Have you been performing home workouts but are struggling to target your hamstrings and improve flexibility? You’re not alone.
Located on the back of the upper leg, these muscles bend the knee and straighten the hip. This makes them a tough muscle group to target without the necessary equipment.
But what if we told you could target them with nothing more than your body weight?
In this article, we discuss eight bodyweight hamstring exercises. We provide a detailed description for each movement, a step-by-step technique guide, and highlight their benefits.
8 Hamstring Bodyweight Exercises
These are the eight bodyweight hamstring exercises to increase lower body muscle mass and improve flexibility in 2025:
- High Knee.
- Seated Hamstring Stretch.
- Seated Forward Bend.
- Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlift.
- Butt Kicker.
- Standing Forward Bend.
- Dynamic Hamstring Stretch.
- Hurdle Stretch.
These use different movements and angles to strengthen and lengthen the hamstrings. They can be performed together to increase training volume and achieve greater results.
8 Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises
These eight bodyweight hamstring exercises increase muscle mass and improve strength. Below, we list a technique guide, load recommendations, stretch durations, and training tips to achieve the best results.
High Knee
High knees are full-body movements that can be used to warm up and engage the hamstrings. Resembling running on the spot, each time we lift our knees, our hamstrings lengthen and shorten in quick succession. This elevates our heart rate, warms muscle tissue, and reduces passive stiffness for a greater range of motion.
As we lift the knee, the hamstring fibers attaching to the pelvis lengthen while shortening to flex the knee. Meanwhile, the hamstring of the straightened leg’s pelvic fibers shortens while the knee-attaching fiber lengthens.
How To Do
- Standing, bend your elbow so your forearms are parallel to the floor.
- Push off the floor with your right leg and drive your left knee toward the ceiling.
- As this happens, simultaneously raise your left arm forward and lift your right elbow back toward the ceiling.
- From here, allow your left leg to straighten, and drive your right knee toward the ceiling.
- As this happens, allow your arms to swing through. Lift your right arm forward and your left elbow backward.
- Alternate this pattern for your desired duration.
Tips
- For a gentle warm-up, remain relaxed, bouncing off your calves and driving your knees up.
- Increase the intensity by driving your arms and knees upward while forcefully planting your foot to the floor.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 15–20 seconds |
Seated Hamstring Stretch
The seated hamstring stretch has long been a staple for lower-body flexibility routines. It targets all the hamstring muscles: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris long head and short head. During this stretch, both the pelvis and knee joint attachments are lengthened.
The seated position provides stability, allowing us to focus on getting the best stretch. We recommend adding this to the end of your workout to increase flexibility.
How To Do
- Sit down with your legs straight and bend your right knee.
- Lower your right knee to the floor so your sole faces the inner side of your left thigh.
- Grasp your right ankle with your right hand.
- Breathe in, then breathe out as you reach forward with your left hand to grab your toes.
- Hold this position for the desired duration and then switch sides.
Tips
- Focus on correct breathing and exhaling as you reach forward. This will improve your reach.
- Stretch until you feel tension within the muscle. Avoid stretch
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–3 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 2–3 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 2–3 | 15–20 seconds |
Seated Forward Bend
The seated forward bend is designed to stretch and lengthen the hamstrings. Unlike the seated hamstring stretch, both legs are straight during this stretch, targeting the pelvic and knee attachment points.
If you have limited hamstring flexibility, we recommend first building up your flexibility with the seated hamstring stretch.
How To Do
- Sit on the floor with your legs straight and your torso upright.
- Breathe in and lift your arms directly overhead.
- Breathe out, bend forward at the hips, and reach for your toes.
- Hold for one second, sit up, and return to the starting position.
Tips
- This stretch can be performed dynamically or as a hold. For a dynamic stretch, perform your desired number of repetitions with a short one-second hold. For a static stretch, hold for your designated duration, then release.
- Focus on correct breathing and exhaling as you reach forward. This will promote relaxation and reduce tension, improving your stretch.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–3 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 2–3 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 2–3 | 15–20 seconds |
Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlift
The bodyweight single-leg deadlift is a compound exercise that improves lower body function and increases muscle mass. The primary movers are the hamstrings and glutes. The secondary movers are the erector spinae, quadriceps, gastrocnemius, and soleus.
This exercise is centered around using the hamstring and glutes, teaching correct lifting techniques. Meanwhile, the single-leg stance requires us to stabilize through the hips, knees, and ankles. This promotes greater bicep femoris and gluteus medius activation compared to the conventional deadlift.
How To Do
- Standing with your feet hip-width apart, gently pull back your shoulder blades to create a proud chest.
- Simultaneously, lean forward from the hips and kick your right leg back.
- Lean forward until your torso and right leg are parallel to the floor.
- Then, lower your right leg and lift your torso to return to the upright position.
- Complete all your repetitions, then switch sides.
