Exercise Database

Bodyweight Hamstring Exercises

Bodyweight hamstring training uses controlled hinges, bridges, and knee-flexion variations. The right support or assistance can matter more than adding speed.

Equipment

Bodyweight Barbell Dumbbell Kettlebell Cable Bars Machines

Muscle Groups

Back Biceps Calves Chest Core Glutes Hamstrings Quads Shoulder Traps Triceps

Showing 5 of 32 exercises

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good morning

The good morning is a posterior chain exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. By placing a barbell on your shoulders and hinging at the hips while keeping the legs straight, you create a powerful stretch and contraction. It is an excellent movement for improving hip mobility and strengthening the back, which is essential for heavy lifting and health.

Hamstrings

Resistance Band

resistance band leg curl

This exercise provides a way to train the hamstrings without heavy machinery. By looping a band around an anchor and your ankles, you perform knee flexion to contract the back of the legs. The resistance increases as you curl, providing a peak contraction that is difficult to replicate with free weights. It is excellent for home workouts, rehabilitation, and improving muscle endurance.

Hamstrings

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sliding floor bridge curl on towel

The sliding floor bridge curl on a towel is a challenging bodyweight exercise that intensely targets the hamstrings and glutes. By performing a bridge and then sliding your feet away and back, you create a powerful eccentric and concentric load. This exercise improves posterior chain stability and is highly effective for injury prevention, particularly for athletes who require strong, resilient hamstrings for sprinting and jumping.

HamstringsGlutes

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step up with chair

The step up with a chair is a versatile lower-body exercise that targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. By stepping onto an elevated surface, you improve balance and unilateral leg strength. This functional movement mimics daily activities and is excellent for building explosive power and stability. It can be performed anywhere, making it a staple for home workouts and general conditioning.

QuadsGlutes+1

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run

Running is one of the most fundamental and effective forms of cardiovascular exercise for improving heart health and burning calories. It engages nearly every muscle group, primarily focusing on the legs and core, while significantly boosting lung capacity. Whether performed on a treadmill or outdoors, regular running helps reduce stress, improves bone density, and enhances overall stamina for daily life.

QuadsGlutes+1

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Overview

What to know before you pick a bodyweight hamstring exercise

This collection links to 5 exercise guides, including good morning, resistance band leg curl and sliding floor bridge curl on towel. Open each guide for its setup, instructions, and muscles worked. Matches may involve the muscle as a primary target or as part of a larger movement.

Selection Guide

How to choose the right option from this collection

Check the muscle's role

3 of the 5 matching guides list hamstrings as a primary muscle. Start by comparing good morning, resistance band leg curl and sliding floor bridge curl on towel, then explore the other guides for additional movement options.

Choose a suitable setup

Distinguish movements that bend the knee from those that extend the hip. Choose the version whose full range you can repeat, and use assistance when a demanding bodyweight curl is not yet controlled.

Programming Notes

How to program bodyweight hamstring work without guesswork

Plan this movement in your session

Distinguish bodyweight knee-flexion work from hip hinges in your hamstring plan. Track assistance and controlled range before adding a harder curl variation, and keep the intended hip position steady.

Track a repeatable movement

Keep the same bodyweight setup, range of motion, and pace when comparing sessions. Change one training variable at a time so a change in setup is not mistaken for progress.

Mistakes

Common bodyweight hamstring training mistakes

•Assuming that a hip hinge and a hamstring curl are the same movement pattern.

FAQ

Questions people ask about bodyweight hamstring exercises

Which bodyweight hamstring exercise guides can I browse?

There are 5 matching guides in this collection. Examples include good morning, resistance band leg curl and sliding floor bridge curl on towel. The count includes movements where hamstrings is a primary or supporting muscle.

How should I choose bodyweight hamstring exercises?

Distinguish movements that bend the knee from those that extend the hip. Choose the version whose full range you can repeat, and use assistance when a demanding bodyweight curl is not yet controlled.

What should I avoid with bodyweight hamstring training?

Assuming that a hip hinge and a hamstring curl are the same movement pattern.