To train your hamstrings using calisthenics, you can focus on exercises that work the hamstring muscles primarily through the knee joint, with minimal involvement from the hips, or variations of hip-dominant exercises that isolate the hamstrings.
Calisthenics offers effective ways to build hamstring strength and endurance using just your body weight.
Based on calisthenics approaches, hamstring exercises often fall into categories that emphasize knee flexion or hip extension with specific modifications.
1. Exercises Without Significant Hip Movement (Like Nordic Curls)
One approach involves exercises where the primary movement is not in the hips. This type of exercise focuses on the knee joint, similar to a hamstring curl machine but using your body weight.
- Concept: Your feet are anchored, and you lower your body from a kneeling position, keeping your body in a straight line. The hamstrings work eccentrically (lengthening under tension) to control the descent and concentrically (shortening) to pull you back up (though the concentric phase is very challenging).
- Execution Focus: The key is to keep the hips stable and extended, ensuring the movement comes from controlling the angle at the knee. This strongly targets the hamstrings.
- Examples: Progressions towards the full Nordic Hamstring Curl, partner-assisted Nordic curls, or using furniture/equipment to anchor your feet.
2. Glute Bridge Variation for Hamstrings
According to one approach mentioned in the reference, there is a "glute bridge variation" specifically aimed at hamstrings. This variation is described as:
- Execution Focus: "lock the angle in the knee. And remove the hips."
- Interpretation: This description suggests an exercise where the angle of the knee joint remains relatively constant throughout the movement. The phrase "remove the hips" indicates that significant hip extension (the primary movement in a standard glute bridge) is minimized or avoided. This could involve holding a hip-elevated position while performing a different action with the legs that targets hamstrings (like sliding the heels) or focusing on a movement where the hamstrings contract without a large change in hip angle or range of motion. This contrasts with exercises like the Nordic curl where the movement is primarily at the knee joint with stable hips.
It's important to note that a standard glute bridge primarily targets the glutes and hips. The reference describes a variation of the glute bridge that modifies the movement ("lock the angle in the knee. And remove the hips.") to potentially shift the focus more towards the hamstrings compared to a conventional glute bridge.
Here’s a simple table summarizing the approaches mentioned:
| Exercise Type | Primary Joint Movement Focused On | Hip Involvement | Knee Angle | Example Concept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Without Significant Hip Movement | Knee | Minimized / Stable | Changes | Lowering body from knees (like Nordic Curl) |
| Glute Bridge Variation (Reference) | Less clear, potentially isometric/sliding | Minimized ("remove the hips") | Kept constant ("lock the angle in the knee") | A variation where hips are low and knee angle is held |
Training these exercises requires progression. Start with assisted versions or partial ranges of motion and gradually build strength. Consistency and proper form are crucial for effective hamstring training and injury prevention.