Tips
- Maintain a proud chest for the duration of the set. This will increase your ability to target the hamstrings.
- Focus on lifting your leg backward. This will act as a counterweight, improving balance.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 4–6 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–10 |
| Endurance Training | 3–4 | 12+ |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 1–3 (Explosive) |
Butt Kicker
Butt kickers are a dynamic movement that can be used to warm up the lower body and increase our heart rate. Running on the spot and bringing your heel to your glutes dynamically engages the hamstrings, as they are associated with sprinting ability. Meanwhile, the calves are the largest force generator during running and must engage to perform the running motion.
We recommend pairing them with high knees. Both of these require running on the spot, with high knees using more hip flexion (bending) and butt kickers using more knee flexion.
How To Do
- Standing, bend your elbows so your forearms are parallel to the floor.
- As if running in place, push yourself off the floor with your left foot. Bend your left knee and bring your heel to your glute.
- Once your left heel reaches the glute, allow the leg to straighten and return to the ground.
- As this happens, push off with your right foot and repeat the movement with the opposite side.
- Alternate this pattern so it resembles jogging on the spot.
- Continue for the desired duration.
Tips
- Aim to bounce off the balls of your feet for the duration of the exercise. This will help you maintain momentum.
- Focus on bringing the heels to your glutes and swinging your arms with each repetition.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 15–20 seconds |
Standing Forward Bend
The standing forward bend is a simple and effective way to stretch the posterior chain. These are the muscles on the back of the body. Primarily used to stretch the hamstrings, this stretch also lengthens the erector spinae, latissimus dorsi, gastrocnemius, and soleus.
During this exercise, the pelvis is tilted forward and the knees are straight. This allows for an excellent stretch of the pelvic and knee hamstring attachment points.
If you have poor hamstring flexibility, consider performing the seated hamstring stretch.
How To Do
- Standing upright, breathe in. Exhale, push back with your hips and lean forward from your hips.
- Lower your torso forward with straight arms and reach for your toes.
- Pause for the desired duration, then lift your torso to return to the starting position.
Tips
- Focus on the correct breathing technique. Inhale, then exhale as you lean forward into the stretch. This will help you relax, resulting in a greater stretch.
- As you lean forward, allow your arms to hang and your upper body to relax. This will reduce tension and improve your stretch.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–3 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 2–3 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 2–3 | 15–20 seconds |
Dynamic Hamstring Stretch
The dynamic hamstring stretch is excellent for improving lower body flexibility. These controlled movements allow us to lengthen the hamstring through the active range of motion. This repeated loading and unloading against gravity prepares the nervous system for activity while lengthening and warming muscle tissue.
Furthermore, the lying position allows us to focus on extending the knee and lengthening the hamstring. We recommend adding this to your warm-up for your leg workout to prepare the lower body for the upcoming session.
How To Do
- Lie on your back and lift one leg so that your thigh is vertical. Your knee will be bent.
- Support the vertical leg by placing both hands behind the thigh.
- Inhale, then exhale and gently pull the leg toward the chest while lifting the foot toward the ceiling.
- From here, gently release the leg and allow your knee to bend, returning it to the starting position.
- Perform designated repetition and then switch sides.
Tips
- If you have limited hamstring flexibility, do not fully straighten the knee at the top of the movement.
- Focus on correct breathing for each repetition. Exhale as you pull your leg and extend it. This helps you relax your muscles and increases the stretch.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–3 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 2–3 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 2–3 | 15–20 seconds |
Hurdler Stretch
The hurdler stretch is a gentle and effective stretch for lengthening the hamstring and mobilizing the hips. Performing it with hips rotated and knees bent at 90 degrees enables us to lengthen the hamstring, glutes, and adductors. Meanwhile, the gentle forward rocking motion allows us to increase the stretch and mobilize the joint dynamically.
This is a great all-around lower-body stretch that can be performed before or after your workout.
How To Do
- Sit on the floor and position your feet flat on the floor, just wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Place your hands flat on the floor on either side of your right leg.
- Rotate your torso toward the right. Allow the right thigh to rotate outward and the left thigh to rotate inward until they reach the floor.
- Lean forward slightly, deepening the stretch.
- Hold for your desired duration and repetitions, then switch sides.
Tips
- Use your hands to support your weight and gently rotate into position. This will ensure you are in control of the stretch.
- Gently lean back and forward into the stretch. This will help lengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and adductors.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 2–3 | 20–30 seconds |
| Hypertrophy | 2–3 | 30–45 seconds |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 45–60 seconds |
| Power Training | 2–3 | 15–20 seconds |
Best Bodyweight Hamstring Workout Routine
The workout below combines seven of the exercises above into a hamstring workout routine. It uses static and dynamic stretches to promote muscle hypertrophy and improve hamstring flexibility. We listed sets, repetitions, stretch durations, and rest times below.
