Best Hamstring and Glutes Exercises & Workouts

The glutes are the largest muscle in the body and can tolerate high frequency, up to three or four times a week. However, the hamstrings are fast-twitch muscles prone to muscle damage and soreness. A smart approach is one heavy posterior chain day with Deadlifts and two lighter glute accessory days with Bridges or Abductions per week.

For glutes, the Hip Thrust is superior to the squat. For hamstrings, you need a mix of hip extension like Romanian Deadlifts and knee flexion like Seated Leg Curls or Nordic Curls. Doing both ensures you target the upper and lower portions of the hamstring. Additionally, exercises like trap bar, deadlifts and sumo barbell deadlifts will strengthen glutes.

Yes, but standard air squats won't cut it. You must use single-leg variations like the Single-Leg Glute Bridge and the Bulgarian Split Squat to create enough tension. For hamstrings, the Sliding Leg Curl using socks on a hardwood floor or paper plates on carpet is surprisingly difficult and effective.

Weak glutes lead to synergistic dominance, where the lower back takes over lifting duties, leading to pain. Strong hamstrings act as the brakes for your legs. They stabilize the knee joint and prevent ACL tears during rapid deceleration or sprinting. It also is the main source of power and strength in sports.

The glutes have a large muscle belly and can grow relatively fast, often showing changes in six to eight weeks. The hamstrings are more stubborn and often hidden by body fat. To see true separation, or the tie-in between glute and ham, you generally need to achieve a lower body fat percentage.