Spotlight On Hamstrings

ANATOMY

Your hamstring muscles are located in the back of the thigh, starting at your hip and inserting to the knee. Hamstring tendons attach them to bones in your pelvis, knee and lower leg. Hamstring injuries are one of the most common injuries in sports, especially those that require quick, fast running such as soccer.

They are also usually one of the tightest muscle groups on your body. Think of the sit and reach test where you reach down to your toes. This tests your hamstring flexibility.

Biceps femoris, closest to the outside of your body. The function of this hamstring is to flex your knee, extend the thigh at your hip and rotate your lower leg from side-to-side when your knee is bent.

Semimembranosus, closest to the middle of your body. This hamstring flexes your knee joint, extends your thigh at your hip and offers medial rotation for your hip and lower leg.

Semitendinosus, between the semimembranosus and the biceps femoris. This hamstring flexes your knee joint, extends your thigh at your hip and offers medial rotation for your hip and lower leg.

EXERCISE PLAN TIPS

Your hamstrings are an important muscle group. For a split, focused plan (meaning back would be a primary exercise focus that day), I would normally do at least 3 exercises focused on hamstrings.
For a push-pull workout plan, hamstrings are considered a pull exercise.
Additionally, change up the exercises each time you work your hamstrings (for example, each week) so that you are targeting your muscle group in different ways.

View more Spotlight muscle groups: https://innerathlete.us/spotlight-series/

Sources: Cleveland Clinic, Healthline, Human Kinetics Blog