How to Train Hamstring Muscles? | Best Personal Trainer Course in India

Hamstring is one of the most neglected muscle in human body. It lies at the back of the thigh because of which one does not pay attention and tend to skip its strengthening or stretching exercises. Without a doubt hamstring provides aesthetic appeal and it is more likely related to knee health and our lower limb posture. Hamstring is a group of 3 muscles i.e biceps femoris ( short head and long head), semitendinosus and semimembranosus starting from ischium of the pelvis and going just below the knee joint. 

They help in hip extension and are primary knee flexors. In layman language, these muscles help in moving your leg back and primarily bend knee joint. Due to its insufficient training whether its strength or stretch training, many people including athletes face hamstring injuries viz hamstring pull, cramps or tear specially while running or playing a sport. Trainer’s knowledge plays an important role here. The trainer training the general population or athletes must have an idea of the human body. You must have heard about a saying “USE IT OR LOSE IT” meaning either you use a muscle or a joint or any body part so that it remains functional else you will end up losing their normal integrity.

Squat or Deadlift?

People are generally unaware of the movements and the amount of load that can train hamstrings well. The prime movement knee flexion is the only bio mechanically correct movement that can efficiently give a boost to the muscle health. Now people think that while performing conventional squat, bulgarian squat, romanian deadlift, stiff legged deadlift etc, they are targeting this muscle but sadly, this is not the truth. Before getting into any conclusion of the exercises and the muscles you are training in it, you must assess the joint action or the movement to reach the target muscles. 

The knowledge of the load, concentric and eccentric contraction of the muscles, joint actions and muscles performing them directs you to a right conclusion. Always remember whenever you are pushing or pulling a load against gravity, that is named as concentric phase of the target muscles. So if we are lifting a weight by bending our knee against gravity it is concentric phase. 

In a squat or deadlift, you pull the weight upwards which is the concentric phase of the target muscles. Concentric contraction simply means that the muscle is getting shortened in order to produce maximum force so that the movement can be done. If we focus on knee joint, it is getting straightened and this movement is initiated by quadriceps femoris muscle. If observe hip joint, it is also moving into extension mainly performed by gluteus maximus ( hip) muscles and this movement is also assisted by hamstrings. So hamstring is assisting in the above movements and it is not the prime or target mover hence it remain untrained as compared to quadriceps and glutes.

Related Exercises:

The only potent way to target hamstrings as prime muscles is by performing its natural movement which is knee flexion. Knee flexion can be performed by various methodologies such as leg curl with leg curl machine, swiss ball etc. Hamstring is a crucial muscle in our body providing knee stabilization and without a doubt a good aesthetic appeal. We must not overlook them and should train them.

Conclusion:

It is always to better hire a Certified Personal Trainer from a noble institution and let him or her work for you.