Maybe you just got your clock cleaned at a show by a guy with sensational hamstrings. Maybe you just saw a picture of Tom Prince in his competitive heyday, with hanging hamstrings that looked bigger and thicker than your thighs even look. Maybe your own thighs have been showing marked improvement, but your hamstrings just look the same as they always have. And maybe you’ve just come to the realization that a set of thick, powerful, bulging hamstrings is something you want – and something you will no longer be denied. Whatever your reasoning, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s examine a few techniques to help make those hammies the best they can be!

Stiff-Legged Deadlifts

This movement is often overlooked for hamstring training. Many bodybuilders use them for deadlifts, as they are great for building up the muscles of the lower back. However, when regular deadlifts are performed with the knees locked, the hamstrings are called into play, with great positive effect. Use them at least every other workout, with a higher repetition range (10 to 16 reps).

Separation From Thighs

Training your hamstrings immediately following 15 to 20 sets of front-thigh exercises is a recipe for disaster. At the very least, you’ll have depleted energy levels. At the worst, your thighs will be so saturated with blood that the hamstrings will be unable to truly garner the maximum return on your work investment. Instead, try placing the hamstrings on a training day three to four days after hamstring training. Or, if you feel you have the time and recover ability, train them in the afternoon following a morning thigh workout!

Varying Cardio

What exercise do you use for your weekly cardio? Many top bodybuilders, including eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman, swear by the elliptical climber for cardio, saying it does as much for thigh and hamstring development as it does for cardiovascular goals. Find a cardio machine that truly stimulates the hamstrings, and use it four times per week!

Supersets

The hamstrings are essentially the leg biceps. And just like the biceps of the upper arm, they benefit greatly from being hit with multiple exercises for a fair amount of reps, without breaks between sets. Try moving from lying leg curls to stiff-legged deadlifts, directly to seated hamstring curls, with zero rest in between. You’ll discover a new kind of pump which may have you limping for days.

Varying Rep Ranges

The hamstrings are comprised of an unknown mix of fast and slow-twitch muscle fibers. The ratio varies from person to person, but one fact remains crystal clear: All people have both. In order to fully stimulate each group (which will lead to the most possible muscle stimulation), you should use a rep range of 6 to 8 on some movements, and 15 to 20 on others.

Give these ideas a shot for your hamstring training. If all else fails, keep is simple. Train with more weight for more sets. It’s that simple. Use a spotter and a little bit of loose form. Do whatever it takes to go heavy for more repetitions. You’ll soon see hamstring growth you never could have imagined!

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