Running News Daily

Three easy exercises to help you avoid hamstring pain for good

Hamstring injuries are common in runners due to the repetitive use and movement of the muscle. Factors like poor mechanics and inadequate strengthening and rehabilitation can only make your hamstrings more vulnerable to injury or tear. Strengthening these muscles is crucial for preventing tears and enhancing performance, so you’re able to run more and run stronger. In this article, we’ll explore three effective exercises for developing resilient hamstrings and reducing your risk of injury.

1.- Romanian deadlifts (RDLs)

Running requires the hamstrings to have a great range of motion, especially if you are a sprinter or trail runner with a lot of changes of pace. Romanian deadlifts specifically isolate your hamstring muscles, helping you build both strength and flexibility. Try doing this exercise at a controlled pace to intensify the demand on the muscles. RDLs are great for building resilience and reducing the risk of a future hamstring tear.

2.- Nordic curls

Nordic curls are a stand-out exercise for strengthening your hamstring muscles, especially crucial for middle-distance runners who encounter frequent changes in speed and sudden sprints that impose a lot of stress on these muscles during a race or workout.

To perform Nordic curls, you’ll need to anchor your feet under a resistance band, or weights, or ask for help from a workout buddy. Gradually lower your upper body toward the ground until you catch yourself with your hands. You’ll want to keep a controlled pace, similar to Romanian deadlifts (there’s no need for rapid movements)—focus on resisting the descent and steadily pushing yourself back up.

3.- Swiss ball hamstring curls

The primary objective is to enhance resilience and strengthen the hamstrings to reduce the likelihood of future strains. Using either an exercise machine or a stability ball, hamstring curls can be a highly effective workout to strengthen and engage the hamstring muscles. By integrating hamstring curls into your strength-training routine, you can actively minimize the risk of future tears.

For runners, hamstring curls offer targeted benefits by focusing on muscles that play a pivotal role in running biomechanics. These curls entail the controlled flexion of the knee joint against resistance, replicating the hamstring’s motion during the swing phase of running. As a result, incorporating hamstring curls becomes a valuable addition to a runner’s regimen, aiding in muscle strength, stability and injury prevention.