Leg Day, Part 2: Glutes and Hamstrings

In part one of my leg day series, we talked about quads and calves. We mentioned that it was a good idea to split up leg day into at least two different days. This was because the quads consist of a group of muscles, and that groups of muscles working together at the same time will fatigue the body much faster due to the amount of oxygen it needs. Today, we'll talk about the other side of the leg day coin - glutes and hamstrings. 

Anatomy of the Hamstrings

The hamstrings consist of three muscles: the biceps femoris, the semimembranosus, and the semitendinosus. These muscles form a muscle group and it is very hard to isolate each muscle during a workout. Similar to the quads, since these muscles work together during a lift, they require much more oxygen and will thus lead to fatigue much faster than other muscles. There are two ways you can work your hamstrings: in a lengthened position and a shorted position.

The Lengthened Position

Targeting the hamstrings in a lengthened position provides a great stretch and improves the hamstring's flexibility and strength. 

Romanian Deadlifts. These are great for working the hamstring in the lengthened position. Focusing on the eccentric (lowering) movement will lengthen the muscle fibers and ultimately make your legs look huge. When doing this movement, I allow a slight bend in my knees, but during the motion I pretend my hips are a hinge and I am only moving my torso up and down. I prefer using dumbbells for this exercise because you can adjust where your hands are and you can get a much better stretch. 

The Shortened Position

Working the hamstrings in the shortened position is also crucial to lower body strength. It isolates the hamstrings and supports knee stability, but also supports knee flexion which can make running and jumping much easier. 

Leg Curls. These are perfect for working the hamstring in the shortened position. There are many different variations to leg curls, such as lying (pictured), standing or seated, but lying leg curls are my favorite. Performing this workout, I once again focus on the eccentric movement to allow my muscle fibers to lengthen. I make sure to complete the full range of motion, allowing my legs to completely straighten before bending my knees again. 

Anatomy of the Glutes

The glutes are pretty famous for their name, but there are three primary muscles in the glutes: the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. Only by targeting all three can you obtain your dream physique.

Gluteus Maximus

Hip Thrusts. These are very difficult to set up and can be very painful in the wrong way, but they are the best way to target the glutes. If there is a machine at the gym set up for hip thrusts, I would use that, but the primary way to set up a hip thrust is to use a barbell and balance the bar on your hips as you thrust towards the air. Unlike most lifts, I tend to focus on the concentric movement -very explosive movements and holding at the top. 

Gluteus Medius

Single Leg Deadlifts. This is not my favorite movement, but single leg deadlifts are the most effective way to do a weighted movement that targets the medius. It's very similar to performing a deadlift, except I shift all the weight to one side of my body. 

A simpler way to target the medius is to simple raise your leg directly out to your side and simply focus on the eccentric (lowering) movement. This is not weighted but could be a great movement at the end of a leg day.

Gluteus Minimus

Leg Abductions. This is easily done with a machine and most gyms already have a leg abduction machine. When performing leg abductions, you are simply pushing the weight away from your body. I have found that holding the weight out in the middle of the rep can be very beneficial to building strong glutes. 

To Conclude...

This leg day will not fatigue you nearly as much as a quad-focused leg day, but it has definitely helped me grow my... posterior lower half ;). Performing these lifts will assist you in everyday life, too - from walking, running, or even climbing stairs. 

This blog post wraps up my discussion on muscle groups! It's been a lot of fun and a lot of work, but it has helped me fall in love with weightlifting even more and I hope it has inspired you guys too! Now that we've covered the basics, we can dive into some more fun topics. 

Disclaimers

These workouts are only what I have had success with, and I am not recommending it to anyone. I am by no means a licensed personal trainer and am only sharing what I've learned over the past five years. Credits to the sources used can be found below. 

Barakat, Christopher. (May 7, 2020). The Other Curl: Get the Most Out of Your Hamstring Training. Bodybuilding.com. The Other Curl: Get The Most Out Of Your Hamstring Training (bodybuilding.com)

Basil. (January 18, 2022). How to Stretch Glutes? Loosen Tight Glute. Top Fitness Home. How to Stretch Glutes ? Loosen Tight Glute (topfitnesshome.com)

Strength Level. Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)