How to do the single-leg hamstring bridge
I’ve been lifting weights for more than five years and I work as a fitness writer, so I often assume that I’ve tried every strength exercise out there.
Thankfully, that isn’t true, because I recently discovered a move that has transformed how I train my lower body and decreased pain in my knee.
The exercise is called a single-leg hamstring bridge and it was recommended to me by my physical therapist as part of ongoing treatment for a knee injury that’s been plaguing me for years.
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The move primarily strengthens the hamstrings—the muscles down the back of the thigh and knee—but the benefits are more wide-ranging, including a more stable knee joint and improved core strength.
How to do a single-leg hamstring bridge
Single Leg Hamstring Bridge – YouTube
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- Lie on your back and place your heels on a raised surface, such as a bench or plyo box if you’re at the gym, with your knees bent to 90°.
- Lift your left foot off the floor and hold it in midair.
- Engage your core and press into your right heel to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from knees to shoulders. You should feel the back of your right leg working.
- Lower with control.
- Repeat five to 12 times on each side, depending on how challenging it feels, and complete three to five sets.
The benefits of single-leg hamstring bridges
The hamstrings might not be an area you’ve dedicated a lot of time to strengthening, but they probably should be, according to physiotherapist and founder of Complete Pilates Helen O’Leary.
“The backs of the legs are an area that is typically weaker for most people,” she tells Fit&Well.
“The quad muscles on the front of the thighs are bigger and stronger, and we use them as part of everyday life more, such as when we get up off a chair or the floor, or go up the stairs.
“Having a better balance between quads and hamstrings will give you extra power, and improve stability at the knee joint, helping to prevent injuries.”
My experience of single-leg hamstring bridges
When I added hamstring bridges to my workouts, I realised that my hamstrings were a lot weaker than I had though, despite doing lower-body exercises like squats and deadlifts regularly.
I can feel my hamstrings fire up during this move, but since doing it for three weeks, it has gotten slightly easier as my hamstrings have become stronger.
Hamstring bridges also activate my core and my glutes, and I’ve noticed that I’m experiencing less stiffness and achiness in my back since doing this move regularly, probably because I’m strengthening the muscles that support it.
I’m so impressed by how effective hamstring bridges are, I think more people should consider adding them to their workouts. I’ll certainly be keeping them in my routine.
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