5 Isometric Hamstring Exercises

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Isometric workouts help you train muscles in a more static way. What are some isometric exercises that target hamstring muscles?

Isometric exercises are a form of strength training exercises where you contract muscles in a static way. The opposite is isotonic exercises where you engage your muscles in a dynamic way.

In simpler terms with isometric exercises, you keep a pose, with just bodyweight or extra weights, for a period of time. The opposite would be doing an exercise like squats where you move up and down.

Isometric exercises are generally softer on your body which makes them useful in certain situations like recovery. Even with that in mind, remember that there is still an injury risk involved in isometric exercises.

Especially if you are currently injured you may need to get guidance from an expert.

1. Hamstring curl hold

For this first isometric exercise, you can benefit from having hamstring workout equipment like resistance bands. You can also do versions without equipment.

Take the following steps to do an isometric hamstring curl hold with a resistance band:

  1. Safely anchor your resistance band close to the ground. Lie on your stomach in front of the anchor with your feet toward it. Put the free end of the resistance band behind one or both of your ankles.
  2. Slowly fold your legs at the knees until the point where the resistance is stretched the most. This will likely be at about where your lower legs make a 45-degree angle to the ground.
  3. Hold this position for a certain amount of time.
  4. Stretch your legs again in a controlled motion.

It is also possible to loop the resistance band around both of your ankles and do the hamstring curl hold for each leg separately.

Besides that, you can also stand against a wall and use that as resistance for your isometric hamstring hold.

2. Hamstring bridge hold

For the hamstring bridge you need something to elevate your feet. Examples of suited objects include a weight bench, stepper, chair, couch, etc.

A yoga mat or other soft surface can be helpful for comfort reasons.

Once you have the required gear, take the following steps to do a hamstring bridge hold:

  1. Lie on your back on the floor or another soft surface right in front of your object of choice. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width on the elevated object. If you want to, hold any weights on your body at the hip level. If not put your arms at your sides for balance.
  2. Move up your hips in a controlled motion until your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Make sure your arms are only used for balance, not for pushing yourself up.
  3. Hold this position for a certain amount of time.
  4. Slowly lower your body again.

If a hamstring bridge is too challenging you can also start with the regular bridge exercise on the ground. Both bridge variations can be done one-legged or two-legged.

This option is a bit less isolated compared to the hamstring curl hold but the hamstring bridge hold can definitely still be a good isometric hamstring exercise.

3. Good morning hold

The good morning is an exercise that is often done with a good amount of external resistance. In the gym, a barbell is a common choice. At home, resistance bands and other free weights are also options.

How much resistance you should choose depends a lot on your personal situation. When in doubt you can start with no or a small amount of resistance and build up from there.

Take the following steps to do a good morning hold with dumbbells:

  1. Stand up straight with your feet at more or less shoulder width. Anchor the resistance band under your feet.
  2. Bend through your knees and safely anchor the other end of the resistance band behind the back of your neck/shoulders.
  3. Stand up straight again.
  4. Tilt your upper body forward as far as is comfortable with a good posture (but not farther than a horizontal line). At the same time bend your knees a small amount.
  5. Hold this position for a certain amount of time.
  6. Return to the position in step 3 in a controlled motion.

The good morning may look similar to something like a squat but you go a lot less through your knees. This makes it so you focus more on training your hamstrings and glutes and less on the rest of your leg muscles.

If you then hold the position at the bottom you get an effective isometric hamstring exercise.

4. Walkout hold

The hamstring walkout is an isotonic hamstring exercise but you can also stop and hold the position to make it an isometric hamstring exercise. Take the following steps to do a walkout hold:

  1. Lie on your back on the floor or on another soft surface. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width at a distance where your lower legs are more or less vertical in the next step. If you want to, hold any weights on your body at the hip level. If not put your arms at your sides for balance.
  2. Move up your hips in a controlled motion until your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Make sure your arms are only used for balance, not for pushing yourself up.
  3. Take small steps forward with your lower legs as far as the desired resistance or until right before your hips touch the ground. Keep your body straight from your knees to your shoulders and keep your ankles at a 90-degree angle.
  4. Hold this position for a certain amount of time.
How to do a hamstring walkout

You can also describe the walkout hold as a bridge with your feet farther away from your body. The farther away your feet are, the more challenging the exercise is for your hamstrings.

5. Nordic hamstring curl hold

This next isometric hamstring exercise may take some extra effort to set up, depending on what equipment you have available.

Take the following steps to do a Nordic hamstring curl hold with a partner:

  1. Sit on your knees on a soft surface with your partner holding your ankles or calves. Keep your body straight from your knees to the top of your head throughout the rest of the exercise.
  2. Slowly tilt your body forward until you reach the desired resistance.
  3. Hold this position for a certain amount of time.

Keep in mind that the Nordic hamstring curl can become relatively hard, relatively quickly. You like don’t need to tilt far to make it a challenging isometric exercise.

It is also possible to do a Nordic hamstring curl hold alone with a barbell setup or if you have a safe object somewhere you can use to anchor your heels behind.

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Matt Claes founded Weight Loss Made Practical to help people get in shape and stay there after losing 37 pounds and learning the best of the best about weight loss, health, and longevity for over 4 years. Over these years he has become an expert in nutrition, exercise, and other physical health aspects.