22 Essential Hamstring and Glute Exercises for Strong Legs

Exercise Safety Notice

I am not a dermatologist or A doctor, and this content does not replace professional medical advice. What I share comes from real-life experience, extensive research, and consultation with healthcare providers. Always consult qualified medical professionals for diagnosis and treatment of any health condition.

I am also not a physiotherapist, sports medicine physician, certified personal trainer, or strength and conditioning coach.

Exercise needs to match your health, fitness level, injuries, symptoms, age, and physical ability.

Stop an exercise if you feel sharp pain, sudden tearing, severe back pain, joint pain, numbness, or another unusual symptom.

If you recently injured your hamstring, knee, hip, or back, use a rehabilitation plan from a qualified healthcare professional rather than selecting exercises from a general fitness article.

Quick Answer: What are the best Hamstring and glute exercises?

The best hamstring and glute exercises include Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, glute bridges, leg curls, Nordic curls, single-leg deadlifts, split squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, back extensions, and slider curls.

The best program does not depend on one exercise.

Use several movement patterns.

For hamstrings, include:

• A hip hinge
• A knee flexion exercise
• Progressive resistance

For glutes, include:

• Hip extension
• Squat or lunge patterns
• Single-leg work
• Hip abduction when useful

Current ACSM guidance supports progressive resistance training for all major muscle groups at least twice per week for healthy adults.

Hamstrings and Glutes: What Is the Difference?

Your hamstrings are three main muscles on the back of the thigh:

• Biceps femoris
• Semitendinosus
• Semimembranosus

Most of the hamstrings help extend the hip and bend the knee.

Your glutes include:

• Gluteus maximus
• Gluteus medius
• Gluteus minimus

The gluteus maximus is a major hip extensor.

The other glute muscles also help control the pelvis and move the thigh.

These muscles often work together.

But they are not identical.

That is why a complete posterior chain workout should include more than deadlifts alone.

22 Best Hamstring and Glute Exercises at a Glance

1. Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is one of the most useful hamstring exercises because it loads the hamstrings while they lengthen across the hip.

How to Do It

1. Stand with the weight in front of your thighs.
2. Keep a small bend in your knees.
3. Push your hips backward.
4. Keep the weight close to your legs.
5. Lower only as far as you can while controlling your spine.
6. Drive your hips forward to stand.

You should feel tension in the back of your thighs.

You do not need to touch the floor.

Common Mistake

Turning the movement into a squat.

Think hips back rather than knees forward.

2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

This is often easier to learn than the barbell version.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

Use the same hip hinge pattern.

Keep the weights near your legs.

Start light enough that you can control every repetition.

This is one of my favorite choices for a simple dumbbell hamstring workout.

3. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

The single-leg version trains the hamstrings and glutes while adding a balance challenge.

How to Do It

1. Stand on one leg.
2. Keep the standing knee slightly bent.
3. Push your hips backward.
4. Allow the other leg to move behind you.
5. Keep your hips facing the floor.
6. Stand back up with control.

Hold a wall or chair while learning.

You do not need to make balancing the hardest part of the exercise.

4. Barbell Hip Thrust

The hip thrust is a popular glute exercise.

Research supports hip thrust training as one way to increase gluteus maximus size.

Squats can also grow the glutes.

You do not need to choose one forever.

How to Do It

1. Place your upper back against a stable bench.
2. Position the load safely across your hips.
3. Keep your feet planted.
4. Drive your hips upward.
5. Finish with your hips extended.
6. Lower with control.

A pad can make the bar more comfortable.

Do not force your lower back into excessive arch at the top.

5. Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is a simple home option.

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back.
2. Bend your knees.
3. Keep your feet flat.
4. Lift your hips.
5. Squeeze your glutes.
6. Lower slowly.

Start with 8 to 15 controlled repetitions.

Add resistance only when the bodyweight version feels easy.

6. Single- Leg Glute Bridge

This version increases the challenge with no need for much equipment.

Keep your pelvis as steady as possible.

Do not push through pain.

If your hamstring cramps immediately, return to the two-leg bridge and build strength there first.

