The Top Hamstring Exercises For Runners

If you’ve ever watched a football player hobble off a pitch or an Olympic sprinter pull up short mid-race, you’ll know how serious hamstring injuries can be. Strained ‘hammys’ are the most common injury in professional non-contact sports, and can take several weeks to recover from.

The good news is that by doing regular hamstring exercises, you can significantly reduce your risk of experiencing this type of injury. The best hamstring exercises condition this crucial muscle group, meaning your hamstrings will be more resistant to strains.

In this guide, you’ll learn about six hamstring exercises for runners, and the benefits of doing them. But first, let’s learn a little more about what the hamstrings are and how you use them when running.

Introduction to hamstrings for runners

Your hamstrings are a group of three muscles which connect your hips to the backs of your knees. The hamstring muscles are the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris.

Every time you walk or run, you use your hamstrings to both contract and extend your thighs, working in conjunction with your quadriceps (or ‘quads’ - the muscles at the front of your thigh). Here’s how you use your hamstrings when running:

1. When your foot strikes the ground, the hamstrings contract (become shorter) to pull you forward.
2. When your foot comes off the ground, the hamstrings contract further so you can swing your lower leg behind you.
3. When your foot swings forward the hamstring extends while your quads are forcefully contracting.

Why do runners get hamstring injuries?

Research shows that most hamstring injuries occur during the final stage of the running cycle (step 3 above). At this point, your hamstrings are extended, but are also working as a brake on your quadriceps. They then also have to absorb the shock of your foot hitting the ground. All this strain can lead to tears (it’s most often the biceps femoris muscle, at the point where the muscle is attached to the tendon).

If you follow sports like football or rugby, you’ll probably have noticed that professionals in these sports are particularly prone to hamstring injuries. This is because hamstring injuries most often occur during moments of intense sprinting, slowing down rapidly, changes in direction or when kicking something.

Different kinds of runners and kinds of running are potentially more at risk of hamstring injuries than others. If you mainly just do steady runs on flat surfaces, you may be less likely to get a hamstring injury than a trail runner who regularly hyperextends their legs while leaping over puddles, someone who does hill sprints, or other kinds of interval running that require speedy sprinting and slowing.

What Are The Benefits of Strong Hamstrings for Runners?

Without a doubt, the main benefit of doing hamstring exercises for running is that it can reduce your risk of injury. For example, one 2019 study looked at how effective Nordic hamstring exercises are in preventing injury. The results found that athletes who do hamstring workouts reduced their injury risk by 50%.

There is also some evidence that hamstring exercises can help improve sprint performance among team sports players, and this is likely also true for runners. There is also some evidence that runners who do hamstring exercises may have improved running economy too - meaning their bodies use energy more efficiently.

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6 of the best hamstring exercises

To help reduce your injury risk, try including some of the following exercises for hamstrings into your running routine.

1. Romanian Deadlifts

Romanian Deadlifts are a great hamstring exercise which will help condition these key muscles. As well as working your hamstrings, they’ll also build strength in your glutes, back and calves - all of which is beneficial for your running.

Safety first: Romanian Deadlifts will require you to lift weights. Always start with a light weight, and only gradually build the load as you get more experience.

Here’s how to do Romanian Deadlifts for hamstring strengthening:

• Select some suitable weights. It’s usually easiest to use a barbell.
• Stand up tall with your feet directly beneath your hips.
• Hold the weight in front of your thighs with your arms extended.
• Now, hinge your hips backwards, while keeping your back straight.
• Slide the weight down along your thighs, until you’re holding them just below your knees.
• Your knees should stay above your heels and your shins should remain vertical.
• You’ll feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Now, thrust your hips forward to return to the upright position.
• Perform three groups of five reps.

Once you feel confident with the standard Romanian Deadlift, you could try single leg Romanian Deadlifts. You begin standing with a dumbbell in your right hand, hanging at arm’s length in front of your right thigh. You then hinge forward, letting your right hand shift up behind you, while balancing on your left leg. You’ll feel the left hamstring muscles work as you hinge back up to standing. Do reps on each leg.

2. Glute-Ham Raises

A glute-ham raise is one of the best exercises for hamstrings, and it also builds strength in your glutes too. Here’s how to do a glute-ham raise:

• You will need to use a glute-ham raise machine - you’ll find them at most gyms. Adjust the machine to your body and height (there should be instructions on the machine itself, but ask gym staff if you’re unsure). The ankle pad should hold your feet securely, and your knees should be towards the back of the platform
• Cross your arms over your chest.
• Keep your back straight and head neutral as you tilt forward from your knees.
• Once at full extension, engage your hamstrings and glutes to pull your torso back upright.

There are a few variations of glute-ham raises:

• Floor glute-ham raises with a partner: If you aren’t a member of a gym, you can perform the same motion outdoors with a mat and a partner. Your partner will hold your ankles in place, while you perform the movement.
• Weighted glute-ham raises: Do the same movement, but hold a weight to your chest. This will add more resistance to the move, so should only be done after you’ve already built up strength with just your bodyweight.

3. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curls

If you’re thinking about how to strengthen hamstrings, then a Swiss ball hamstring curl is a great option. It’s a great exercise for beginners, and requires nothing more than an exercise ball and a mat. Besides working your hamstrings, it will also condition your glutes, core muscles, and boost flexibility. Here’s how to do a Swiss ball hamstring curl:

• Begin lying on your back, with your arms by your side and your palms facing down.
• Put your lower legs on the ball. Lift up through your hips, but keep your upper back on the ground (don’t put any weight on your neck).
• Now, bend your knees, rolling the ball towards you so the soles of your feet are in contract with the ball.
• Finally, roll back out to the starting position, before repeating.

4. Double leg bridge

A double leg bridge is a great hamstring strengthening exercise, which requires no equipment and can be done pretty much anywhere. It will work your hamstrings, as well as your glutes and core. Here’s how to do a double leg bridge:

• Lie on your back with your hands by your side, palms down.
• Bend your knees, so your feet are flat on the ground.
• Raise your hips up from the ground and engage your buttocks and core. There should be a straight line from your knees to your shoulders - you don’t need to hyper extend.
• Keep your upper back on the ground - your neck shouldn’t take any strain.
• Hold the upwards position for a couple of sends, then return to the ground in a smooth, controlled motion.
• Perform three sets of 10 reps.

There are several variations on leg bridges you can try, all of which will work your hamstrings. These include:

• Single leg glute bridge: This is the same movement as a double leg glute bridge, but you lift one leg slightly off the floor during the lifting motion.
• Weighted glute bridge: Once you’ve got some experience with glute bridges, add weight. Place a pad on your hips then put a barbell over it. Use your hands to hold the barbell in place, and perform glute bridges.
• Resistance band glute bridge: In this variation, you loop an exercise band around your knees, which makes your hip and hamstring muscles work harder during the raise.

5. Donkey kicks

Donkey kicks are a fantastic running hamstring exercise - they target your glutes and your hamstrings. As with leg bridges, they don’t require any equipment, so you can do them anywhere. Here’s how to do donkey kicks:

• Get into position on all fours, with your hands directly below your shoulders and your knees hip width apart. Your back should be neutral, and you should be facing the ground.
• Begin the movement by lifting one leg backwards, holding the bend in the knee and keeping your feet flat. Hinge at the hip.
• Once the sole of your foot is facing upwards, squeeze your glute at the top, then return to the start.
• Perform three sets of 15 reps on each leg.

There are multiple variations of donkey kicks, all of which are great hamstring workouts:

• Straight leg donkey kicks: In this variation, you extend the lifting leg straight out behind you with a kick, then return to the start.
• Donkey kick with resistance band: Hook a resistance band around your foot, and hold the other end with both hands. Then, do the donkey kick motion.
• Cable machine kickback: You can do a standing variation of the donkey kick by using a cable machine at the gym. Loop your foot through a suitable cable adjusted to floor height. Stand up facing the machine, then bend your knee behind you to work your glutes and hamstrings.

6. Nordic hamstring curls

A Nordic hamstring curl is one of the best hamstring running exercises, and is proven to reduce injury risk among athletes. If you’re a member of a gym, you may be able to do Nordic hamstring curls on your own by using machines or a barbell over your ankles. But traditionally it’s an exercise you’d do with a running partner.

• Start kneeling on an exercise mat in an upright position. Your training partner will hold your ankles to the floor.
• Cross your hands over your chest and maintain a straight back and neutral head position facing forward.
• Engage your glutes, hamstrings and abs and perform a slow, controlled lean forward towards the floor.
• As you get close to the floor, put your hands out to catch your body.
• Now, curl back upwards, engaging your hamstrings as you lift to the starting position.

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Incorporating Hamstring Exercises into Your Running Routine

As you’ll have noticed, many hamstring exercises for running require equipment - so it tends to be easier to do them at a gym where you’ll have easy access to the things you need. That said, not all hamstring exercises need equipment, so you can still condition these muscles at home or on your local running track.

Most coaches and physios recommend that runners should try to include at least one strength-focused session into their training routines each week. This would be the easiest time to include your hamstring workouts.

More ways to prevent injury

Hamstring running exercises are undoubtedly a valuable way of reducing your risk of running injuries. That said, there are several other things you should consider too:

• Always warm up: It’s impossible to overstate the importance of running warm ups for preventing all kinds of injury, including hamstring injuries. Always perform a warm up before any kind of run - and warm up longer before more challenging hill sprints, interval training and trail running.
• Do some stretching: Particularly if you have a job where you spend a lot of time seated, your hamstrings can become shorter over time as they spend most of the day in a relaxed position. Build some gentle stretching into your routine to help counteract this.
• Wear the right footwear: You can also reduce your risk of hamstring injuries by wearing running shoes that are cushioned, stable and supportive. If you run on trails or fells, trail running shoes that have tough grips can help prevent slipping when you extend your legs when jumping over puddles or obstacles.

Build hamstring exercises into your routine

A hamstring injury is a runners’ worst nightmare - they can put you out of action for several weeks and they’re very painful. By knowing how to strengthen hamstrings, and taking the time to include hamstring exercises into your training, you can reduce your injury risk, and run with more confidence.