A smart hamstring workout for runners does much more than build the muscles on the back of your thighs. Strong, resilient hamstrings help you accelerate, hold form when you are tired, and stay off the injured list. With the right exercises, you support your running mechanics instead of fighting against tight or weak muscles every time you head out the door.
Below, you will learn how your hamstrings work when you run, why they tend to get tight and sore, and which specific strength exercises will actually help you run better and reduce injury risk.
Understand how hamstrings support running
Your hamstrings are a group of three muscles on the back of your thigh, between your hip and knee. They bend your knee and extend your hip, both of which are crucial every time your foot leaves and returns to the ground.
During your running stride, the hamstrings help pull your foot back under you at ground contact, assist with lifting your knee during the swing phase, and then control your leg just before foot strike so you do not overstride. In the stance phase, they stabilize your hip and knee and contribute to pushing you forward.
Because you take roughly 1,500 strides per mile, your hamstrings contract again and again with very little rest. Over time, that repetitive shortening without enough stretching or strength work leads to muscles that feel tight and are more resistant to lengthening. Chronic tightness can show up as hamstring strains, sciatica, reduced hip and knee mobility, inefficient running, and even low back or knee pain.
A focused hamstring workout for runners addresses both strength and control so that these muscles can keep up with what your training demands.
Why hamstring strength matters for runners
Hamstring strength is mostly about injury prevention, not magically turning you into a sprinting superstar overnight. Research has found that stronger hamstrings are linked with fewer injuries and less post run soreness, although extra strength alone does not guarantee faster times.
Several recent studies highlight how targeted hamstring work protects you:
- Eccentric strengthening, where the muscle is working as it lengthens, significantly cuts down hamstring injury rates. A 2025 meta analysis reported about a 51% reduction in primary hamstring muscle injuries when athletes consistently used eccentric exercises such as the Nordic hamstring exercise.
- The Nordic hamstring exercise specifically increases activation of two key muscles, the semitendinosus and the biceps femoris long head, and improves fascicle length and muscle size. In soccer players, this translated to an 85% reduction in recurrent hamstring injuries, which is a strong signal that the same approach can help runners in similar ways.
- Hip extensor exercises, where you extend your hip while controlling the load, improve eccentric hamstring torque and your hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio by about 13 to 16 percent in some reviews. That more balanced strength lowers the chance that your quads overpower your hamstrings and pull your mechanics out of line.
When you pair strength work with core and neuromuscular training that improve pelvic control, you reduce the strain on the hamstrings and lower your risk of the same injury popping up again.
Common hamstring issues in runners
If you often feel your hamstrings tugging or locking up, you are not alone. Tight or cranky hamstrings are a very common complaint among runners preparing for events from local 5Ks to marathons.
Several factors tend to pile on each other:
- Repetitive contractions during every run leave the muscle shortened and fatigued
- Lack of regular stretching or mobility work makes it harder for the muscle to lengthen
- Weakness in the glutes and core shifts extra load to the hamstrings
- Pelvic position, such as an exaggerated arch in your low back, keeps the hamstrings under constant tension
Over time that can result in minor tears, gait changes, posture issues, hip or low back discomfort, and a feeling that your stride just does not flow. Injury specialists also point out that some runners with anterior pelvic tilt should spend more time stretching the hip flexors and strengthening the glutes, rather than repeatedly yanking on already overworked hamstrings.
A good hamstring workout for runners respects this bigger picture. You are not only trying to make one muscle stronger. You are trying to help your whole posterior chain, from your glutes down to your calves, share the work in a more balanced way.
Why eccentric training is so effective
Eccentric training is a key theme in modern hamstring research. This is when you control a muscle as it lengthens, like lowering a weight slowly rather than just dropping it. For hamstrings, it mirrors what happens when your leg swings forward and your hamstrings have to brake that motion.
Scientists from Stanford University and the University of Queensland followed people doing a nine week Nordic hamstring exercise program and saw microscopic changes in the biceps femoris long head, one of the most commonly injured hamstring muscles. The muscle fibers added sarcomeres end to end, basically adding length on a microscopic level, which helps protect against overstretching.
The catch is that these adaptations started to fade after only a three week training break. That means a short three or four week pre season block of Nordics is likely not enough. You get the best protective effect when you make this kind of training a regular part of your routine, just like your weekly tempo run or long run.
Key strength exercises for runners’ hamstrings
You do not need a full weight room to build effective hamstring strength. A few proven exercises, done consistently, cover most of what you need.
Nordic hamstring exercise
The Nordic hamstring curl is one of the most researched hamstring exercises for running sports. It loads the muscle heavily as it lengthens, which is exactly what happens just before your foot hits the ground.
To do it, kneel on a padded surface and secure your ankles under something sturdy or have a partner hold them down. From a tall kneeling position with your body straight from knees to shoulders, slowly lean forward while resisting with your hamstrings. Go as low as you can control, then catch yourself with your hands and push back up to the start.
If you are new to this, expect some soreness and start gently with a small number of reps. Over time, this exercise has been shown to dramatically reduce hamstring injury rates for field sport athletes and can provide similar protection for runners once you build tolerance.
Single leg Romanian deadlift
Single leg Romanian deadlifts strengthen your hamstrings while the muscle is shortening, which mirrors the stance phase of running, and they also recruit your glutes and hip stabilizers.
Stand tall on one leg with a soft bend in your knee, then hinge forward from the hip, letting your free leg extend behind you. Keep your back flat and reach your hands toward the floor or hold a weight in the opposite hand. You should feel a strong stretch and effort in the hamstring of your standing leg as you return to upright.
This exercise challenges balance and coordination as well as strength, so start with bodyweight only and a nearby wall or chair for support if needed.
Eccentric bridges
Eccentric bridges are another way to train the hamstrings as they lengthen, using very little equipment. Lie on your back with your feet on the floor or on an elevated surface, then lift your hips into a bridge. From there, slowly extend your legs a little at a time, letting your hamstrings control the lowering phase.
You can start with both legs and progress to single leg variations once you are comfortable. These exercises help prepare your hamstrings for the higher forces that come with faster running.
Hip extensor and core work
To support the hamstrings, add a few hip extensor and core focused movements to your week. Hip extensor exercises done with the hip extended, such as hip thrusts or kickbacks, eccentrically contract the hamstrings and tweak the hamstring to quadriceps strength ratio in your favor.
Core and neuromuscular training that targets agility, trunk stabilization, and glute activation has also been shown to cut down on hamstring injury recurrence. Think of planks, side planks, bird dogs, and controlled single leg balance drills. Better pelvic control takes some of the constant strain away from the hamstrings when you run.
How often to train your hamstrings
The protective adaptations from hamstring strength work are not permanent. In the Nordics study mentioned earlier, the microscopic changes in muscle fibers began to fade within just a few weeks off. That is a clear sign that consistency matters more than the occasional hard block.
For most runners, two focused hamstring sessions per week is a solid starting point. You might rotate through Nordic curls, single leg Romanian deadlifts, and eccentric bridges, and then sprinkle in core and hip extensor work.
Here is one simple way to spread things out:
- Early week strength day: Nordics, single leg RDLs, and a couple of core exercises
- Late week shorter session: eccentric bridges, light hip extensor work, and a balance drill
Keep reps modest and focus on controlled form. Quality beats quantity, especially early on, and you should be able to run comfortably the next day without feeling wiped out.
Stretching and mobility that actually help
Stretching can absolutely help your hamstrings feel better, but on its own it is usually not enough to prevent problems. The research points toward a combination approach.
Dynamic stretching before a run, such as leg swings, gentle lunges, and active warmup drills, prepares the hamstrings for the work ahead. After your session, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF style stretching, where you lightly contract the muscle before relaxing into a stretch, can improve flexibility and neuromuscular control over time.
Several specific stretches have been recommended for runners, including:
- Forward fold sequences
- Triangle type leans
- Calf and hamstring stretches with a block
- Low lunge to hamstring stretch transitions
- Seated toe pulls
- Rolling the hamstrings with a lacrosse ball or foam roller
Static stretches like pigeon pose or classic seated and standing hamstring stretches also have their place, especially on rest days, as long as you avoid forcing the position. Keep a soft bend in your knee so the muscle, not the back of the joint, takes the stretch.
A useful rule of thumb: pair strength and control work with regular mobility, instead of choosing only one or the other.
Putting it all together
A good hamstring workout for runners is not complicated, but it is consistent and purposeful. You build strength with proven eccentric moves such as the Nordic curl and eccentric bridges, you add functional strength and balance with single leg Romanian deadlifts and hip extensor work, and you support your form with core and neuromuscular training.
Layer in dynamic warmups before you run and thoughtful stretching and soft tissue work afterward, and you give your hamstrings the mix of load and recovery they need to support every stride. Start with a couple of exercises this week, pay attention to how your body responds, and gradually build a routine that feels sustainable. Your future self, and your future race photos, will thank you for it.
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