Exercises for the back of the thigh – Sportfito – site about sports and healthy lifestyle

The best exercises for the hamstrings and buttocks

The back of the thigh is a problem area for most women.
It is susceptible to the formation of cellulite, which causes the skin there to become loose and lumpy. You can tighten it by strengthening your muscles. Men involved in sports also need to pay attention to the development of this muscle group. Otherwise, your legs will look disproportionate. In addition, weak muscles hinder progress in squats and other basic lower body exercises. WEIGHT LOSS STORIES OF STARS!

Irina Pegova shocked everyone with her weight loss recipe: “I lost 27 kg and continue to lose weight, I just brew it at night. » Read more >>

A large area on the back of the legs is occupied by the biceps femoris muscle. The semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles are also located there.

This muscle group performs bending of the legs at the knees and their subsequent extension, as well as moving the pelvis back when tilting the body down. Accordingly, in order to pump up the muscles of the posterior thigh, it is necessary to perform exercises that imitate the listed movements. You can train your hamstrings both at home and in the gym.

Typically, men focus their leg training on developing the quadriceps. But it's not right. Strong hamstrings are essential to lifting weights in squats and some other lower body exercises. If this muscle group is lagging behind, you can forget about deep squats. In addition, strong muscles help avoid knee injuries and sprains.

In most exercises aimed at developing the muscles of the hamstrings, the buttocks are also included in the work, since they perform similar functions.

You can train your hamstrings at home. As equipment you will need to use dumbbells, a barbell or rubber expanders. If you can’t buy shells, you can take plastic bottles with water or sand.

To notice results, you need to exercise at home regularly. But you should not overuse training, otherwise the muscles will not be able to recover.

You should do no more than 2 classes per week. The following should be done no earlier than 24 hours after the muscle pain from the previous workout has passed.

The main basic exercise for the hamstrings is the Romanian deadlift. It allows you to stretch the back of your legs well and strengthen your buttocks.

But this exercise is dangerous if the technique is not followed. Therefore, beginners are recommended to perform it without additional weight until the movement is brought to automaticity.

The correct technique for performing the Romanian deadlift:

pick up an apparatus (barbell or dumbbells);
place your legs slightly narrower than your shoulders, feet parallel;
from this position, begin to lean down with a straight back;
The pelvis should be pulled back, the knees should be slightly bent;
the weight should practically slide along the legs, otherwise the load will move from the hamstrings to the arms and back;
lower the projectile to the middle of the shin;
you should linger at this point, feeling the stretch in the back of your legs;
then straighten up, pressing your heels into the floor and lifting the weight with the strength of your thigh biceps and buttocks.

You must not bend backwards at the top, otherwise you may get injured. Your back should remain perfectly straight throughout the entire movement.

Perform the exercise at a slow pace, feeling the work of the target muscles. Inhale when lowering, and exhale when lifting.

In addition to the classic version, you can do Romanian deadlifts on one leg. This exercise allows you to work out the muscles in more detail and, if necessary, correct their imbalance.

What and how will we work on?

The muscle group we need consists of three separate muscles:

semitendinosus muscle;
semimembranosus muscle;
biceps femoris (biceps femoris).

The functional purpose of these muscles (flexion and extension of the leg at the knee, movement of the pelvis forward and backward) determines the set of exercises we need. During training, the main load will be on hip extension and knee bending .

Instructors' opinions on the structure of the lesson are divided: some consider exercises based on intense repetitions to be the most effective, others prefer working with heavy weights. Some speak out in favor of basic exercises, others advocate isolating exercises. Both are right in their own way - it’s just important to find a balance.

Intense training for the back of the thigh with a high number of repetitions can be done once a week - this will be enough

For compound exercises (deadlifts and squats), it is recommended to choose a heavier weight and fewer sets, rather than a medium weight with more sets, which will be more effective. But it should be remembered that the weights in any case are chosen depending on the physical fitness of the athlete. When working on the hamstrings, avoid the Smith machine : the vertical movement of the bar does not require the support and stabilization of the core, which is a prerequisite for full hip function. To obtain the desired result, the ideal solution would be a power frame.

Power frame

How to stretch your hamstrings?

Stretching is the basis of any workout. Poorly stretched muscles not only work worse, but are also extremely susceptible to all kinds of injuries. It is recommended both before training - warm-up, and after - cool-down. Before starting classes, it is better to warm up your joints well , and also perform dynamic warm-up - running, jumping, jumping rope. For a cool-down, gentle stretching of the muscles involved in training is better suited.

The following exercises are good for stretching your backside:

Fold - sitting on the floor, legs straight, back straight. We raise our arms up and then smoothly lower ourselves down to our feet. Try not to bend your knees and press them firmly into the floor.
Deep lunge with a straight leg - one leg is bent at the knee, the other is pushed back as far as possible. Try to keep your knee straight.
Boat – lie on your stomach. As you inhale, clasp your ankle with your hands and arch your back and sway slightly, like a boat. As you exhale, relax and return to the starting position.

All exercises must be performed slowly, as if freezing for a certain time.

You can also do the leg stretch shown in this video:

So, when the stretching is done, you can start doing hamstring exercises at home. Below you will find the top 5 best-in-class movements aimed at the area of interest.

At home

Home workout
The back of the thigh can be easily worked at home without the use of special equipment, this statement especially applies to beginners who will still find it too difficult to lift weights in the gym. Beginners are recommended to perform 3 sets of 10-15 times on each leg, increasing the number of repetitions to 30-40 over time, depending on how you feel.

Exercises for the inner thigh are as follows. You need to lie on the floor, bend your arms and place them under your chin. The muscles of the buttocks and thighs are well tensed, then slowly raise the thigh up and slowly lower it down, repeat with the second leg. The exercise can be performed in two more variations: hold your leg for a few seconds at a height and slowly lower it, and also perform rocking from top to bottom without touching the floor with your foot. To increase the load, a weighting agent is put on the leg.

It is necessary to kneel down and take a horizontal position, resting on your palms, with your arms straight and shoulder-width apart, your back straight, your neck stretched forward. It is necessary to raise the leg bent at the knee upward. You can make this exercise as difficult as the first.

Deep squats are very effective for working the buttocks and hamstrings. It is necessary to place your feet shoulder-width apart, press your feet firmly to the floor, and squat slowly and as deeply as possible without lifting your heels from the floor. Lunges are performed on the inner thigh. You need to stand up straight, feet shoulder-width apart, back straight. Take a deep step forward so that your thigh is parallel to the floor, stay in this position for 60 seconds (30 for beginners), then slowly rise and repeat on the other leg.

Deadlift

One of the most effective basic loads for the hamstring muscles. The front of the legs and the torso of the back are also involved. Also remember that this row is one of the best movements for lifting the buttocks.

Implementation complexity is medium. Concentration and endurance are required. It is better to use dumbbells or a barbell of a comfortable weight from the equipment.

Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, back straight, arched in the lower back, weights in the hands in the groin area;
Inhaling, bend at the back, hands with weights slide along the body to the middle of the shin;
Without stopping at the bottom point, we exhale and return to the starting position.

Watch the video for more details:

You should try to push off from the bottom point with the biceps and the muscles leading to it. If you don’t feel the area being trained, all your efforts are in vain.

Deadlifts should be performed in 3-4 sets of 6-10 times.

Carefully! The dumbbells or barbell must move strictly along the body. The farther the bar is from the body, the greater the negative load on the spine and the chance of injury.

Single leg squats

Squats themselves are very effective for the lower body. But it is squats on one leg that will really load and contribute to losing weight on the back surface. There are 2 types of this load, they differ in the location of the non-supporting leg. The difficulty of implementation is high, in addition to coordination, such a training of the hamstrings will perfectly work the necessary area and help burn cellulite on the legs.

Option one - standard

Starting position – straight back, supporting leg slightly bent at the knee, the other, bent, pressed against the body;
While inhaling, we squat as deeply as possible;
After exhaling, we return to the original position.

Option two - pistol

Starting position - the body is stretched out like a string, one straight leg is extended forward until it is parallel to the floor;
Inhaling, a squat is performed;
As you exhale, return to the upward position.

Watch the video for more details:

If it is difficult to perform actions on the floor, place your supporting leg on a support - a chair, stool or bench.

The exercise must be performed until the characteristic tension in the muscles occurs. For starters, 15-20 times in several approaches is enough. The time between sets is 30-45 seconds. If the load is easy, try picking up dumbbells.

Exercises

What's the best way to work your hamstrings? There are both basic exercises (like deadlifts) and isolation exercises aimed exclusively at working the hip groups. There are several basic exercises that should be in the program of every representative of the fair sex:

Romanian deadlift;
barbell squats;
Bulgarian split squats;
body lifts;
leg bending.

Romanian deadlift

The first and perhaps most important exercise for the back of the thigh is the deadlift. In particular, this is the Romanian craving.

Before mastering the Romanian deadlift, it is recommended to work out with block exercise machines and master the classic bent-over deadlift. This will help you better understand the principles of execution, correctly shift the emphasis, and reduce the risk of back injury.

The Romanian deadlift is a basic multi-joint exercise that involves:

gluteal muscles;
quadriceps;
hamstring biceps;
calf;
back muscles;
muscles of the forearms.

With the correct technique, the lumbar and back muscles are almost completely disabled, which leads to an emphasis on the hips.

How to do it?

Take the barbell in your hands with an open grip.
Bend your back.
Lower your body while keeping your legs straight.
In this case, the barbell must be held as close to the level of the legs as possible, without deviating it from the given trajectory.
Rise up, maintaining a bend and straight legs.

Important points:

Do not use a different grip, as in this case the load is shifted to the spine, creating a torque.
The head should always look forward and up.
The movement occurs due to the body tilting back, which disables the back muscles from working.
Shoes when performing should be without lifting, since in this case, the entire load will fall on the back muscles.

Barbell Squat

The barbell squat is the king of all exercises. Regardless of the athlete’s goals, it is used in all programs, as it allows you to work the legs, and is that magical remedy that activates the body’s anabolism, which leads to a rapid improvement in form.

How to do it?

The bar rests on the chest (so the emphasis shifts to the thigh muscles), but can also be placed on the shoulders.
There is a deflection in the back, while maintaining a slight tilt of the body forward.
The squat is carried out to 90 degrees at the knees.
Slowly, without leaving the bend, stand up completely.

Important points:

When working with a barbell on the chest, there must be a spotter.
Do not straighten your knees completely, as this increases the stress on the joints.
Use heavy weights with low reps.

Bulgarian split squats

Bulgarian split squats are the first isolation exercise that focuses exclusively on the hips. It is recommended to perform it only after completing the basic program.

How to do it?

The leg rests on the instep, which is installed at the back.
Take dumbbells into your hands.
The general position of the legs should be as in deep lunges.
Perform a deep squat with emphasis not on the front leg, but on the back leg.
Rise up using your back leg.
Maintain a deflection throughout the entire execution.

If the main load falls on the front leg, then instead of the femoral muscles, the quadriceps will take on the main work.

Without weight

These are the simplest squats on one leg. The technique is completely identical to the previous element, with the exception of the absence of dumbbells. This is the best exercise for the back of the thigh at home.

Body Raises

Despite the strange name, this is the simplest hyperextension. It is important to understand that the femoral muscles in this case play an exclusively auxiliary role; the main load falls on the muscles of the lumbar region.

How to do it?

Take a pancake in your hands (weighing from 5 to 20 kg).
Get into a hyperextension stance.
Place the pancake on your chest (for extreme sports, behind your neck).
Bend over with full spine flexion.
It will straighten until the desired deflection is achieved.

Since the body rests on the legs all this time, part of the load falls on the back surface, thanks to which the femoral groups are perfectly worked out.

Leg Curl

There is such a machine in almost every room. It was specifically designed for hamstring training.

The technique is extremely simple:

Lie down in the machine.
Bend your legs.
Fix at the point of highest load for 1-2 seconds.
Extend your legs.

Jumping Lunges

The combination of aerobic and strength training will have a wonderful effect on tightening your figure. The complexity of the execution due to jumping is quite high .

In addition to the main muscle group being worked, lunges will help tighten the buttocks and calf muscles.

Starting position – Legs together, back straight, arms at your sides, gaze directed forward;
As you inhale, lunge forward with your right leg, exhale while hovering;
On the next inhalation, we jump and land in a lunge on the other leg.

Learn more from the video:

You can do this exercise with or without weights. For beginners, you should start with 10-12 repetitions on each leg in 2-3 sets.

For the necessary coordination of movements, help yourself when jumping with characteristic swings of your arms.

Leg raises while lying on your stomach

An excellent static load for girls and women, acting mainly on the biceps femoris muscle. The difficulty is not high, the main thing is to concentrate on the area being worked and feel the muscle tension in it. This movement is also called “Lying Hyperextension.”

Starting position - Lay a mat, lie on your stomach, arms and legs straight and extended down;
As you inhale, we lift 2 straight legs up 15-20 centimeters from the floor level, hold for 2-3 seconds;
Exhaling, we come to the starting position.

Leg curls in the simulator

So you've done thousands of repetitions of leg curls, but how many have you done with your toes pointing in, out, and back.

Most times when you perform leg curls, you flex your feet (point your toes toward your shin). This lengthens the calves and actually forces them to act as knee flexors, reducing stress on the hamstrings.

Extend your toes as if you were squeezing your calves, then flex your legs and feel the difference. Yes, and you will have to lighten the load significantly, because the target muscles will burn after just a few repetitions.

Take it a step further and point your toes inward, bringing them together for a few sets, and then outward, pointing them out for a few sets, and you'll activate all three heads of your hamstrings so that it hurts to sit the next day.

