Questions tagged [hamstring]

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42 votes
10 answers
117k views

How important is it that a person be able to touch their toes?

For as long as I can remember, I've heard the question "can you touch your toes?" asked by people trying to ascertain another person's physical fitness. I've grown up thinking that being able to touch ...
Joshua Carmody's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
2k views

What bodyweight exercises are good to train the hamstrings?

I'm aware of the following exercises, and I'd like more options: Bodyweight squats (esp. with a raised heel in the lower position) - seems to put far more effort onto the front tigh muscles, so I don'...
mart's user avatar
  • 612
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is cycling good or bad for lumbar hyperlordosis?

From Wikipedia about Lumbar hyperlordosis: Commonly known as swayback, it is common in dancers. Imbalances in muscle strength and length are also a cause, such as weak hamstrings, or tight hip ...
Martin Drozdik's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
175 views

Steel hamstrings

My hamstrings have always been incredibly tight. Since I have memories, never been able to raise a straight leg at more than 30-45° from the ground. Can't do any L-sit,leg raises, romenian deadlift ...
user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
523 views

Hamstrings and running intervals

I've started doing some running intervals/speedwork and notice that my hamstrings get pretty sore afterwards. I do some off-day stretching, although I probably could do more. Should I push ahead and ...
Bill Lefurgy's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Bend knees when stretching hamstrings?

whenever i do the straight leg hamstring stretches i only seem to feel it behind my knees and not in the upper hamstring area. It doesn't feel good stretching like this, and if i stretch too much with ...
bill's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
2 answers
6k views

Machine Leg Curl vs Glute-Ham-Raise

Often when arguing about the Leg Curl Machine being bad (eg. hurt your knees in many cases), people refer to the Glute-Ham-Raise as a way better (less harmful) alternative. To me, the movements of ...
Suimon's user avatar
  • 875
4 votes
1 answer
338 views

Gaining internal hip rotation good for touching toes?

My problem is tight or rather too stretched hamstrings, so i'm trying to solve this problem. Hamstring stretches make me feel unstable so i think they are tight already. I HAVE A KNOT LEFT LOWER BACK ...
pete's user avatar
  • 41
4 votes
1 answer
158 views

adductor / hamstring weirdness in the bottom of squat

I've been squatting for several years and have done regional level competitions and some quasi-formal training and coaching. Normally I can get any additional answers I need from other fitness friends ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 14.8k
3 votes
9 answers
12k views

What are some free weight exercises to isolate hamstrings?

We have tons of squat variations to work the quadriceps and glutes, but I've never seen a free weight exercise to really work the hamstrings. It seems like hamstring isolation is only possible on a ...
JoJo's user avatar
  • 7,257
3 votes
2 answers
210 views

Looking for a replacement excercise for hamstring curl/glute ham raise

I'm in the process of transitioning to a new powerlifting routine that prescribes either hamstring curls or glute-ham-raises as an accessory exercise. Those make perfect sense and would address some ...
UnbescholtenerBuerger's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
574 views

How to loosen up the hamstring?

I have a very hard hamstring. I can stretch my hamstring to a good extent, i.e., touch the floor without bending the knees with my knuckles but not beyond that. At that stretch point, I feel a stone-...
Freakyuser's user avatar
  • 1,431
3 votes
2 answers
284 views

I'm rather flexible, how should I stretch my hamstrings?

When I'm standing I can have my hands flat on the floor and not feel much of a stretch in my hamstrings. Currently I've been lying on my back, and with one leg straight out in front, pull the other ...
aec1130's user avatar
  • 31
3 votes
0 answers
198 views

How NOT to be Afraid of Using Glute-Ham Raise (GHR) Machine

Some background: I've been into bodybuilding for a few years, but only 2 months ago I started to go to a proper gym with a proper trainer. For a full-month my trainer checked me up of my muscles, ...
Athin's user avatar
  • 153
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

Movement for Good Morning vs. RDL

I'm rehabbing a pulled hamstring, so I'm doing weight lifting for the first time, on the instructions of the physio. She has me doing both "Good Mornings" and "Romanian Deadlifts". It seems like the ...
Brondahl's user avatar
  • 295
2 votes
2 answers
190 views

How does over stretching hamstring injury work?

I have recently started doing Yoga, and I think I over stretched my hamstring. (I wanted quick result so I pushed pretty hard at a lot of poses, e.g. forward fold, wide leg forward fold etc) initially ...
Sam's user avatar
  • 123
2 votes
3 answers
152 views

How to increase flexibility from the basics?

I am quite athletic, and I regularly workout and play soccer, but I am much less flexible. I can't even bend and put my hands near my toes (it reaches up to my shins when I feel tighness from ...
S.D's user avatar
  • 679
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Does cycling tighten hamstrings?

