Hey guys its JP and this time we are going to go over ways to strengthen the proximal
hamstring tendon! Now why does this matter? To better prepare for the forces involved
in running, it may be a good idea to build and strengthen the area. This region is subject
to tremendous loads, especially as the hamstrings work to help decelerate the leg to prepare
for the foot landing during running. By not allowing the knee to fully straighten, this
allows you to take quicker steps, which ultimately leads to faster times. Plus when you strengthen
the tendon, you are also eliciting strength gains in the hamstring muscle itself. In turn,
this may help both prepare your body for the demands of running as well as improve your
capacity to run even faster!
Now, to strengthen the tendon, you need to incorporate exercises that work the hamstrings
HARD with sustained holds or slow movements. So lets go over some exercises I use for runners
to strengthen the hamstrings and the tendon to prepare for the demands of running. The
first exercise we will go over is the Single Leg Romanian Deadlift. This requires some
control and coordination to perform as you are one leg. This may be important to consider
as you are also only on ONE leg as you run. Because of the control involved, you may not
be able to lower that far down intially; however, this can also be due to limitations in the
hamstrings. The good thing about this one, is as you practice it, control will obviously
improved, but you may find improved range of the hamstrings as well. Though remember
that the intention here is to build up the tendon and muscle, so you need to work it
hard. As you get used to the exercise and want to challenge the region more, simply
hold heavier objects in each hand.
The next exercise we will go over is the Nordic Hamstring Curl. This works the area hard and
involves slow movements, which is what we are looking for. This may be important to
consider as this largely involves eccentric movements of the hamstrings, which is similar
to how the hamstrings are mostly used as you run. The nice thing about this is that you
pretty much just use your bodyweight. For most people, they will not be able to control
the whole movement due to limitations in strength anyway. If you don't have the strength, you
will typically just let yourself fall as seen here. Basically its a great exercise as you
are pushing your hamstrings as hard as you can currently tolerate and do. However, if
you really work at it, and you can actually do the full nordic hamstring curl, which is
incredible difficult....you can wear a weighted vest or hold weights. I do not recommend going
to this point until you can do the exercise much more easily and you know you will be
safe performing it with resistance.
The last exercise I will show you guys is the Hamstring Curls. If you have access to
equipment to do this, then use it. This is a simple way to isolate loading of the hamstrings,
which improves your chances of loading the proper regions, without undesired compensations.
Now, if you don't have access to a cable machine or bands to do it in this position. You can
also try it with ankle weights in standing. You can still get loading through the region;
however, there is more chances of compensating in a standing position.
And those are some exercises you can try to strengthen the hamstrings and the proximal
hamstring tendon. Remember that this is for educational purposes. If you have persistent
pain in the region, you should consult a healthcare professional for a proper assessment! Anyway,
I'd love to hear your thoughts as well as any questions you may have! Next week, we
will go over more explosive movements involving the hamstrings to improve running performance!
And as always, thank you for watching!