Supine calf curls

A functional exercise that involves the back of the thigh, buttocks, back muscles and abdominal strengthening. The difficulty is small, the main thing is to maintain the correct arch in the back so as not to get injured. For greater efficiency, you can use 2 small elevated supports - you can place weights from a barbell/dumbbell or towels folded several times.

Starting position - lie on the floor on your back, legs are bent and supported, the body, like a string, resting on the forearms, rises above the floor at a distance of 5-7 centimeters;
As you inhale, bend your shin even further and push your pelvic area up. The neck, back, and lower body should form a straight line;
As you exhale, we smoothly return to the starting point.

Watch the video for more details:

Do 12-15 repetitions in 2-3 sets with a short period of time. How to remove fat from the back of the thigh even more effectively? Place a barbell plate on your pelvic area.

Carefully! Pay special attention to the cervical region - it should not be pinched or overstrained so that blood regularly flows to the head.

The above exercises for the back of the thighs and buttocks will give quick results only in combination with other healthy lifestyle methods.

You should not perform all the above loads together. It would be optimal to combine 2-3 exercises on the back of the thigh with other leg muscles. We should not forget that muscles need rest , so the interval between workouts per group should be at least 2 days.

Don’t forget, there are many other movements that have shown quite high effectiveness:

“Bicycle” and “Scissors” are considered especially effective;
“Stepping onto the platform” is required to be included in your complex;
You can build up your muscles with static exercises by performing our “Circular” complex, which includes such an effective exercise as “Chair against the wall.”
At the end of your workout, do some stretching, such as Downward-Facing Dog and Upward Dog asanas;
“Walking on the buttocks” not only burns cellulite, but also has many beneficial properties for the pelvic area;
Well, of course, you can’t do without “Hyperextension” and “Deadlift”.

Combine exercises with proper nutrition and beauty treatments and enjoy the results.

Is it necessary to do it?

Again, there are often conflicting opinions in the gym about performing hamstring exercises, as they believe that the potential harm far outweighs the benefits of this type of exercise. And yet, working with legs is:

a basic complex that stimulates the body to massive anabolism;
an excellent opportunity to get rid of the “orange peel”;
improved functionality. Now walking in heels will not be as inconvenient as before;
a necessary complex to create a balanced figure.

Benefit

And yet, recently, exercises for the back of the thigh and buttocks have gained extraordinary popularity among all representatives of the fair sex. It's all the fault of the Kardashian family, who, with their twerks and impressive forms, set new standards of beauty that all representatives of the fair sex strive for. But is everything so good? Yes, first of all, exercises for the back of the thigh are a necessity. Why? Because they use those muscles that are used very little during everyday life. In particular, the hamstrings are used exclusively when a person tries to sit on a chair or bend over. That is why unathletic girls may have a beautiful butt, but its outline will still be blurry due to the underdeveloped back of the thigh.

Harm and possible contraindications

But is everything so good, is there any potential harm from using exercise for the back of the thighs? There is no potential harm at all.

You can harm your body only if you do not perform the exercises properly.

But there is also a risk of improper loading of the back of the thigh. This is expressed when women begin to become overly involved in basic exercises. Therefore, when working the back of the thigh, you need to take into account the following feature:

A month of training in heavy basic exercises (to create a basic muscle group on which a further figure will be built).
3 months of split, in which isolation exercises will prevail over basic ones.
Reducing working weights from the 5th month, with an increase in the number of approaches and repetitions.

When you have reached your optimal figure, you should think about reducing the load even more in order to just maintain the muscle group in good shape. As for contraindications, they are standard:

presence of spinal injuries;
problems with bones, blood vessels, ligaments, veins;
presence of tumors in the abdomen;
pregnancy;
kyphoscoliosis, lordoscoliosis and simply scoliosis.

Why does the spine play an important role? Because almost all exercises with free weights require massive output from the muscular corset, due to the presence of a vertical compressive load, due to which, in the presence of curvatures, the latter can greatly increase and even lead to disability.

Otherwise, working with the muscles of the thigh and buttocks has no special contraindications.

Effective exercises for the back of the thighs and buttocks

To eliminate the “orange peel”, make the skin more taut and elastic, and the silhouette slimmer and more attractive, it is necessary to combine effective exercises on the back of the thigh and buttocks, a balanced diet and massage.

For girls, the appearance of their butt and legs is of great importance. These areas are most often damaged by cellulite, forcing women to sit in the gym for hours, learn the secrets of losing weight and exercise until they are completely exhausted. In fact, it is important not to deplete the body, but to listen to it and develop an individual training program.

