What exactly are the hamstrings? And what exercises do you use the most? This is shown by Luise Walther, an expert in neuro-centric training.
The hamstrings are the muscle group of the entire back thigh. They are also called ischiocrural muscles. These include the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus muscles. Your job is to straighten your hips and bend your knees. With that, the hamstrings are in action at every step. Whether you’re running, playing golf, or tennis, it’s always a good idea to train your hamstrings. Because they are important for fast movements, stabilization and mobility.
Sports injuries to the hamstrings are common
From muscle hardening to cramps to muscle injuries, they are among the most common sports injuries. Most of the time, this is because the tension between the front and rear thigh muscles is unbalanced. The front thighs are often better trained and the hamstrings as opponents cannot compensate for the movements. In the event of an acute injury, seek immediate medical attention.
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Possible consequences of untrained hamstrings
In general, the hamstrings tend to weaken (technical term: phasic) and tighten, especially if they are not trained enough. This is often related to insufficiently trained buttocks. If you then move forward, for example, the back muscles take over the stabilization. In the long run, this can lead to back pain and, in the worst case, to sciatica.
To prevent this, it makes sense to train the hamstrings. In the long term, it makes sense to do targeted strength training. But you don’t have to train on machines and with weights right away. For the beginning, it is particularly important that you can tense and relax the muscle group mindfully and consciously. This is how you achieve movement competence and can prevent injuries.
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Four exercise recommendations from the expert to train the hamstrings
The following exercises work the hamstrings. It is important not to go into the pain or discomfort. For example, anyone who tends to cramps in the rear thighs should warm up before the exercises and start the exercises slowly and in a controlled manner. Only perform the movement as far as you can safely control it. Breathe in and out evenly through your nose during the exercises. Paying attention to the contraction and relaxation of the hamstrings promotes body awareness in this area and means that you can move with more ease in everyday life.
leg activation
This exercise mobilizes and activates the leg nerves. Starting from the spinal cord, the nerves branch out to all extremities. A lot of sitting often does not move the nerves and therefore the muscles and limbs sufficiently. Do this exercise very gently and at low intensity as the peripheral nerves are very sensitive tissue. The exercise should never hurt or be uncomfortable.
- Stand upright in a stepping position and make sure your spine is straight
- Extend your right leg forward on the floor, place your heel on the floor and lock your knee
- Pull your foot up toward your knee
- Mobilize and activate the leg by bending slightly forward with a straight upper body, stretching and then leaning back again.
- Rock into this mobilization several times
- Now stretch your right leg backwards on the floor, placing your insteps on the floor
- Here, too, rock into the mobilization several times by pushing your body forward and doing a slight knee bend
- Then perform the sequence of movements with the other side
Hip mobilization in 90 degree 90 degree position
This advanced stretching exercise stretches the right piriformis muscle, part of the external rotators in the hip.
- Activate the abdominal muscles, pull the navel inwards slightly and tighten the gluteal muscles
- The torso is centered over the center of gravity
- Be sure to keep your back straight and stretched, chest out
- Bend both legs at a 90 degree angle in front of the body
- Place your hands on the floor behind your body
- Press your heels into the floor and try to keep them in this position the whole time if possible
- Now move across the middle to the other side by rotating both legs simultaneously from the hips
- As an increase, you only use one hand for support
- You can also try crossing your hands in front of your body and, with your body upright, alternately rotating your legs at a 90-degree angle from right to left
hip pendulum
This exercise mobilizes the hips. By using the entire range of motion, the hip capsule and the surrounding tissue are better supplied with blood and the muscles and tendon attachments are better able to coordinate the movements. The internal and external rotation of the hips is improved and the buttocks are trained. Keep your spine long and straight. Start with a small range of motion and gradually increase. Those who need balance can hold onto a wall or a chair. Perform the movement from the hips in a controlled manner and try to keep the pelvis stable.
- Bend your right leg 90 degrees in the air
- Hold the 90 degree angle and let the lower leg relax.
- Now swing your lower leg inwards and outwards. Make sure that the movement comes from the hips and not from the knees
- Try to swing your leg loosely
- Now move the bent leg outwards and perform the same pendulum movement
- Then repeat with the left side.
In order to keep the pelvis as stable as possible, you should pull the pubic bone slightly towards the navel. As a progression, you can adjust the height of the leg and rotate the leg inwards and outwards.
Bridge
This exercise activates posterior extensor chain. The main goal is to reactivate the gluteus maximus after sitting for too long. Make sure your body is straight between your shoulders, hips and knees. The hips should be maximally extended during the final position. Lower your buttocks just to the floor. Inhale as the hips drop and exhale as the hips extend.
- Lie stretched out on your back, pull your legs up, arms are stretched out at your sides
- Build pressure with your heels in and your toes out
- Stretch your hips and tighten your buttocks to the maximum
- Hold for 3 seconds and then lower your buttocks to just before the floor
- Do not drop your hips and repeat the exercise
It’s important to breathe normally during the exercise and contract your abdominal muscles slightly with your belly button inward. Place your feet a little more than hip-width apart and rotate your toes outward. This helps activate even more fibers in the gluteus muscles.
You can try the following variations:
- Just lift your heels and pull your toes toward you while lifting your buttocks off the floor.
- Place both feet, lift your buttocks, stretch out one leg, lower your buttocks to the floor and put your leg back down. Repeat the process a few times. Then switch sides.
- Plant both feet, raise your buttocks, stretch out one leg and then lower your buttocks back to the floor (keeping your leg stretched out in the air). Repeat the process a few times, then put your leg back down. Then switch sides.
- Put both feet up and lift your buttocks. Walk with your feet forward until your knees are extended. Then lower your buttocks and come back to the starting position. Repeat this process a few times.