I've always been unable to touch my toes. This is becoming increasingly problematic for my yoga. Of course focusing on stretching my hamstrings helps and I'm making progress but I'm concerned that my ...
Barney's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
5 answers
409 views

Hamstring isolation exercises

So I've had my ACL reconstructed using hamstring tendon graft. I have done physiotherapy course with a doctor which restored ROM and quads control. However apparently the initial injury itself has ...
Alexey Kamenskiy's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
61 views

Chronic Hamstring Problem

I play soccer once or twice a week and always seem to pull my hamstring once or twice a season. This has been happening for years. Even when I was in college and in shape I was struggling with this. ...
marty's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
1 answer
97 views

Lunge - Deep painful stretch in Hamstrings

Lately I have been trying out some new excercises to train my legs. One of which is the Lunge. Now I noticed that when doing them without weight, I had no problem at all. But when I took about 10kg ...
Ivaro18's user avatar
  • 145
1 vote
2 answers
7k views

severe pain after squats

I usually walk 5 km everyday and suddenly thought of doing squats without any warm up. I did 20 repetitions, 2 times, and never felt any pain at all. In the evening, I felt stiffness, but then, I was ...
thndrkiss's user avatar
  • 113
1 vote
2 answers
276 views

I can't figure out which muscle is weakest/tight

So I'm a female, age 26, height about 5'5', weight about 116-119 pounds, no medical conditions, no medication, was active in sports and regular exercise from age 11-16. I have a few problems which ...
Amanda M.S's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
9k views

touching toes without bending knees exercises

i've never been able to touch my toes without bending my knees. from the research that i've done, i believe that improved flexibility in the hamstrings and lower back is the best way to reach this ...
itjcms18's user avatar
  • 113
1 vote
1 answer
617 views

Next to no glute / hamstring activation when squatting

What to do? Even when squatting without weight, I just feel like the quads are doing 99.8% of the work. Lately I've been having some discomfort while squatting with higher weights. Is there a way to ...
dsp_099's user avatar
  • 111
1 vote
1 answer
108 views

Train hamstrings unilateral?

In my opinion, it's pretty much like common sense that it can be quite effective to not only train bilateral (Squats, Bench Press, Bent over Rows, Deadlifts) but also unilateral (Split Squats, DB ...
Suimon's user avatar
  • 875
1 vote
1 answer
58 views

Reverse hip raises with weight on legs

After doing reverse hip raises for a few days, I am finding that to feel any tension in the legs, I need to hold the position for a long time. This quickly gets boring. So I want to increase the load, ...
ahron's user avatar
  • 528
1 vote
2 answers
794 views

Can posture braces help strengthen muscles?

Lately I have been trying to correct my bad posture (curved shoulders and anterior pelvic tilt). Among all the possible solutions I found, the most common were the stretches and other exercises to ...
Yuran Pereira's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
89 views

Exercise that loads hamstring whilst reaching its peak ROM?

I've recently realised that I have very tight hamstrings - when lying flat on the ground, I can only lift each leg around 75 degrees off the floor when doing this: Though I'm keeping my legs straight,...
andrewb's user avatar
  • 920
1 vote
2 answers
5k views

hamstring pull when bench pressing

I was doing a 4RM on my bench press today, and on the last one (it felt like) it was moving about 1cm/hour. I got it up, but I felt my foot come off the floor and I pulled my hamstring. The hamstring ...
Eric's user avatar
  • 14.8k
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Leg curl (hamstrings) machine - legs wide or narrow? Or both?

I've been using the leg curl machine recently, and I am wondering if how far apart one's legs are makes a difference to the exercise. Usually my feet are regular squat-width apart (shoulder width). ...
VictorySaber's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
2k views

Lower back pain during heavy squats

Doing squats with a light weight (25% of max) I find no problem, but once I go to 50% of max (barbell i.e. not in a smith machine) and get to my third set of 20, I feel a dull pain in my lower back at ...
VictorySaber's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
114 views

What are the best strength routines for runners?

I am moving to a house and finally have the space to build a home gym. I run 10-15km daily and would like to use the gym for strength training, specifically for my hip flexors, quads and hamstrings ...
Frank 's user avatar
  • 11
0 votes
1 answer
69 views

Straddle position

At this moment I am working on my straddle planche. I've noticed that when performing it I've got those 2 problems: I am unable to fully straighten my legs ( lack of hamstring flexibility? ) while ...
Liiuc's user avatar
  • 329
0 votes
1 answer
28 views

Is it common to have one sore hangstring / IT band?

I've been running for years and only my left IT band has been sore lately. No recent injuries (rolled my last ankle something good 7 months ago) and haven't added any additional mileage lately. I ...
mattsolar's user avatar
  • 209
0 votes
1 answer
80 views

Nordic Hamstring Curls (without bending arms)

I have quite a unique problem, in that I'm struggling to rehab my lower hamstring tendinopathy because of a tendinopathy in my elbow (tricep). The physio prescribed me eccentric / Nordic Hamstring ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
37 views

Could these symptoms be of a pulled hamstring? [closed]

This morning (Thursday) I was running intervals on the treadmill, 4 minutes running - 1 minute walking, and I did them just a little faster than I usually do them. At the fourth interval I started ...
Sergio Romero's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
152 views

Can tight hip flexors cause tight hamstrings?

Today I noticed that when I sit like this: My left leg goes comfortably all the way down, but my right leg won't. It won't go down past 45 degrees unless stretched. Does this mean that the right hip ...
SurpriseDog's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
332 views

Hamstring injury - has it healed? [closed]

While playing squash 4 weeks ago, I made a false step and felt a snap in my hamstring. There was no immediate pain associated to it. However, when it cooled down, it made me limp a bit. From what I ...
Mathusalem's user avatar