Hamstrings Hypertrophy Workouts | The Ultimate Guide!

Are you curious about hamstrings hypertrophy workouts?

Most people do not train their legs with any real intensity. And if they do, they primarily work the quadriceps, and maybe throw in low-intensity sets of hamstrings at the very end of their workout.

This is a big mistake!

The truth is, the hamstrings should be trained hard, just like any other muscle group.

So what do the best hamstrings workouts look like?

The best hamstrings exercises include different types of leg curls, deadlifts, back extensions, and reverse hyperextensions. For optimal results, you want to include isolation exercises like leg curls, as well as compound hamstrings exercises like Romanian deadlifts.

In this guide, we will look at the hamstrings workouts used by 5 of the most famous bodybuilders of all time.

These workouts should give you plenty of ideas for how to design your own hamstrings hypertrophy workouts.

Now let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Chris Bumstead Hamstrings Workouts

Chris Bumstead is one of the most famous bodybuilders in the world.

He won the Classic Mr. Olympia contest 3 years in a row from 2019 – 2021, and he looks poised to win it a 4th time again in 2022.

Most bodybuilders train their quads and hamstrings together in the same workout.

However, Chris Bumstead takes a completely different approach: he trains his hamstrings on their own separate training day.

Chris says that this approach allows him to attack his hamstrings with more energy than if he trained them directly after quads.

Here is one of Chris Bumstead’s high-volume hamstrings workouts that you can try. Check it out:

Chris Bumstead’s Hamstrings Workout #1

Exercise #1: Deadlift, 3 sets of 8-10 reps
Exercise #2: Nordic leg curl machine, 3 sets of 8-10 reps**
Exercise #3: Sumo leg press, 1 set of 30 reps
Exercise #4: Seated leg curl, 3 sets of 10 reps****
Exercise #5: Seated abductor machine, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Exercise #6: Seated calf raise machine, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

**Perform partial reps in the bottom position after reaching failure

****On your last set perform a double drop set to failure.

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

Talk about an intense workout!

Chris Bumstead performs a total of 4 exercises for his hamstrings, including deadlifts, sumo leg presses, and 2 different types of leg curls.

After that, he performs 2 different machines for his adductors and abductors.

Here is another one of Chris Bumstead’s high-volume hamstrings workouts that you can try. Check it out:

Chris Bumstead’s Hamstrings Workout #2

Exercise #1: Seated leg curl, 3 sets of 10 reps**
Exercise #2: Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlift, 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Exercise #3: 45 degree back extension (holding DB at chest), 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Exercise #4: Bulgarian split squat, 3 sets of 10-12 reps****

**On your last set train to failure, then perform 3 forced reps, then perform forced partial reps in the contracted position.

****Perform a single drop rest. Train to failure, then drop the dumbbell and go to failure with just your bodyweight.

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

This is another intense hamstrings workout by Chris Bumstead!

As usual, Chris focuses on using a mix of compound and isolation exercises, like leg curls and Romanian deadlifts.

He also performs plenty of high-intensity techniques for his hamstrings – especially for his isolation exercises like leg curls.

Some of the high-intensity techniques he used include forced reps, partial reps, and drop sets. You can read more about these techniques directly below the routine.

Ronnie Coleman Hamstrings Workouts

Ronnie Coleman is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional bodybuilders of all time.

He won the Mr. Olympia contest 8 years in a row from 1998 – 2005, a feat that almost no one has matched.

So what do Ronnie Coleman’s hamstrings workouts look like?

Ronnie trains his hamstrings twice per week at the end of his leg day. He performs 2 exercises per workout, focusing on a mix of leg curls and stiff-legged deadlifts.

Here is Ronnie’s first weekly hamstrings routine. Check it out:

Ronnie Coleman’s Hamstrings Routine #1

Exercise #1: Standing unilateral leg curl, 3-5 sets of 8-20 reps
Exercise #2: Stiff legged deadlift, 3-5 sets of 8-20 reps

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

This is a very simple, but effective hamstrings routine.

Ronnie Coleman performs a few sets of kneeling leg curls, followed by a few sets of stiff-legged deadlifts.

Ronnie does NOT train to failure on any of these sets. Instead, he just tries to get a solid workout in and focus on the mind-muscle connection.

Here is another one of Ronnie Coleman’s hamstrings routines that you can try. Check it out:

Ronnie Coleman’s Lower Body Routine #2

Exercise #1: Lying leg curl, 3-5 sets of 8-20 reps
Exercise #2: Seated leg curl, 3-5 sets of 8-20 reps

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

For this workout, Ronnie Coleman performs 2 types of leg curls: lying leg curls, and seated leg curls.

