet anchored under something heavy or by a partner.
The barbell hip hinge is a controlled hinge pattern with a barbell on the back that targets the posterior chain without pulling from the floor. It trains the eccentric hamstring stretch and the powerful hip extension that transfers to deadlifts and sports.
Key Form Cue
Place the barbell on your upper back as you would for a squat.
The lying leg curl isolates the hamstrings through knee flexion. It is the complement to the leg extension and an essential exercise for balanced leg development and knee health.
Key Form Cue
Lie face down on the machine with the pad just above your ankles.
The seated leg curl provides a slightly different stimulus than the lying version because the hips are flexed, which puts the hamstrings on a greater stretch. Many lifters find the seated version produces a stronger contraction.
Key Form Cue
Adjust the back pad and leg pad to fit your body — the knee pivot should align.
The glute-ham raise works both functions of the hamstrings — knee flexion and hip extension — in a single movement. It builds bulletproof hamstrings and requires serious posterior chain strength.
Key Form Cue
Set up on a GHD machine with your knees on or just behind the pad.
The floor glute-ham raise is a bodyweight exercise where you kneel and slowly lower your torso toward the floor using only hamstring strength. It is one of the most challenging hamstring exercises and develops eccentric strength that protects against pulls.
Key Form Cue
Kneel on a pad and anchor your heels under something heavy or have a partner hold them.
The sumo deadlift uses a wide stance and toes-out position to pull a barbell from the floor with a more upright torso than conventional pulling. It targets the hamstrings, glutes, and inner thighs while reducing lower-back demands.
Key Form Cue
Stand with feet wide and toes pointed out 45 degrees, shins touching the bar.
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