Which hamstring workout builds the strongest muscles?
Hamstrings Hypertrophy Is Specific to the Training Exercise: Nordic Hamstring versus Lengthened State Eccentric Training
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Two different hamstring exercises were tested: one where you lean forward on your knees (NHT), and another where you sit and slowly lower a weight with your hip bent (LSET).
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 555 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Two different hamstring exercises were tested: one where you lean forward on your knees (NHT), and another where you sit and slowly lower a weight with your hip bent (LSET).
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 555 / 90
Evidence Score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. Considered the gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Publication
Authors
Maeo S, Balshaw TG, Nin DZ, Mc Dermott EJ, Osborne T, Cooper NB, Massey GJ, Kong PW, Pain MTG, Folland JP
Related Content
Claims (5)
After twelve weeks of either lengthened state eccentric training or Nordic hamstring training, maximum eccentric knee flexion torque increases by about 17% and 11%, respectively, and the improvement is not significantly different between the two exercises.
Training the hamstring muscle with exercises that stretch it fully increases the size of its connective tissue structures more than exercises that do not stretch it as much.
After twelve weeks of training with muscles stretched under load, healthy young men gained 19% more muscle volume and 9% more connective tissue area in the biceps femoris long head compared to those who did Nordic hamstring exercises, which produced only 5% and 3% increases respectively.
Lengthened state eccentric training increases the size of certain hamstring muscles that help extend the hip more than Nordic hamstring training, while Nordic hamstring training increases the size of other hamstring muscles that do not extend the hip more than lengthened state eccentric training.
In healthy young men, two types of hamstring exercises—lengthened state eccentric training and Nordic hamstring training—each increase isometric knee flexion strength by about 25-27%, and neither exercise produces a stronger increase than the other.