Strength training
Build Hamstring and Glute Training Around Clear Movements
Hamstrings exercises and glute training can combine hip movement, knee bending and controlled changes of position. Different exercises place different demands on balance, floor access and equipment. This guide groups four options by those demands and suggests a small practice session. It is not rehabilitation; stop if anything hurts.
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Inside the lesson “Lift a bent knee”
This 8-minute seated lesson is part of the ChairEase track “Seated Leg Strength Skills”. Seated knee extensions and bent-knee lifts, one leg at a time, at a comfortable range. It uses 3 moves, each repeated with rest on the chair in between. Select a time to jump to that part of the video.
- Get comfortable
- Small seated march
- A quiet pause
- Seated knee extension
- A quiet pause
- Seated heel rise
- Check in
- Finish and rest
The moves and their cues
- Small seated march
- Keep one knee bent and lift that foot a little. Set it down before you change sides.
- Seated knee extension
- With one thigh resting on the seat, gently straighten that knee a little and lower the foot.
- Seated heel rise
- Keep the balls of your feet on the floor. Lift both heels a little, then lower them.
Easier and harder options in this lesson
- Easier: Smaller range, slower, or simply rest on the chair for this part.
- A little more: Add one more slow repetition or pause two breaths at the end of the movement.
Understand the movement before choosing the exercise
The hamstrings are at the back of the thigh, while the gluteal muscles are around the buttocks. A useful exercise comparison asks what is moving: the hip, the knee, or both. It also asks how the body is supported. Two movements with similar muscle labels can require very different skills.
This guide separates four options: a standing hip hinge, a supported backward leg lift, a supported knee curl and a floor bridge. They are not ranked from best to worst. The useful starting option depends on the person’s movement experience, support needs, comfort and goals.
The AAOS hip-conditioning resource provides clinical context and distinguishes named muscle groups and movement types. Its rehabilitation material is intended to be used with professional guidance. The session described here is original editorial work and does not carry approval from the AAOS programme.
Check floor access, standing support and the actual goal
Before deciding on repetitions, decide where the session can take place. A floor bridge requires a suitable way to get down, lie comfortably and get up. Those tasks matter even if the lifting part looks simple. A bed or soft sofa changes the setup and should not be presented as an identical replacement.
Standing exercises avoid a floor transfer but can require balance on one leg. A stable support must be positioned so it can be used without reaching or moving it during the exercise. A chair that tips or slides is not appropriate support. Existing assistance arrangements and prescribed aids remain part of the plan.
Clarify whether the aim is learning a movement, general strength training or rehabilitation. This page addresses the first two only, as general teaching information. Pain after an injury, postoperative restrictions and symptoms down the leg require individual assessment rather than a generic hamstring routine.
Card 1: a small standing hip hinge
Start with both feet on the floor in a comfortable stance. With the knees softly bent, move the hips backward a small amount while the trunk inclines as one controlled unit. Return to upright without leaning backward at the finish. The first goal is recognising movement at the hips, not reaching the hands toward the floor.
Use a small range and no external weight. If you work with a coach, they can check your starting position and confirm that the movement can be controlled without a forced stretch or breath-holding. A side view, in a mirror or from a coach, shows the hip movement and return most clearly.
If you cannot maintain a comfortable supported position, choose another option. This guide does not ask you to hold a weight, stand on one leg or pull into a deeper range to make the exercise count.
Cards 2 and 3: separate hip movement from knee bending
For the supported backward leg lift, stand facing a stable support with your hands resting on it. Move one leg a small distance behind while keeping the trunk quiet, then return the foot to its starting place. Avoid arching the back or chasing a high leg position. The NHS strength guide describes a comparable supported hip-extension pattern.
For the supported knee curl, keep the thighs approximately alongside each other and bend one knee so the heel travels a short distance backward, then lower the foot. The goal is clear knee bending, without lifting the whole thigh behind the body. If you are unsure about the setup, ask a coach or physiotherapist to check it.
Both exercises put more support demand on the standing leg while the other foot moves. They therefore need a balance and support check even when the motion is small. Each return to two feet is part of the movement. The two exercises are alternatives, not a requirement to perform them together.
| Question | Backward leg lift | Knee curl |
|---|---|---|
| Main visible action | Leg moves behind at the hip | Knee bends while the thigh stays relatively still |
| Common cue | Avoid leaning and arching to lift farther | Avoid swinging the thigh to move the heel |
| Access demand | One-foot support during the lift | One-foot support during the curl |
| First simplification | Smaller hip movement with agreed support | Smaller knee movement with agreed support |
Card 4: a floor bridge with a controlled return
Begin lying on your back, knees bent and feet resting on the floor. Lift the pelvis a modest distance while keeping the movement comfortable, then lower it with control. The setup, the first lift and the full return matter as much as the highest position.
Start with both feet down and no added resistance. There is no need to lift as high as possible, hold the breath or press into the neck. Check your comfort, and decide with a coach or physiotherapist whether floor access and this position suit you.
A bridge is not interchangeable with a seated leg movement. If lying on the floor is unsuitable, choose a genuinely different option rather than an improvised version on an unstable surface. A standing card may be an option for some people, but that requires its own support check.
A small practice session to start
A first session can use two appropriate cards rather than every exercise on the page. One card introduces hip movement; the other explores knee bending or a different supported position. Choose after the access and comfort checks above. For a seated alternative, the ChairEase lesson on this page, “Lift a bent knee” (8 minutes, from the track “Seated Leg Strength Skills”), stays in the chair.
A cautious starting point is one set of five slow repetitions per selected card, or per side where relevant, with at least a minute between cards and longer rest when needed. Begin with a familiar easy warm-up. These numbers are a conservative suggestion, not a personal prescription or a proven minimum effective dose.
End a set early if control changes or symptoms appear. You should be able to return to the starting position without rushing to the next movement. Note whether five repetitions felt too much, too little or unsuitable before deciding on any progression.
The session is a movement-learning sample. NHS guidance describes strengthening as work that challenges the muscles; practising an unloaded movement does not establish that an adequate strengthening dose has been achieved. Loading and a wider weekly plan are separate decisions, best made with a qualified coach.
Progress the challenge without losing the movement
A progression can involve range, repetitions, resistance or the number of sets. Changing several at once makes the response harder to interpret. Keep a record of the exact variation and the support used so the next session can start from something known.
Before adding resistance, make sure you can repeat the chosen movement comfortably and recover appropriately. A heavier weight is not an automatic next step. Removing hand support or moving to one leg also changes balance demands and should not be treated as a harmless way to make an exercise harder.
Avoid using soreness as a score. A session that causes substantial difficulty with ordinary activities afterward needs reconsideration, even if every repetition was completed. Sharp pain, new weakness, numbness or symptoms spreading down the leg warrant stopping and appropriate clinical advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are hamstring stretches the same as strength exercises?
No. A stretch and a strengthening exercise have different purposes and demands. The movement, resistance and amount of work determine the task; a muscle name alone does not.
Do I need weights to begin learning these movements?
The cards here use no added resistance so the movement stays clear. Whether that is enough strength training depends on the person; a qualified coach can advise.
What if I cannot get onto the floor?
Do not assume a floor bridge is required. Choose a different option with appropriate support, such as the seated ChairEase lesson on this page, “Lift a bent knee”. A soft bed or sofa is not automatically an equivalent exercise surface.
Can this guide treat a hamstring injury?
No. Injury assessment and rehabilitation need an individual plan. This is general training information, not treatment.