Best 16 Hamstring and Glute Exercises: Your Path to Fitness Triumph

Discover fitness success with our curated list of the best 16 hamstring and glute exercises. Transform your body and embrace a path to triumph!

Want stronger, more sculpted hamstrings and glutes? Targeting these muscle groups with focused exercises can enhance performance and reduce injury risk. This article will give an overview of the anatomy, detail the benefits, and showcase the best Hamstring and Glute exercises to take your training to the next level.

Hamstring and Glute Anatomy

Located at the back of the thigh and buttocks, respectively, the hamstrings and glutes are some of the body’s largest, most powerful muscles.

The hamstrings consist of three muscles:

• Biceps femoris
• Semitendinosus
• Semimembranosus

They allow hip extension and knee flexion.

The gluteal muscles include:

• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus Medius
• Gluteus minimums

Their main actions are hip extension, abduction, external rotation, and stabilization of the pelvis.

Working these posterior chain muscles together provides complete training for strength, speed, and injury resilience.

Benefits of Hamstring and Glute Exercises

Dedicated Hamstring and Glute exercises offer many benefits:

• Increased strength and muscle mass
• Improved athletic performance – acceleration, jumping, sprinting.
• Enhanced fat burning and calorie burn.
• Reduced risk of lower body injuries
• Better posture and spinal alignment
• Pain relief – low back, hip, knee, sciatica
• More sculpted, attractive backside

Top 16 Hamstring and Glute Exercises

 

Ready to strengthen your posterior chain? Here are the top 16 exercise choices for hitting your hamstrings and glutes from every angle.

1. Romanian Deadlift

• Feet shoulder-width apart, barbell at hip height.
• Push hips back, lowering the bar towards feet.
• Keep back straight, knees soft.
• Drive through heels to return to start.

2. 

 

• Stand with feet hip-width, barbell across back.
• Hinge at hips, lowering torso forward.
• Descend until parallel to the floor.
• Squeeze glutes and hamstrings to return up.

3. Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back with knees bent, and arms at sides.
• Drive heels down, and squeeze glutes to lift hips.
• Keep the core engaged throughout the movement.
• Lower back down with control.

4. Hip Thrust

• Sit with shoulders on the bench, feet hip-width apart.
• Drive through heels to thrust hips upwards.
• Squeeze glutes at the top, then slowly lower.

5. Kettlebell Swing

• Hold the kettlebell with both hands between legs.
• Hinge at hips, swinging kettlebell back.
• Explosively drive hips forward to swing the weight up.
• Squeeze glutes at the top.

6. Single Leg Deadlift

• Balance on one leg, slight knee bending.
• Hinge at hip, lowering torso while lifting another leg back.
• Descend until parallel to the floor. Squeeze glutes to return up.

7. Curtsy Lunge

• Step one foot diagonally behind the other, lowering into a deep lunge.
• Push through the front heel to return to the start.
• Repeat on both sides. Keep the torso upright.

8. Step Ups

• Place one foot firmly on the box or step.
• Drive through heel to step up, bringing other foot to meet.
• Step back down with control. Repeat on both sides.

9. Cable Kickbacks

• Attach an ankle cuff to a low cable pulley.
• Keeping the leg straight, kick the leg back, squeezing the glutes.
• Slowly return to the start position with control.

10. Fire Hydrants

• On all fours with a flat back.
• Lift one knee out to the side, rotating the hip to lift the leg.
• Squeeze glutes at the top. Return to start.

11. Donkey Kicks

• On all fours, knees under hips.
• Kick one leg back, squeezing the glutes at the top of the move.
• Return to the start position with control.

12. Glute Bridge March

• Perform a glute bridge, driving hips upwards.
• Lift one foot 2-3 inches off the floor, squeezing glutes.
• Alternate lifting each foot while hips remain raised.

13. Frog Pumps

• Start in a frog position on the floor with knees wide and heels together.
• Push through heels to lift hips upward.
• Focus on using glutes to lift and lower down with control.

14. Seated Leg Curls

• Sit at the machine with a pad behind your knees, thighs on the pad.
• Curl legs inwards, squeezing hamstrings.
• Slowly straighten the legs back to the start position.

15. Lying Leg Curls

• Lie face down on the machine, calves under the pad.
• Bend knees, bringing heels toward glutes.
• Emphasize hamstring squeeze. Return legs slowly.

16. Nordic Hamstring Curls

• Kneel on the floor with toes anchored under the stability bar.
• Slowly lower the body forward by controlling eccentric.
• Use your hamstrings to return to the start position.

Mix up these moves, targeting the hamstrings and glutes for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, 2-3 days per week. Progress by adding weight or increasing resistance.

Sample Hamstring and Glute Exercises Routine

 

Here is a sample workout hitting the hamstrings and glutes from multiple angles:

Warm Up: 5 minutes cardio, dynamic stretches

Exercise 1: Glute Bridges – 3 sets x 12 reps

Exercise 2: Romanian Deadlift – 3 sets x 8 reps

Exercise 3: Step Ups – 3 sets x 10 reps each leg

Exercise 4: Hip Thrust – 3 sets x 10 reps

Exercise 5: Seated Leg Curl – 3 sets x 12 reps

Exercise 6: Kettlebell Swing – 3 sets x 15 reps

Cooldown: 5 minutes of light cardio, static stretches

Perform this routine 2-3 days per week over 6-8 weeks. Progress exercises by adding weight or increasing reps over time. Allow at least one day of rest between training.

FAQs about Hamstring and Glute Exercises

  

Can you train the glutes and hamstrings together?

Yes, it’s very effective to train your glutes and hamstrings in the same workout. Exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and hip thrusts target both muscle groups at once. Just make sure to include some isolation moves like glute bridges and leg curls too.

How do I strengthen my glutes and hamstrings?

Some successful ways to strengthen your glutes and hamstrings include doing glute bridges, squats, lunges, deadlifts, and step-ups. Using resistance bands and weights will help build strength faster. Also, focus on squeezing and engaging your glutes during exercises.

Do hamstrings grow glutes?

Working your hamstrings will not directly grow your glute muscles. However, strengthening your hamstrings improves glute activation since they work together to extend the hips. Prioritize glute-specific moves like hip thrusts and fire hydrants if glute growth is the main goal.

Is 1 hamstring exercise enough?

Doing just one hamstring exercise is not enough for full development. Include at least 2-3 moves like Romanian deadlifts, glute ham raises, and seated leg curls that work the hamstrings through different ranges of motion. More variety equals better results.

Is it OK to skip hamstrings?

It’s best not to skip directly training your hamstrings for long periods. Hamstrings support knee health and pelvic/hip alignment. Weak hamstrings increase injury risk. Aim to train them 1-2 times per week for balanced strength and performance.

Is it OK to stretch your hamstrings every day?

Yes, it’s perfectly fine and beneficial to stretch your hamstrings lightly daily. Just avoid intense or painful stretches if very sore. Gentle daily hamstring stretches improve flexibility and recovery between strength sessions. Listen to your body’s limits.

 Conclusion

Strong, sculpted hamstrings and glutes are achieved through targeted hamstring and glute exercises like deadlifts, bridges, thrusts, and curls. Train these large muscle groups 2-3 days per week to boost performance, reduce injury risk, and build an athletic physique. With hard work and consistency, you’ll be well on your way to fitness triumph!