Hamstrings
The hamstring group is made up of three muscles running down the back of the thigh; they bend the knee and open the hip backwards. They are the quiet carriers of running, bending and lifting from the floor.
| Location | The back of the thigh; three muscles running from the sitting bone to below the knee |
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| Function | Bending the knee and opening the hip backwards (extension); braking the trunk as it folds forwards |
| Role in daily life | Lifting loads from the floor, bending forwards, and the push-back phase of the stride in walking and running |
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| Related exercises |
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| Common misconception | Every feeling of tightness at the back of the thigh is thought to come from a lack of flexibility; in fact weak hamstrings can also feel tight, and in that case strengthening may be more effective than stretching alone. |
They serve two joints at once
Three muscles — biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus — begin at the sitting bone and run down below the knee. That route makes them two-joint muscles: they both bend the knee and open the hip backwards. This dual role means the hamstrings take on a large part of the force that restrains the trunk as you fold forwards and lifts it as you come back up.
Tight, or weak?
The tension felt at the back of the thigh when bending forwards does not always mean shortness; in people who sit for long periods, hamstrings that have become weak can also feel tight. Stretching alone may not offer a lasting solution in that case; movements that strengthen the muscle in a lengthened position, such as the Romanian deadlift, give more durable relief for many people. Where complaints persist, a specialist opinion is the guide.
How to train them
The hinge pattern is the hamstrings' main working ground: the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift and the Kettlebell Deadlift target the group directly. The Glute Bridge works them in a supporting role alongside the hip muscles.
Related terms: Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps, Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift