Hamstring Dumbbell Exercises At Home

If you’re a fitness junkie that exercises at home with little equipment like dumbbells, this article will be useful to you. In this post, I’ll give an exhaustive list of hamstring-training ideas (with step-by-step instructions) that you can do at home or in the gym. Hamstring dumbbell exercises not only strengthen and build your hamstrings, but also enhance the strength of your entire lower body, including quads, glutes, abdominal muscles, and lower back.

Hamstrings are composed of three-headed muscles (semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris) that reside on the back of your thighs, generally between the hip and knee.

According to a 2014 research published in the Muscles Ligaments Tendons Journal, hamstring problems are extremely common in sports and fitness. This is why you need to strengthen your hamstrings muscles.

There are several methods to stretch your hamstrings. But if you want to learn how to work out your hamstrings with dumbbells to learn more, I hope it will be of assistance.

The Best Hamstring Dumbbell Workouts

Dumbbell Deadlift

Fold forward at your hips with a little bend in your knees and hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand (either in front of you or beside you). Slowly lower the dumbbells to the floor, but avoid rounding your back. To get up, engage your core and glutes.

Dumbbell RDL

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is one of several different types of deadlifts and, considering that it focuses on the hamstrings, arguably the most effective. Your hamstrings are going to be stretched and toned as you lower down with each repetition, and your hamstrings and glutes will work together to extend your hips as you rise. Squeezing the heck out of your glutes at the top of each rep will also assist you in generating great contraction tension.

Dumbbell Sumo Squat

1. With your palms facing away from one another and a neutral grip, pick a heavier dumbbell (as per your strength).
2. Stand up straight with your feet about a foot wider than shoulder-width apart and keep your fingers (your feet) pointing out to the sides (external rotating your hips).
3. You may either straighten your arms (with the dumbbell) or bend your elbows and hold it at chest level. Whichever feels more comfortable for you. However, I think it’s better to keep it in front of you.
4. Now, bend your knees and pull your hips back slightly to squat down until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground. Make sure you keep your back straight throughout this exercise.
5. Take a second to check your posture and make sure your inner thighs are engaged throughout the entire movement. That’s all there is to it.
6. 2 x 15 reps are suggested for this exercise.

Single-Leg Dumbbell Deadlift

Raise one of your legs behind you, keeping the other straight, and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides. Lift your left foot behind you with a little bend in your right knee. Continue lowering down until your chest is almost parallel to the floor. Now, with your right leg, press through the floor to return to the beginning position. Repeat on the other side.

Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift

1. Extend your arms straight out and hold the dumbbells with an overhand grip just in front of your hips. Your hands must be fully extended.
2. Keep your back straight as you lower the weights in a direct line. Because you’re pushing your hips back, your spine will remain straight as your back lowers down. When the dumbbells reach your knees, your legs can bend somewhat. However, try to keep your knees as straight as possible when the dumbbells pass through your knees. Simply bend your knees enough so that you may lower the dumbbells to lower shin level without arching back.  
3. Suspend your breath for a moment at the bottom range; then, without arching your back, go as low as you can.
4. Extend your knees, hips, and elbows to return to a standing posture and then completely lockout at the top.  

Dumbbell Front Lunges

1. Stand straight and tall in the normal stance with one dumbbell in each hand, holding a neutral grip. Your arms should be kept straight and the dumbbells held at your sides with your palms facing inward.
2. Step your left leg forward and then lower your hips to the floor until your right knee is bent at a 90-degree angle or your left cheek is parallel to the ground. During lunges, make sure you keep your back straight and shoulders up.
3. After squeezing through your right knee, return your left leg to the starting position. Then repeat with your right leg to complete one rep.
4. You may also repeat the exercise on the opposite leg for the same number of reps before changing sides.
5. 3 sets of 8-12 reps are suggested.

Weighted Glute Bridge

With your feet on the floor hip-distance apart, lie down on your back and extend your legs. Raise your hips upward by grasping a dumbbell above your hips. Make a straight line from shoulders to hips with your body. Pause before lowering yourself slowly to the ground.

Box Squat

1. Put a box or a chair behind you. The top should be about knee height.
2. With your feet, a bit more than shoulder-width apart and the dumbbell held at chest level in a goblet posture, sink down onto the box with your hips. Your knees will not extend beyond your toes. Consider it like you’re actually sitting down rather than a common squat, which entails more knee flexion. 
3. When your behind reaches the box, take a pause to let your glutes and hamstrings relax before rising up to a standing posture with hip extension. Make an effort to perform this with tremendous force. Concentrate on using your hamstrings and glutes to power the movement.

Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

1. Stand up straight in the normal stance and grab a pair of dumbbells with an open palm grip. With your hands facing inward, keep your arms parallel to the ground.
2. Place your left foot on a bench or the bed, or a chair (again, depending on what’s available). Keep your feet about three feet apart.
3. Lower your hips until your left knee is close to the ground, then push with your right heel to return to the beginning position. That’s one rep in a row for you.
4. 2 x 12-15 reps are suggested.

Leg Curl

1. Start by putting the weight between your feet and resting on your stomach.
2. Curl your legs up until they nearly make a 90° angle, using your hamstrings. You don’t want to go all the way to 90 degrees because then tension will be lost. 
3. From there, very carefully lower your legs back to full extension.

To know more about rear delt dumbbell exercises to strengthen your shoulders click here.