Exercise | Sets x Reps | Sets x Duration | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Knee | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 10–15 seconds | |
| Butt Kicker | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 15–30 seconds | |
| Dynamic Hamstring Stretch | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 15–30 seconds | |
| Hurdle Stretch | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 15–30 seconds | |
| Bodyweight Single-Leg Deadlift | 3–4 x 8–12 | 30–45 seconds | |
| Standing Forward Bend | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 15–30 seconds | |
| Seated Hamstring Stretch | 2–3 x 15–30 seconds | 15–30 seconds |
Anatomy Of The Hamstrings
The hamstrings are located on the back of the thigh. They consist of four muscles: the semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris long head and short head.
These muscles arise from the bottom of the pelvis and femur (upper leg bone). They attach to the lower leg bones (tibia and fibula). Their main functions are to flex (bend) the knee and extend (straighten) the hips.
The above exercises are all excellent for targeting and lengthening the hamstrings. Exercises such as the standing forward bend and dynamic hamstring stretch are performed with straight legs. This allows us to stretch the pelvis and knee attachment points.
Meanwhile, the butt kickers and high knees actively engage the hamstrings. These movements warm up and increase blood flow to muscle tissue, preparing them for the upcoming workout.
Hamstrings
Muscles located at the back of your upper leg, below your glutes and above your calves. Consists of three muscles.
Benefits Of Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises
Performing bodyweight hamstring exercise is great for improving flexibility and enhancing function. Below, we discuss three main benefits and why you consider adding them to your routine.
Improve Flexibility
Improving flexibility requires stretching muscle tissue through the full joint range of motion. This can be achieved by performing static and dynamic stretches. Static stretches entail lengthening muscles until the feeling of a stretch or discomfort. Meanwhile, dynamic stretches lengthen muscles using controlled movement through a joint’s range of motion.
The exercises above are great examples of static and dynamic stretches. Static stretches, such as the seated hamstring stretch and seated forward bend, allow gentle lengthening of the hamstrings. Dynamic stretches, such as dynamic hamstring stretches and hurdler stretches, take the hamstrings through the entire joint range of motion.
We recommend adding these to the beginning and end of your dumbbell leg workout. This will help you create a solid routine, improve the quality of movement during your workout, and increase your overall flexibility.
Enhance Function
Enhancing function requires strengthening muscles, and improving flexibility and joint mobility. This can be accomplished by performing functional movements, along with static and dynamic stretches.
The exercises we have listed are all examples of stretches and functional movements. The bodyweight single-leg deadlift mimics the optimal lifting technique, improving posterior chain muscle function. Meanwhile, dynamic hamstring stretching can reduce muscle stiffness, while increasing flexibility and joint range of motion. These elements combine for great freedom of movement, enhancing function.
Can Be Performed Anywhere
One of the best things about bodyweight hamstring exercises is that they can be done anywhere. These hamstring calisthenics enable us to improve flexibility and strength at home or when we are away from the gym.
We recommend adding these exercises with bodyweight ab exercises for a great core and lower body workout.
Safety Training Tips
- Perform dynamic stretches before your workout. This helps to increase the range of motion, warms muscle tissue actively, and prepares the nervous system.
- Perform static stretches after your workout. This will help improve flexibility and range of motion, enhancing physical function.
- Concentrate on performing each exercise with the correct breathing technique. Start by taking a deep breath in, then exhale as you lean into the stretch. This will help you relax, increasing the stretch.
- Aim to stretch the muscle to a feeling of tension and avoid painful stretching. This will help you effectively lengthen muscle tissue without causing injury.
- During the bodyweight single-leg deadlift, focus on engaging the hamstrings as they lengthen and shorten. This will improve your mind-muscle connection, which will, in turn, improve your results.
Conclusion
Bodyweight hamstring exercises are excellent for increasing lower body strength, flexibility, and mobility. Combining these exercises and stretches enables us to improve function and enhance our quality of life.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should not skip hamstring training. Strong hamstrings are essential for optimal hip and knee function. Avoiding training hamstrings may lead to poor knee stability, pain, and dysfunction. Therefore, training the hamstring can reduce knee pain and improve functional performance.
You can build your hamstrings with body weight by performing the bodyweight stiff leg deadlift and bodyweight single-leg deadlift. These exercises lengthen the hamstrings under the load of our torso, which can promote muscle growth.
People who have just sustained hamstring tears or knee and hip injuries should avoid hamstring bodyweight exercises. While these exercises are safe, performing them too soon after injury may lead to further aggravation.
You should avoid training your hamstring every day. While it can be done, it won’t leave adequate time for rest and recovery. We recommend leaving 24–72 hours between hamstring workouts. This ensures effective recovery for muscle growth.
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Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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About the Author
Ben Dillon, BHSc, PT Musculoskeletal Therapist & Personal Trainer
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