Hamstring exercise
Hamstring Slider Curl
Train knee-flexion hamstring strength with no equipment at all.
- Equipment
- Sliders
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 40X1
Setup
Lying on your back with your heels on sliders, towels or a Swiss ball, hips bridged up.
How to do it
- Bridge your hips up and hold them high throughout - the moment your hips drop, the hamstrings stop working.
- Slide your heels slowly away from you, then pull them back under control.
- Do 3 sets of 6 to 12, or eccentric-only reps if the concentric is too hard.
- This is the scalable option for age-grade players and away trips where there is no equipment.
Coaching cues
- Hips stay high the whole time
- Slide out slow, pull back controlled
- Eccentric-only if the concentric is too hard
Common mistakes
- Hips dropping as the legs extend, which unloads the hamstrings completely
- Rushing the eccentric, which is the part that matters
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Bodyweight | 3 | 6 to 12 | 90 sec |
Tempo 40X1: Take 4 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- Romanian DeadliftLoad the hamstrings in a lengthened position, which is where they get injured.
- Single-Leg Romanian DeadliftCombine hamstring loading with the hip control that cutting demands.
- Nordic Hamstring CurlBuild eccentric knee-flexor strength in the hamstrings.
- Razor Hamstring CurlGet high eccentric hamstring force with less soreness than the Nordic.
- Glute-Ham RaiseTrain the hamstring through its full range at both the hip and the knee.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.