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Most gym-goers tend to focus more on exercises that work on the quads, but if your goal is to build stronger legs and improve strength throughout your lower body, adding hamstring exercises to your fitness routine is equally important.
The hamstrings consist of three muscles, including the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. All three work alongside your glutes to help you move forward when you walk, run, or jump. While there are many ways to train and strengthen hamstrings, dumbbell hamstring exercises are one of the most versatile and effective ways to train these muscles. Free weights such as dumbbells are very productive for leg workouts because they offer great resistance, enhance strength and endurance, and increase muscle size as well.
We’ve rounded up some of the best dumbbell hamstring exercises to include in your workouts. Regular practice of these exercises is sure to help you enhance your leg strength so you can run faster, lift heavier, and attain more toned and well-defined legs.
Dumbbell hamstring exercises to include in your training
Here’s a look at a few of the most effective dumbbell hamstring exercises that you must surely add to your lower body strength training routine.
1. Romanian deadlifts
The Romanian deadlift is arguably one of the best exercises to target hamstrings. This exercise contracts the hamstring and works with the glutes to help you extend your hips.
To do this exercise:
- Stand tall with dumbbells in both hands using an overhand grip. Push your hips out and hinge at your hips. Keep your arms extended and spine straight.
- Bend your knees slightly and lower your arms until the dumbbells reach your shins.
- Extend your hips again to come back while moving the dumbbells in a straight path.
- Continue for a few reps.
2. Wide sumo squats
The wide sumo squat is basically an exercise to train the inner thighs, but it works on the hamstrings as well. This exercise helps increase hamstring activation.
To do this exercise:
- Stand with your feet wider than hip-width and point your toes 45 degrees out. Hold a dumbbell in front of your chest.
- Engage your abs and push your hips back as you lower into a deep squat position.
- Once you reach the bottom of the squat, exhale and press firmly into your heels to get back up to the starting position.
- Make sure to keep your weight distributed equally on your midfoot and heel.
- Do a few reps.
3. Rear lunges
The rear lunge is also among some of the most effective hamstring exercises that activate the muscles in the hamstrings. Though it is not primarily a hamstring exercise, it will still get targeted alongside your glutes and quads.
To do this exercise:
- Stand with your feet at a shoulder distance. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and engage your abs throughout the exercise.
- Maintain the position and take a step back with your right foot while positioning it on its ball.
- Lunge down with the dumbbells at your sides and your upper body straight. Once your legs are at a 90-degree angle, press through your left heel and bring your right leg back to its start.
- Repeat for a few reps and then switch legs.
4. Leg curls
Leg curls are one of the best hamstring exercises that isolate these muscles. While leg curls are typically performed on leg curl machines, you can perform the exercise with a dumbbell as well.
To do this exercise:
- Lie down on your stomach and place a dumbbell between your feet. Make sure to keep your legs fully extended.
- Engage your hamstrings and curl your legs up until they make a 90-degree angle.
- Now slowly lower your legs back to full extension and repeat.
- Do a few reps.
5. Dumbbell swings
Dumbbell swings are an explosive exercise that targets multiple muscles at once, including the hamstrings. This exercise also burns calories and is as effective as kettlebell swings.
To do this exercise:
- Stand tall with a dumbbell in your hands positioned vertically at your centre. Make sure the dumbbell is at the centre of your both feet.
- Position your feet at shoulder-width and keep your toes pointed out. Bend your knees and push your hips back to hold onto the top of the dumbbell.
- With your spine straight, press the dumbbell between your legs and as it reaches your hamstrings, push at your hips and drive the dumbbell forward until it reaches your shoulders. As you do this, make sure to keep your arms extended throughout the move.
- Do a few reps.
Takeaway
The aforementioned dumbbell hamstring exercises are some of the great ones to train your legs and lower body muscles. While these exercises are the best of the best when it comes to leg training, do not perform them daily as they can harm your joints. Aim to do these workouts twice a week to give your muscles enough time to recover.