7. Seated Leg Curl

The seated leg curl directly trains hamstring knee flexion.

This matters because hip hinges do not train the hamstrings in exactly the same way.

A controlled study comparing seated and prone leg curls found greater overall hamstring muscle growth from the seated position over 12 weeks.

The seated position places several hamstring muscles at a longer starting length.

Form Tips

• Adjust the machine to fit your body.
• Keep your hips against the seat.
• Curl without jerking.
• Lower the weight with control.

8. Lying Leg Curl

The lying leg curl is another useful isolation exercise.

It trains knee flexion without demanding much balance or hip hinge skill.

Keep your hips stable.

Avoid swinging the weight.

If your gym does not have a seated curl machine, this is still a useful option.

9. Slider Hamstring Curl

This is one of the best hamstring exercises at home.

Use sliders or towels on a smooth floor.

How to Do It

1. Lie on your back.
2. Place your heels on the sliders.
3. Lift your hips slightly.
4. Slide your feet away.
5. Pull your heels back toward you.
6. Keep the movement slow.

Start with a short range if the full movement is too hard.

10. Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl

This exercise combines knee flexion with hip control.

1. Lie on your back.
2. Place your heels on a stability ball.
3. Lift your hips.
4. Pull the ball toward your body.
5. Extend your legs again slowly.

Keep the hips controlled rather than letting them drop suddenly.

11. Nordic hamstring curl

The Nordic hamstring curl deserves special attention.

It is an advanced, eccentric exercise.

Research in athletic populations supports Nordic-based programs for improving eccentric hamstring strength and reducing hamstring strain risk.

A 2024 umbrella review included 10 systematic reviews covering 125 studies and 17,260 participants.

It found positive effects on eccentric strength, muscle architecture, performance measures, and hamstring injury prevention.

That does not mean every beginner should immediately perform full Nordics.

Beginner Progression

• Use a resistance band for assistance.
• Use a smaller lowering range.
• Lower slowly and catch yourself with your hands.
• Start with a low training volume.

Nordics can create substantial soreness when introduced too aggressively.

12. Glute -Ham Raise

A glute ham raise trains knee flexion and hip extension on a dedicated machine.

It is different from a back extension.

Use the machine settings that allow controlled movement.

Beginners can reduce the range and use assistance.

13. 45 Degree Back Extension

A back extension can emphasize the glutes and hamstrings when you hinge through the hips rather than repeatedly extending through the lower back.

How to Do It

1. Set the pad below the hip crease.
2. Brace gently.
3. Lower through the hips.
4. Keep the load controlled.
5. Drive the hips into the pad to rise.

Stop when your body reaches a comfortable straight position.

More arch is not better.

14. Good Morning

The good morning is a loaded hip hinge.

It can train the hamstrings, glutes, and trunk.

Learn the movement with a light load first.

A heavy barbell is not required for the exercise to be useful.

Keep the spine controlled and push the hips backward.

15. Reverse Lunge

The reverse lunge trains the glutes along with the thighs.

Stepping backward can feel easier to control for some people than stepping forward.

How to Do It

1. Stand tall.
2. Step one foot backward.
3. Lower under control.
4. Push through the front foot to return.
5. Repeat on the other side.

Hold support if balance is difficult.

16. Bulgarian Split Squat

The Bulgarian split squat is an effective single-leg glute exercise.

It also trains the quadriceps and other leg muscles.

Start with bodyweight.

Use a lower rear foot support if a high bench feels uncomfortable.

Then add dumbbells when your balance and control improve.

17. Step Up

Step-ups can produce high glute activation, although muscle activation measurements should not be confused with guaranteed muscle growth.

Use a step height you can control.

Place the full foot on the step.

Drive through the working leg.

Do not bounce off the back foot.

18. Cable Pull Through

This exercise teaches a loaded hip hinge with the resistance coming from behind you.

It can be a useful alternative if barbell hinges do not suit you.

Keep the cable between your legs.

Push the hips backward.

Then extend the hips to stand.

19. Cable Glute Kickback

The cable kickback is a targeted glute isolation exercise.

