How to Keep Your Hamstrings Healthy and Strong - StrengthRunning

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of How to Keep Your Hamstrings Healthy and Strong from the StrengthRunning channel. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points

Injury grading: Grade 1 = minor tweak (≈10 % of fibers torn) – back in a few days; Grade 2 = moderate strain – a few weeks; Grade 3 = full tear – months to a year to heal.
Risk factors: excessive anterior pelvic tilt, lack of hamstring extensibility, poor sprint mechanics, and fatigue‑driven form breakdown.
Screening: quick “Yurdan” test – lie on a table, neutral pelvis, lift the thigh to a vertical position and try to kick the foot up. Limited knee‑up angle flags flexibility issues.
Training pillars (8): hip/knee range‑of‑motion, hamstring flexibility, sprint mechanics, high‑speed exposure, angled strength work (knee‑flexion & hip‑extension), eccentric strength, lumbar‑pelvic control, aerobic base.
Strength focus: Romanian deadlifts (stiff‑leg), single‑leg variations, Nordic hamstring curls (2–3 × week for 3–6 sets total).
Flexibility tip: Aim for a “Goldilocks” range – enough stretch to be elastic, but retain a little end‑range stiffness (think of a rubber band snapping back).

Workout Example – Fly‑In (Stride) for Distance Runners

Warm‑up 5‑10 min easy jog.
Find a 30‑40 m straight section; place two cones 10 m apart.
Build‑up: start 20 m at a gradual acceleration (no explosive start).
Top‑speed zone: hit your fastest effort as you cross the first cone and hold it for the 10 m stretch between cones.
Decelerate gently after the second cone.
Repeat 2–3 times at the start of a training session (5‑10 min total). Tip: Keep the effort at ~95‑98 % of max speed – you don’t need a full sprint, just a controlled high‑speed burst.

Closing Note: Try the fly‑in stride before your next key workout and feel free to adjust the distance or pace in the Pacing app to match your own speed. Keeping your hamstrings strong and flexible will pay off in every mile – stay consistent, listen to your body, and keep checking in on range‑of‑motion. Happy running!