Overall, Ronnie Coleman performs a total of 4 hamstrings exercises between these two workouts:

Lying leg curls
Seated leg curls
Kneeling leg curls
Stiff-legged deadlifts

If you had to make a list of the 4 best hamstrings exercises for advanced bodybuilders, this would probably be it!

It’s no wonder Ronnie Coleman was able to build such big, strong hamstrings. He trained hard on the basic exercises and never deviated from what he believed works best.

Dorian Yates Hamstrings Workouts

Dorian Yates is another extremely popular bodybuilder. He won the Mr. Olympia contest 6 years in a row from 1991 – 1997.

More than anything, Dorian Yates is famous for his high-intensity training style. He believed the fastest, most effective way to build muscle mass was to perform 1 all-out set to failure per exercises.

For hamstrings, Dorian performed 3 total exercises: 2 types of leg curls, plus Romanian deadlifts.

Here is the exact hamstrings routine that Dorian Yates used to become a champion. Check it out:

Dorian Yates’ Hamstrings Routine

Exercise #1: Lying leg curl, 1 working set of 6-8 reps to failure**
Exercise #2: Romanian deadlift, 1 working set of 6-8 reps to failure
Exercise #3: Kneeling leg curl, 1 working set of 6-8 reps to failure**

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

Talk about an intense workout!

Dorian Yates performs a total of three exercises for his hamstrings:

Lying leg curls
Stiff-legged deadlifts
Kneeling leg curls

For each exercise, Dorian warms up, and then performs 1 all-out working set to failure.

For his isolation exercises, Dorian actually performs 2-3 forced reps after reaching failure. In other word, he trains to failure, and then his training partner gives him some extra “help” on 2-3 extra reps.

This is an advanced technique that many other bodybuilders like Chris Bumstead have used to build their physiques.

Jay Cutler Hamstrings Workouts

Jay Cutler is known for his high-volume training style, and his leg day is no different!

Jay performs around 10 exercises for his legs per workout, including 4 separate exercises for his hamstrings.

Here is one of Jay Cutler’s high-volume leg workouts that you can try. Check it out:

Jay Cutler Hamstrings Workout #1

Exercise #1: Seated leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #2: Lying leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #3: Romanian deadlift, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #4: Kneeling leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

Jay Cutler uses a very similar approach to many other professional bodybuilders. He focuses on the 4 classic bodybuilding hamstrings exercises in his workouts:

Kneeling leg curls
Lying leg curls
Seated leg curls
Stiff-legged deadlifts

It’s very interesting how so many bodybuilders have decided to focus on these 4 primary exercises for their hamstrings.

In fact, it’s rare to see a high-level bodybuilder perform anything else!

Here is another one of Jay Cutler’s high-volume hamstrings workouts that you can try. Check it out:

Jay Cutler Hamstrings Workout #2

Exercise #1: Seated leg curls, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #2: Lying leg curls, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #3: Stiff-legged deadlifts, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps
Exercise #4: Unilateral leg curls, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

This workout follows the exact same format as the previous one.

Jay Cutler performs about 6 exercises for his quads, followed by these 4 mass-building hamstrings workouts. For each exercise, he performs several sets, stopping reasonably short of failure.

Jay is a high-volume guy, and says that pushing too close to failure on these sets would be counterproductive for him.

Phil Heath Hamstrings Workouts

Phil Heath is another extremely popular Mr. Olympia champion. He won the Mr. Olympia contest an incredible 7 times in a row from 2011 – 2017!

Phil Heath trains his hamstrings much the same way as any other professional bodybuilder: he performs about 4 exercises per workout, including different types of leg curls and Romanian deadlifts.

Here is one of Phil Heath’s hamstrings workouts that you can try. Check it out:

Phil Heath’s Hamstrings Workout #1

Exercise #1: Unilateral lying leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-20 reps
Exercise #2: Seated leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-20 reps
Exercise #3: Kneeling leg curl, 3-4 sets of 8-20 reps
Exercise #4: Smith machine Romanian deadlift, 3-4 sets of 8-20 reps

CLICK RIGHT HERE for the training video.

Are you seeing a pattern yet?

Almost every major bodybuilder focuses on these 4 core exercises for their hamstrings:

Lying leg curls
Seated leg curls
Kneeling leg curls
Stiff-legged deadlifts

I’m not saying this is the only way to train hamstrings. However, this is clearly a battle-tested strategy for structuring your hamstrings hypertrophy workouts!

Verdict | Hamstrings Hypertrophy Workouts!

The hamstrings are not a complicated muscle group to train.

If your goal is to build muscular hypertrophy, then the best hamstrings exercises include leg curls and Romanian deadlifts.

Of course, there are other hamstrings exercises that you can use. However, these exercises have been used by many of the greatest bodybuilding champions of all time.

If you want to build big, strong hamstrings, then give one of these hamstrings workouts a shot.

It may be just what you need to take your training to the next level!