Use enough resistance to challenge the muscle without twisting your pelvis.

Keep the movement controlled.

You do not need to kick the leg as high as possible.

20. Banded Lateral Walk

This exercise targets the muscles that help control the hip in the frontal plane.

Place a loop band around the thighs or lower legs.

Keep gentle tension on the band.

Take controlled side steps.

A small range is enough when you can feel the side of the hips working.

21. Clamshell

The clamshell is a simple lateral hip exercise.

How to Do It

1. Lie on your side.
2. Bend your knees.
3. Keep your feet together.
4. Open the top knee.
5. Keep your pelvis relatively still.
6. Lower slowly.

Add a light band only when the basic version is easy.

22. Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing uses fast hip extension.

It is not a squat with a weight swinging overhead.

This is better for people who already understand the hip hinge.

Key Cues

• Hinge through the hips.
• Keep the spine controlled.
• Drive with the hips.
• Let the kettlebell float.
• Do not lift primarily with the arms.

If you are new to resistance training, learn Romanian deadlifts first.

Why You Need Both Hip Extension and Knee Flexion

The hamstrings cross the knee.

Most also cross the hip.

That means they have more than one job.

A Romanian deadlift loads them mainly through hip extension.

A leg curl trains them through knee flexion.

Using both patterns gives you a more complete hamstring workout.

Best Hamstring and Glute Exercises for Muscle Growth

There is no single best exercise.

For glute muscle growth, research supports resistance exercises such as:

• Hip thrusts
• Squats
• Split squats
• Step ups
• Deadlift variations

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that resistance training produces meaningful gluteus maximus hypertrophy.

Both hip thrust and squat-based training can work.

Exercise selection should therefore depend on your goals, comfort, equipment, and ability to progress.

For hamstrings, combine a hinge with a knee flexion exercise.

Examples:

• Romanian deadlift plus seated leg curl
• Dumbbell RDL plus slider curl
• Single leg RDL plus Nordic progression

How many sets should you do?

There is no universal number.

The 2026 ACSM position stand emphasizes that training volume should match the goal.

For general strength and fitness, start modestly.

For muscle growth, higher weekly volume can be useful.

ACSM highlights roughly 10 weekly sets per muscle group as a useful evidence-based reference for greater hypertrophy.

That does not mean everyone must perform exactly 10 sets.

A beginner can make progress with less.

More experienced lifters may need more organized volume.

How Often Should You Train Hamstrings and Glutes?

For healthy adults, training a major muscle group at least twice per week is a strong general starting point.

You could use:

• Two lower body sessions
• Two full body workouts
• A full body program three times per week
• A push-pull-legs schedule

The total weekly work matters more than creating a special “glute day.”

For help choosing a split, read Push Pull Legs vs Full Body.

Beginner Hamstring and Glute Workout

You do not need all 22 exercises in one session.

Four or five movements are enough.

Start with weights that allow clean movement.

Add resistance gradually.

Gym Hamstring and Glute Workout

Home Hamstring and Glute Workout Without Machines

You can build a useful glute and hamstring workout at home.

For more home training, see the NextFitLife Home Workouts and Equipment Hub.

How to Progress Without Changing Exercises Every Week

Progressive overload means gradually increasing the training challenge.

You can progress by:

• Adding a repetition
• Adding a small amount of weight
• Adding a set when useful
• Improving movement control
• Using a larger comfortable range of motion
• Moving to a harder variation

You do not need a new exercise every week.

Repeating movements gives you time to improve them.

Should You Train to Failure?

No.

Training every set to complete failure is not required.

The 2026 ACSM position stand found that advanced methods such as training to momentary failure were not consistently necessary for improving outcomes in the average healthy adult.

For most sets, stop while you still feel you could complete a small number of clean repetitions.

This can make training easier to recover from.

Should You Stretch Your Hamstrings Before Training?

You do not need a long static stretch routine before every strength session.

Warm up for the movements you plan to perform.

Try:

• Easy walking or cycling
• Bodyweight hinges
• Light bridges
• Light versions of your first exercise

Resistance training itself can also improve range of motion.

