I created a new routine targeting my glutes and hamstrings last week and really burned them up! If you want to get your shapely, sexy backside on, emphasize glute and ham exercises regularly. To keep the burn alive on subsequent workouts, increase the weight and mix it up by changing the number of reps and sets. I added leg presses (quads) and calf exercises for balance.
Hacksaw squat - Tough variation of the lunge using dumbbells.
Hamstring curl - These are harder than they look! Start with a light dumbbell.
Reverse lunge – An old favorite using dumbbells or a barbell.
Lying leg curl – A staple of hamstring muscle building.
Leg presses – Just to hit the quads too but also hits the glutes.
Standing calf raise superset with seated calf raise – Nice calf burn to round things out.
There’s still many more glutes/hamstrings exercises I can incorporate! Obviously I want strong quads as well, so every other week I’ll integrate more quad exercises than glute/ham exercises. Are you seeing the results you want?
PDF 
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Great group of exercises & one of my favs is the reverse lunge. Such a great exercise to work on your balance too!
Good point Joyce. I just started doing it and noticed that immediately!
When I do a lower body-specific workout, I always ALWAYS start with hamstrings. Why? Because 30 years ago I realized that nobody NOBODY ever did this. They were/are a lower priority than the quads for everyone, yet the hamstrings and glutes comprise 60% of the upper thigh mass.
In a related story, I always start delts with rear delts — same rational.
Emergefit recently posted..Conversations Over Crunches…
I want to try starting with hamstrings then. I’ve never done it that way, one of those things that’s easy to get into habit with. I sometimes start with rear delts but will consciously do it more often. I learn a lot from you, Roy, thank you!
Oh wow, I did not know it was possible to do this exercise with a dumbbell. Looks intense, and should improve balance too.
Marcia recently posted..How to Lose Weight – 6 Tips For Everyone
Marcia, do you mean the standing hamstring curl? It’s really pretty tough. My hamstring kind of balks initially so I start with only five pounds.
{ 1 trackback }