If you’re trying to develop your leg strength, it’s easy to just concentrate on your quads but if you forget about your hamstrings, you will be missing one of the most important sources of gaining power in your legs, as well as helping to prevent leg injuries from occurring. Not only can you ensure that your leg muscle size will increase, but you can strengthen your hamstrings to prevent sports injuries. If you’re prone to hamstring injuries, you should focus your training to help make them stronger and therefore less likely to give you trouble. It is important that you do this with the advice from a sports trainer or physiotherapist to ma sure that you do not aggravate any existing injuries or weaknesses in your legs. You should always ensure that you warm up before doing any type of exercise and focus on your legs to prevent injuries and muscle strains from happening during your workout and training sessions. Here’s what you can do to train for stronger hamstrings.
Box squats
Rather than squatting completely down, box squats are a great way to build your hamstrings. By stopping at the box position, you are eliminating too much pressure on your quads, which allows your hamstrings to do the majority of the work. Make sure you stay tight, with your toes facing out in a wider stance. You can use a box or chair to help you get the right position and build up to working without any equipment. If you want to add some strength training to this exercise you can your weights.
Eccentric glute hamstring raises
Hamstring injuries make up around 40% of football injuries, which makes this workout a good one for those competing in sports. On your knees, ensure that your heels are kept in place by something immovable, then contract your hamstrings as you allow your body to go towards the floor into the push-up position.
Barbell hip thrust
This is a great exercise for those who are getting back into it after an injury, as it lets you train your hips, glutes and hamstrings without putting too much stress on the lower back.
Romanian deadlifts
This style of deadlift works your hamstrings much more than a conventional deadlift. Your legs should be straighter than if you were completing a traditional deadlift, which allows it to focus on your hamstrings and lower back.
The full package
If you’ve done all this work for football, you need to look the part. For quality Discount Football Kits, you could look at websites such as kitking, to make you and your team really feel the part, whether you’re taking part seriously in a league or just having a good old-fashioned knockabout with your friends on the weekend.
Whatever your reason for training your hamstrings, it’s essential that you warm up beforehand to prevent any injury. With strained and torn hamstrings being one of the most common sports injuries, strengthening them can increase their mass and prevent injuries.
