Nobody wants to get sore and everybody wants to go fast. A few simple hamstring exercises can help us turn those dreams into reality. The hamstring is a group of three muscles on the back of our thigh. Together they produce and control a portion of the force required for us to run. First we’ll explain how the hamstrings work in the running stride and why making them stronger is important; then we’ll show you the best hamstring exercises for runners.
What do hamstrings do when running?
When our foot first hits the ground, the hamstring contracts to help pull us forward. At the end of the foot-on-ground part of the stride (the stance phase), it contracts further to pull our heel up into the swing-the-knee part of the stride. As the knee swings forward toward the next foot-strike (the end of the swing phase), the hamstring works as it stretches to slow down the forward motion of the knee and pull the leg into the foot-strike position. Repeat this cycle a few thousands times, and you’ve got a 30 minute jog!
Do runners need strong hamstrings?
Yes. Runners need strong hamstrings for two reasons: to avoid injury and to become healthier stronger, and maybe faster athletes.
- To avoid injury. Like most muscles in the running stride, the hamstrings work both as they stretch and as they contract. With so many thousands of extensions and contractions in an average run, they need to be strong to avoid injury. The evidence clearly shows that the hamstring exercises for runners shown below can reduce re-injury rates (study) and reduce the likelihood of hamstring strains.
- To become a healthier overall athletes. The running stride is extremely complicated and doesn’t have cheat codes. Because so many different muscles and systems are involved, researchers rarely prove things like “this one exercise will definitely make you faster.” Evidence on hamstring strength translating directly to improved speed is mixed (study, study) but we can confidently assume stronger muscles are more resilient to training. Running fast makes your hamstrings sore (study), and expanding your tolerance by making the muscles stronger will make you a healthier runner overall. Muscular strength is never a runner’s weakness.
I wish I could say there was evidence to prove that hamstring strength was the key to out kicking your rivals, but the truth is you’ll need strength in a lot of different areas (including your circulatory system) to do that.
To summarize the evidence: strong hamstrings wont turn you into Eliud Kipchoge or Usain Bolt, but it’s a good idea to strengthen your hamstrings because athletes who do so get injured less and probably get less sore too. Strong muscles = strong runners. P.S. If you frequently deal with hamstring tightness, we’ve got a short article explaining how you can fix that here.
The best hamstring strengthening exercises for runners
These three exercises load the hamstrings as they stretch and as they contract. Since the hamstring does both of these things under load during the running stride, any hamstring strengthening routine for runners should include both!
Exercise 1: Nordic Hamstring Curls
How to try it: slowly lean forward until you feel your hamstrings working hard. Then release and gently catch yourself with your hands. You may only be able to lean forward a few inches before it becomes too challenging. That is a fine starting point and you will build strength quickly!
Why it works: this is the most robustly analyzed exercise for hamstring injury prevention. It strengthens the muscle as it stretches (that’s the magic) and athletes who consistency incorporate it into their training cut their rates of injury dramatically. Just start cautiously because it can make ya super sore!
Exercise 2: Single leg RDL’s
Why it works: This exercise loads the hamstring as it shortens, which is critical for the stance phase of the stride. Because it is single leg, it also strengthens our hip muscles which work in tandem with our hamstrings!
Exercise 3: Eccentric bridges
Why it works: this is a second great exercise for strengthening the hamstring as it stretches. Since it requires only a slick floor, you can do it in place of the Nordic curl or as a way to prepare for nordic curls. When we pick up the pace, our hamstrings must produce much more force as they lengthen (study) so exercises that load the hamstring in the same way are key!
We’ve built this routine, along with a few other key exercises, in the Recover Athletics studio. The Recover App helps runners fix aches and pains and prevent injury. A year’s subscription costs less than one trip to physical therapist and your first routine is completely free. Give the app a try today!
If you’d like to learn more about Recover Athletics and our mission to help everyone run pain free, meet our team here.