A systematic review and meta-analysis found that resistance training with external loads improved range of motion, with results similar to stretch training in the available studies.

Stretching can still be used if you enjoy it or need it for a specific activity.

Do strong hamstrings prevent injuries?

The answer needs context.

Strength does not make anyone injury-proof.

But specific eccentric hamstring programs have firm evidence in some athletic populations.

Nordic hamstring programs have repeatedly been associated with lower hamstring strain rates, especially in football and other running sports.

The evidence does not mean:

• Every hamstring injury can be prevented.
• Nordics are the only useful exercise.
• Everyone needs full Nordic curls.
• Strength training guarantees safe sport.

Training load, sprint exposure, fatigue, previous injury, sport demands, and many other factors also matter.

Can Hamstring Exercises Fix Lower Back Pain?

Not automatically.

The old idea that “tight hamstrings cause back pain” is too simple.

Back pain has many causes and contributors.

Strengthening the hips and legs can be useful within a broader exercise plan, but hamstring stretching or strengthening is not a universal cure.

Persistent or severe back pain deserves proper assessment.

7 Common Hamstring and Glute Training Mistakes

1. Doing only deadlifts

Add knee flexion work for the hamstrings too.

2. Doing Only Hip Thrusts

Use more than one glute movement pattern.

3. Going Too Heavy Too Soon

Learn the movement first.

4. Turning Every Hinge Into a Squat

Push the hips backward during hinge exercises.

5. Forcing Range of Motion

Use the range you can control.

6. Starting Full Nordic Curls Too Aggressively

Use easier progressions first.

7. Changing Exercises Before You Can Measure Progress

Keep useful movements long enough to become better at them.

Conclusion: Build Strong Hamstrings and Glutes With Variety

The best hamstring and glute exercises train several jobs rather than repeating one movement again and again.

Use a hip hinge.

Add knee flexion.

Train hip extension.

Include single-leg work.

Use lateral glute exercises when they fit your goals.

Then progress gradually.

Your next step: choose four or five exercises from this guide and train them consistently for several weeks before changing the program.

You do not need all 22 exercises in one workout.

You need the right few exercises performed well and progressed over time.

References and Sources

1. American College of Sports Medicine. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults. 2026.

   Read the full open-access ACSM position stand

   Used for resistance training frequency, progressive training, strength, muscle growth, volume, equipment choice, and the limited need for advanced techniques.

2. The Impact of Resistance Training on Gluteus Maximus Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

   Read the full open access glute hypertrophy review

   Used for current evidence on gluteus maximus growth from resistance training, including squats and hip thrusts.

3. Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy After Training at Long Versus Short Muscle Lengths.

   Read the full open-access seated versus prone leg curl study

   Used for evidence comparing seated and prone leg curl training and hamstring muscle growth.

4. The Effects of Nordic Hamstring Exercise on Performance and Injury in the Lower Extremities: An Umbrella Review.

   Read the full open access Nordic hamstring review

   Used for Nordic hamstring exercise evidence on eccentric strength, muscle architecture, performance, and hamstring injury prevention.

5. Resistance Training Induces Improvements in Range of Motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

   Read the full open access range of motion review

   Used for evidence that resistance training can improve range of motion and may produce flexibility improvements comparable with stretching in healthy participants.

Continue Reading on NextFitLife

Use these guides to build the rest of your lower body and strength training plan.

• Fitness, Home Workouts and Equipment Hub for home strength, dumbbells, resistance bands, and equipment guidance.
• Leg Exercises With Dumbbells for lower body strength at home or in the gym.
• Strength Training Exercises at Home for Beginners for a simple starting program.
• Core Workouts at Home for trunk control, balance, and strength.
• Push Pull Legs vs Full Body for choosing a weekly training split.
• Fitness Man Guide for strength, cardio, mobility, nutrition, sleep, and recovery.
• Benefits of Exercises for heart, muscle, bone, brain, and healthy aging.
• 5 Minute Fitness for short strength and movement sessions on busy days.

About the Author

Adel Galal is the founder and lead writer of NextFitLife.

