Best exercise for lower hamstrings?

**SilverBuilt** · 06-20-2011, 03:20 PM

Hey all, I've been paying more attention to lower body recently. I've been having a problem doing high weight low rep exercises like calf raises and hamstring curls. They both seem to spasm out, pretty painfully. It's been a persistent problem for a while and dosn't seem to get better after slowly trying to increase weight. Any help would be appreciated.

**lifter65** · 06-20-2011, 03:33 PM

if you have a reverse hyper, do that
if you have a glute-ham machine, do that
make sure you have a healthy diet of squats, deads, and stiff deads, thosell bring ur your hammies

**SilverBuilt** · 06-21-2011, 04:48 PM

Hey thanks for the help. I appreciate the advice.

**PurpleOnes** · 06-21-2011, 05:15 PM

I would suggest stiff legged deadlifts for overall mass and standing leg curl for isolation.

**thebigshow** · 06-23-2011, 10:06 PM

do deadlift and legcurl machine

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**Str8Jakked** · 06-23-2011, 10:10 PM

Without a doubt, Stiff legged Dead's and Standing Leg Curls.

**SilverBuilt** · 07-29-2011, 04:11 PM

Yeah, things have been getting better. I've definately built up stronger glutes and the hamstrings are comming a long, but a little slower.

**crazy_rocks** · 07-30-2011, 06:21 PM

on top of the other leg exercises that you should be doing just make sure you include exercises that work the hams from the hip as well as the knee to get the full hams developed. from there take your pic of exercises. its pretty simple.

**Dr Pepper** · 08-02-2011, 09:08 PM

Def stiff legged dead lifts. Try putting a plate under your toes. Works for me, more of a stretch

**SilverBuilt** · 08-13-2011, 02:12 PM

Hey two weeks ago I kinda injured myself doing squats. Everything is fine now, but i'm a little afraid to start back into deadlifts. Does anyone have any advice about protecting my lower back and also if a weight belt would help during dead lifts. Any help would be appreciated.

**Nooomoto** · 08-13-2011, 02:25 PM

Glute ham raises are the shit. I've seen many people fail at GHRs with their own body weight. Most gyms don't have the equipment, though...so you'll have to improvise if you are interested in doing them.

**SilverBuilt** · 08-23-2011, 04:26 PM

That's a pretty interesting exercise. I guess i'm lucky, my gym has the equipment to do it. I also found a link, which i've posted below, that shows you how to do it without the machine.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/renegade10.htm

**tyciol** · 12-21-2011, 06:14 PM

I'm not sure whether or not it's possible to focus on half of the hamstring like that, be it the upper (proximal) or lower (distal) portions, since I thought the muscle ran and contracted from tendon to tendon.

The only way I can think is the short head of the biceps femoris, which is the only hamstring muscle that only does knee flexion and does not do hip extension. That muscle is hit by knee curls.

Also, we should keep in mind the gastrocnemius (upper calf) which also crosses the knee joint. Its belly is below the knee, but the tendons do run above and probably cross over with the hamstrnig ones. Though I don't know if you can make tendons thicker.