Bottom line

Exercises for the back of the thigh are capturing the minds and hearts of women more and more every day. And remember that if you want to get an ideal figure, you don’t have to run to the gym. You can organize training at home, fortunately there are special exercises that allow you to work your legs and hips without using heavy barbells. Combine and maintain a balance between all muscle groups, and by summer you will have something to show off on the beach.

Class secrets

In order for exercises for the back of the thighs to bring noticeable results, you need to listen to simple recommendations and advice:

Don't forget about stretching . It is very important to warm up your muscles and joints before training. This will help avoid injury and prepare the body for upcoming stress. If you ignore the warm-up, you can stretch or tear a tendon, ligament, or muscle. Take 5-10 minutes to prepare. You can warm up by jogging, jumping rope, or dancing.
Make your workouts as varied as possible . Be sure to combine intense exercise with aerobic exercise, home workouts and going to the gym.
Perform all movements correctly and smoothly . Even the best exercises, if done incorrectly, will not bring benefits and can harm the body. First learn the technique of the exercise and only then start practicing.
Increase the load gradually . Start with simple exercises, and let the total training time be 30-45 minutes. As the body adapts, the complexity and duration of classes can be increased.
Each exercise to strengthen the inner surface and posterior muscles should be performed in 2-3 sets of 15-20 repetitions. You should train no more than 3 times a week, giving your muscles time to recover and rest.

When working out at home or on a gym, it is better to choose comfortable clothes. Make a rhythmic playlist for yourself, stay hydrated, and most importantly, do the exercises in a good mood and don’t skip workouts.

Recommendations for performing exercises

To ensure maximum benefit from leg and hip exercises, use the following recommendations.

Never start an activity without warming up your muscles. Perform moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for at least 5 minutes. You can climb stairs, jump rope, or run in place. Preparing the muscles will not take much time and will reduce the likelihood of sprains.
Choose comfortable clothes for your workout. It should not restrict movement.
Always make a muscular effort as you exhale and relax as you inhale.
Repeat each hamstring exercise 15-20 times. After a short rest (no more than 30-45 seconds), do 1-2 more approaches. If at first you fail to do the specified number of repetitions, do not torture yourself: do as many as you can. But try to improve. Add 1-2 reps each workout.
Exercise 2-3 times a week.
Finish your workout with stretching. It makes the muscles elastic and reduces the pain that usually occurs after strength training.

Types of home training

It won’t be difficult to pump up your hamstring muscles at home if you do the following exercises:

Raising your legs while lying down. Take a horizontal position, rest your head on your hands. Slowly move your leg up, keeping your leg and butt muscles tense. Then slowly lower your leg without touching the floor. After completing all repetitions, change legs.

Lifting your hips up. Starting position - on all fours. The back is straight, the palms rest on the floor, the torso is parallel to the floor, the abs are tense. We inhale, and as we exhale, we take our leg back, bend the knee and raise our thigh as high as possible. We do it with alternating legs.

Taking your legs to the side. The starting position is similar to the previous exercise. You need to take one leg back so that it is parallel to the floor. Then we move the straight leg to the side and return to the starting position.

Squats. You can just squat, but to pump your back better, use 1-1.5 kg weights (dumbbells, water bottles). Stand straight, knees slightly bent, weight in hands. Bend your elbows and lift the equipment towards your chest. We do squats so that our thighs are parallel to the floor.

Finish your home workout with stretching. Sit down and stretch your hands to your toes, grab your ankles and press your body against your legs, fix the position for 10-20 seconds. You can also do swings or jump rope for 5 minutes.

Complex in the gym

How can you strengthen the muscles of your buttocks and back of your thighs if you go to the gym? A universal complex that shows excellent results comes down to the following exercises:

Treadmill. You need to run for about 20 minutes at a speed of 10 km/h. This will start the process of burning fat, speed up metabolism and warm up the muscles.

Hyperextension. You need to adjust the equipment to your height. Secure your feet with the lower bolster. The hips lie on special pillows, hands behind the head, the whole body is tense and represents a straight line. Inhale and bend down, fix the point for 1-2 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Leg bending in the simulator. Lie down on a bench and position the bolster so that it rests on your ankles. Inhale and bend your legs so that the roller touches your buttocks. Smoothly we return back.

Leg press in the simulator. We lie down on a bench, raise our legs and place them on the upper edge of the platform, slightly wider than shoulder level. You need to push the platform with your feet, focusing on your heel. It is important to keep the distance between your legs at the same level.

If you are a regular visitor to a sports club and your level of training allows, you can complicate the exercises by performing the movements more times, increasing the weight, or training each leg in turn.