Ideas for adding extra meat to hamstrings

[Bigtwinjc]

I was wondering what some people like to do to add size to their hamstrings. I’ve been doing stand-up hamstring curls, seated hamstring curls, feet high on the leg press and both narrow and wide stance stiff legs for my hamstrings. Unfortunately my gym doesn’t have a lay down hamstring machine. I want to hear what some people do for their hamstring routine. I usually keep my reps between 10-15 and go to almost failure on every set. I basically want to improve hamstring thickness from side poses. Thanks

 

[fisther69]

I recently had this issue! I didnt have a hamstring curl machine of any type at the time..just a reverse hyper..so, I just started doing rack pulls everyday at 4 sets of 10-20..

This was very sub-optimal but it still worked

 

[buck]

As the biggest muscles in the hamstrings are activated by straightening the hip. I have always done things like RDL's for them as my go 2.

 

[juggy38]

Get to where your hip-hinging of some sort with 3-4 plates per side for reps.

RDLs, SLDLs, good mornings, and even GHR raises are good

 

[dantes]

One of my favorite excersises is using the back extension with a barbell not on the traps but lifting from the floor. It is basically an RDL in a disadvantaged position and I feel it more in the hams and less lower back compared to RDLs. I do this on leg day along with 1 or 2 hamstring curl movements.

I also do a hamstring curl movement on back day to increase frequency and overall volume.

 

[Mufasa123]

Get to where your hip-hinging of some sort with 3-4 plates per side for reps.

RDLs, SLDLs, good mornings, and even GHR raises are good

OP - I'd try out a few of these suggestions (from juggy) and whichever one you feel most in the hams, work in that hard.

I see a lot of curl and isolation type movements in your list op. The above list is heavy free weight compounds as is most of what has been suggested here. There's a reason behind that.

 

[TrippplePPP]

I think you're doing the right things. You don't need the lay-down curl machine as a missing link. You could use a decline bench and squeeze the dumbbell in between your feet if needed to replace that machine anyway. I say keep rotating between the exercises you mentioned and focus on flexing the hams when you practice posing and a lot of stretching.

 

[beastmode121]

All you need for your hamstrings is seated hamstrings curls and stiff leg deadlifts

You can add a lying hamstring holding a DB between your feet if you want to add extra if you don’t have a lying hammie curl

Leg press do not work your hamstrings

 

[juggy38]

OP - I'd try out a few of these suggestions (from juggy) and whichever one you feel most in the hams, work in that hard.

I see a lot of curl and isolation type movements in your list op. The above list is heavy free weight compounds as is most of what has been suggested here. There's a reason behind that.

This^^

Leg curls are good, but it cannot create the agonizing pain of a proper loaded hip hing. And you’re gonna have to play around with it. For me, a SSB GM is 91% hams, but an RDL is 60/40 glute/ham.

Fuck around at the gym and find a
Barbell hip hinge that you feel your hams working, and go to town for 2-3 working sets, and get forklift strong on it

 

[juggy38]

The implements are endless. Conventional dead’s, RDLs, sldls, db RDLs, GMs, trap bar RDLs….poke that booty out and up and rip some
Slag off the floor. Limb and torso length play a huge role on what is moving the weight…so fiddle around and see what hits your hams the most.

I was at a seminar one time, Chad Wesley smith…if your not sure…do 8-10 sets of 10 if an exercise and whatever can’t move
The next day…..is the prime
Mover lol

 

[danieltx]

The problem is very likely your mind-muscle connection and not exercises.

 

[FK86]

Progressive overload on GHR's worked best for me.

 

[Keefs]

I’m gonna say that stretching is something a lot of guys overlook. My hamstrings can get tight as hell and need to be stretched regularly. All the muscles on your backside are somewhat connected unlike the front side. I believe it’s referred to as the P-chain. Just stretching your hamstrings can help relieve tension in the lower back and knees. I’ve also noticed that it helps with size and gains.

 

[Gunsmith]

Good RDL then real kill some curls. Go to failure and BEYOND failure with negatives , drop sets and partial like seen here.
each workout beat your previous with more weight or more reps.
going to almost failure on everything isn’t going drastically impact the muscle , you don’t almost training legs or almost go the the gym , get in there and knock that shit out on a couple exercises.

 

[pesty4077]

Train them first before quads.

 

[Flex500]

I like to train them before quads and I've found a hip hinge that is slow and not explosive and nordic hamstring curls give me that deep and proper target in the hams I'm looking for. I saw major development when I stopped heaving the weight (which is true for anything but I feel like especially for hams with me because I did a lot of heaving) and did very controlled movements with slow transitions to concentric eccentric it made a radical difference.

 

[hulkboy]

I like to train them before quads and I've found a hip hinge that is slow and not explosive and nordic hamstring curls give me that deep and proper target in the hams I'm looking for. I saw major development when I stopped heaving the weight (which is true for anything but I feel like especially for hams with me because I did a lot of heaving) and did very controlled movements with slow transitions to concentric eccentric it made a radical difference.

When I introduced the Nordic curls, and switched mindset to volume (16-20reps) with the other misc ham exercises, my hamstrings transformed.

 

[blackjack]

A lot of good points, for growing I don't think you can beat RDL/SLDL.

However, I think maybe more than any other muscle hammies are very much genetic.

 

[pistonpump]

If u can split your leg days I feel this is beneficial. Like ham glute calves, two days later quads that would give u more focus and u would activate slightly on next leg day. Or for sure do them first in a full leg day. That being said I believe the mind muscle connection is key here and not the heavy loads. Flexing hard when posing or just normal shit thru the day, make that mind muscle connection that translates into your training to really pump and load the hams. Rdl SDL deads all good but if u can't keep the focus on the ham and glute then it's almost a wasted effort. Stretch is super important and getting a peak contraction and holding, also partials to failure.

 

[AllOkJumpmaster]

The problem is very likely your mind-muscle connection and not exercises.

can you elaborate on this?