He has maintained a personal interest in health, fitness, nutrition, sleep, wellness, and healthy aging for more than 30 years.

His health and wellness writing and research communication experience spans more than 15 years.

Adel is not a physician, physiotherapist, sports medicine physician, certified personal trainer, strength coach, registered dietitian, or other licensed healthcare professional.

His role is research communication.

He compares reputable scientific and medical sources, checks important claims, identifies limitations in the evidence, and turns complex health and fitness topics into clear, practical information.

Before founding NextFitLife, Adel spent 29 years working as an IT Manager for the Nestlé Egypt Region.

His professional background included data, planning, information systems, structured review, information management, and problem-solving.

Those skills support his research process.

They are not medical or fitness credentials.

For this article, the main claims about resistance training, glute growth, hamstring training, Nordic curls, exercise selection, and range of motion were checked against ACSM and peer-reviewed open-access research.

Learn more about Adel, NextFitLife's research process, editorial standards, medical review policy, and corrections process on the About NextFitLife page.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hamstring and Glute Exercises

What are the best hamstring and glute exercises?

Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, glute bridges, leg curls, single-leg deadlifts, split squats, reverse lunges, step-ups, and Nordic curls are useful choices. A complete program uses more than one movement pattern.

Can I train hamstrings and glutes together?

Yes. They work together in many lower body movements, especially hip extension. Training them in the same session can be efficient.

How often should I train hamstrings and glutes?

For many healthy adults, training each major muscle group at least twice per week is a useful starting point. Total weekly work, recovery, and training experience also matter.

How many hamstring and glute exercises should I do in one workout?

You do not need all 22. About four or five well-chosen exercises can provide a complete session for many people.

What is the best hamstring exercise?

There is no single best exercise. Romanian deadlifts train the hamstrings through the hip, while leg curls train knee flexion. Using both patterns is more complete.

What is the best glute exercise?

There is no universal best exercise. Hip thrusts, squats, split squats, step-ups, bridges, and deadlift variations can all train the glutes effectively.

Are Romanian deadlifts good for glutes and hamstrings?

Yes. Romanian deadlifts train both muscle groups and are especially useful for loading the hamstrings at longer muscle lengths during the hip hinge.

Are hip thrusts better than squats for glutes?

Both can build the glutes. Research has found similar glute growth from hip thrust and squat training in some studies, while the movements differ in other muscle demands and strength adaptations.

Are seated leg curls better than lying leg curls?

Both train the hamstrings. One controlled study found greater overall hamstring hypertrophy from seated leg curl training, likely because several hamstring muscles begin at a longer length in the seated position.

Are Nordic hamstring curls safe for beginners?

Full Nordic curls are advanced. Beginners can use assisted versions, smaller ranges, and slow lowering repetitions before progressing.

Do Nordic curls prevent hamstring injuries?

Nordic-based programs are associated with lower hamstring strain rates in several athletic populations, especially football. They reduce risk but do not guarantee that an injury will never happen.

Can I train glutes and hamstrings at home?

Yes. Glute bridges, single-leg bridges, slider curls, lunges, bodyweight good mornings, clamshells, and band exercises can all be performed at home.

Do I need heavy weights to build glutes?

No single load is required. Resistance needs to become challenging enough over time. Dumbbells, barbells, machines, bands, and bodyweight progressions can all be useful.

Should I stretch my hamstrings every day?

Not necessarily. Stretching can improve flexibility, but resistance training through useful ranges can also improve range of motion. Stretch according to your goals and comfort.

Can hamstring exercises fix lower back pain?

Not automatically. Back pain has many causes. Hip and leg strengthening may be part of a useful exercise plan, but persistent pain deserves individual assessment.

Why do my hamstrings cramp during glute bridges?

Your hamstrings may be contributing strongly to hip extension, or the exercise may simply be challenging for your current strength. Try bringing the feet slightly closer, using a smaller range, or returning to an easier bridge variation.

How long does it take to build stronger hamstrings and glutes?

Strength can begin improving within weeks, while visible muscle growth generally requires consistent progressive training over a longer period. The timeline varies by training history, food intake, recovery, genetics, and program design.