The hamstrings are the often overlooked powerhouse behind your lower body . Last week we talked quads . Today we're going to talk hamstrings . Join me on the lifting for muscle series of quick wits as I reveal my four go-to exercises for building strength and size in your hamstrings . Welcome to the Wits and Weights podcast . I'm your host , philip Pape , and this twice a week podcast is dedicated to helping you achieve physical self-mastery by getting stronger , optimizing your nutrition and upgrading your body composition . We'll uncover science-backed strategies for movement , metabolism , muscle and mindset , with a skeptical eye on the fitness industry , so you can look and feel your absolute best . Let's dive right in . Welcome to quick wits , where we attempt to get straight to the point . In today's episode , we're zeroing in on the hamstrings , unoverlooked but crucial for leg strength and stability . We're going to look at four exercises that I love for this . First , of course , with a barbell , is going to be the deadlift . Deadlifts are arguably for your legs and for your back and I mentioned them on the back on the very first quick wits in this series about the back as a stabilizer , but of course they are phenomenal for hamstring development , the active muscle in the hinge movement . They engage your entire posterior chain , including your glutes and hamstrings . When someone says to me and , ladies , you know who you are , I want to get bigger glutes my first question is are you squatting and deadlifting because you want to have those in , at a minimum to load those up before you get to the other movements ? The key with deadlift , as we said before , is that neutral , solid back , that slight extension in the lower back , the proper hinge and strong pull to the top . There's a lot of elements that I'm not going to be able to explain here . There's some great videos about that and if you have questions , always reach out to me .
Philip PapeDeadlifts are number one . Number two are going to be some other hinge with a barbell , usually with a barbell , but also could be used with a dumbbell , such as Romanian deadlifts or good mornings . These isolate the hamstrings even more . I like the Romanian deadlift from the top , bringing it slowly down to the bottom , very lightly , locking the knees not locking the knees , but there's a slight bend in the knees and you're not bending them further , where it would become more of a deadlift . You're keeping them somewhat stiff or straight . Some people use the term straight leg deadlift when you do this from the ground , but a Romanian deadlift is bringing it down and feeling that tension in your hamstrings . The good morning is having the bar on your back , kind of like a high bar movement , and then hinging forward and getting the stretch in your hamstrings . Rdls focus on lifting the weight with your hips and legs and good mornings pivot around your waist . But either way , they're both really solid barbell or dumbbell movements that can give you a targeted hamstring movement and avoid some of the strain you might get from the deadlift which is going to tax other things like your back .
Philip PapeAll right . So number three is going to be , if you have access to either of these , either a glute ham raise or Nordic curls . Now , Nordic curls you can kind of rig up in your home gym . It takes some time to set it up . Look it up online . I'm not going to explain it . You're basically just you're on your knees and you're hinging forward . Most people need a band because it's so difficult to bring yourself up unless you have sufficient strength . Glute ham raises , also known as GHR or GHD machine , is often only found in a gym , unless you're lucky enough to have one at home and you're basically just locking your legs in . Your torso is upright and then you're going forward and getting a really nice tight stretch in the hamstrings , and then you're pulling yourself back up .
Philip PapeThe last one is , of course , going to be leg curls . Whether these are line seated or standing , they're very targeted isolation movement which allows you to focus on that mind muscle connection , that contraction , that control . They're great as a finisher in your leg workout or you can use them as a warmup for pre-exhaustion . So there you go . If you get these four things the barbell deadlift , the Romanian deadlift , the good mornings , the GHD or Nordic curls and the leg curls into your routine , you'll have some nice , well-developed , strong hamstrings . And there you have it , my top four exercises for hamstring strength and development . Thank you for tuning in to another episode of Wits and Weights . If you found value in today's episode and know someone else who's looking to level up their wits or weights , please take a moment to share this episode with them and make sure to hit the follow button in your podcast platform right now to catch the next episode . Until then , stay strong .