The joke of skipping leg day is an old mainstay within fitness communities, and this is largely the result of leg exercises being harder to adhere to in the past. With less motility than arms, finding the right regime of easily-performed exercises for various leg muscles, especially the hamstring, can be something of a nuisance.
Today, we’re going to look at the best exercise routine for strengthening your hamstrings. Before we begin, it goes without saying that you want to balance these evenly, and never be excessive with speed, routine length, or the like. Injuring your hamstring can be excruciatingly painful, and can temporarily (or in rare cases, permanently) reduce or take away your ability to stand or walk.
How do I Know My Hamstring is Underfit?
If you already have a decent regime of general leg exercises, you may be unsure if you need to alter any of your routines to provide a better workout for your hamstrings. There are symptoms that can easily be picked up on, though.
- Cramping, Spasms, Charlie Horses – Charlie horses are very painful, uncontrolled contractions of muscles that are essentially a form of acute cramp. The most common Charlie horse that happens within the leg is in the calf muscle, or along the sole of the foot, but they can also occur in the hamstring and other upper leg muscles, if they’re not properly fit. It’s worth noting that this can also be a symptom of potassium or vitamin deficiencies as well, though if that’s the case, such problems will occur in other parts of the body as well.
- Gluteal and Upper Leg Fatigue – If walking, standing, squatting and other leg-related activities result in significant fatigue across the back of the upper leg, or the base of the gluteal area, this can be a sign that your current routines aren’t sufficiently exercising your hamstring, causing it to fatigue much more quickly than other muscle groups.
- Restless Legs – True restless leg syndrome is not what we’re talking about – that’s something that a physician should address immediately due to it being a symptom of much more severe problems than your workout routine. However, mild restlessness, which leg workouts should usually help to abate, can indicate some muscles not being properly worked, and your hamstring is a prime candidate for this.
Dangers
Let’s take a moment to talk about how important leg exercises are as a whole. On a cosmetic level, if you focus only on your upper body, you will look patently ridiculous. We’ve all seen those guys who spend all day lifting and bench pressing, but neglect their legs entirely. They look like cartoon characters!
But, on top of this, you also greatly increase your risk of knee and hamstring injuries, and these can have lasting or permanent ramifications, leaving you permanently walking with a limp, or experiencing significant pain.
It also makes squats much harder to do, as well as any practical lifting to carry or move heavier things.
Gender Doesn’t Matter
Something else we need to point out right now, is that this is just as important for women as it is for men. The same danger of leg injuries can happen if a woman’s hamstrings aren’t properly trained and well-exercised.
Equally, let’s all be honest. What kind of legs do most men prefer on a woman? Scrawny, neglected beanpoles? Or, is a woman with shapely, toned legs usually preferred? And, ladies, which would you prefer? Healthy, toned legs, or skinny, weak ones? It really matters for both sexes, equally.
You Don’t Need Crazy Equipment!
One last thing to point out, before we look at the six most effective exercises is, while having some decent equipment at your disposal does help, but you don’t need ridiculous, expensive and overwrought equipment to get a solid hamstring workout.
We live in a time that’s unrivaled historically in both fitness and nutrition sciences, as well as the elaborate equipment we can produce. This equipment is all well and good, but you really only need a few simple things, to get a full workout, including hamstring-targeting routines.
There are two routines we’ll look at that need some fitness equipment usually, but you can makeshift these if need be.
#1 – Romanian Deaflift
The Romanian deadlift is one of the simplest routines you can do. Simply hold a weighted barbell at shin level, arms straight, bending horizontally at the waist, and partially at the knee. Lift upward until your legs, waist, and arms are straight, the barbell at just below your pelvis. Hold, tightening your legs slightly, and lower back down in a controlled descent.
#2 – Barbell Back Squat
This is another simple exercise. Hold the barbell across the back of your shoulders, just at the base of the neck, elbows bent, palms outward. Have your legs apart so your feet are just past your shoulders.
Bend at the knees, outward, producing a spread-legged squat. Hold, and lift back up slowly. Remember proper squat form with this one.
#3 – Bulgarian Split Squat
This one should not be attempted by people with hip or knee trouble. Start with one leg bent at the knee, behind you on a bench. Hold weighted dumbbells at either side of your body. Bend your other leg at the knee and hip until it’s at a near sitting position, your leg on the bench at a J-like bend as a result.
Use some tension in the benched leg when returning to a standing position. Alternate between legs, evenly.
#4 – Glute-Ham Raise
This one is best served with leg press equipment. Lie face down, legs braced, cushion under your upper legs. Cross your arms across your chest, and lift yourself to a vertical position at the knees. Hold, and lower yourself back after a couple seconds. This is one of the most powerful (and fatiguing) hamstring exercises.
#5 – Leg Curl
This is the other exercise best suited with a weighted leg press. Lie face down, bracing the weighted lift just above your heels. Bend at the knee, as far as your leg and the weight will permit. Hold for about one second, and lower it back under muscle control.
#6 – Kettlebell Swing
This exercise is usually a “cooling down” or “finishing” routine, and is one of the higher kinetic impact exercises. This also works as a partial cardio exercise, so if your doctor has warned against excessive cardio, be wary of this one. Using ball weights, start bent horizontal at the waste (similar to the Romanain deadlift), the weights held back, between your legs. Bend up at the waist and the knee, swinging the weights in a parabola until your arms are almost level in front of you.
Swing back into the start position under control (don’t let inertia do it for you). Be extra careful on resuming the start position, that you don’t allow inertia to bring your arms at high speed into your groin – it doesn’t matter what your gender, that will hurt.
To learn more about hamstring exercises and other difficult group targeting routines, subscribe to my YouTube channel today. I have so many awesome things to show you!
-
From the Ground Up: Why Leg Day Is the Foundation of Strength
Did you know? Skipping leg day doesn’t just leave your lower body underdeveloped—it can stall your total body strength.
Leg day is more than a single workout in your weekly plan; it’s the foundation for building real, full-body strength, stability, and explosive power. In this post, we’ll break down why leg day is crucial, how it boosts overall performance, and share tips to make the most of your leg training. By making leg day a priority, you’ll see a transformation in not only your lower body but also your athletic power, metabolic rate, and overall strength.
Table: Sample Leg Day Workout
Exercise Type Sets Reps Rest Time Squats Compound 4 8 90 seconds Lunges Compound 3 12 (per leg) 60 seconds Leg Press Compound 3 10 60 seconds Deadlifts Compound 3 8 90 seconds Calf Raises Isolation 3 15 45 seconds Hamstring Curls Isolation 3 12 45 seconds Note: Always prioritize proper form and warm up before beginning your leg day workout. Consider adding mobility exercises and a cooldown to optimize performance and recovery.
The Power of Strong Legs in Overall Strength
Building a Strong Foundation
Strong legs provide the base that your entire body depends on, supporting stability, posture, and better lifting form. When you build strength in your legs, you’re also setting up your entire body to support heavier lifts and more challenging movements.
- Key Point: Leg muscles like the glutes, quads, and hamstrings are essential for stabilizing the body. They’re the largest muscle groups, meaning that the stronger they are, the better you’ll perform in other exercises, from upper-body presses to core-focused movements.
- Research Insight: Studies in sports science confirm that lower body strength is critical for total functional fitness, improving balance and endurance across all muscle groups.
Quick Tip: Focus on building a strong lower body first, and you’ll notice improvements in exercises you never thought were connected, like bench press and rows.
Why Compound Movements Make Leg Day Essential
Most leg exercises are compound movements that target multiple muscle groups. This means you’re not just building your quads or hamstrings in isolation—you’re engaging your core, upper body, and stabilizers for total body strength.
- Key Point: Compound exercises like squats and lunges recruit a large number of muscle fibers. These exercises not only build muscle but also stimulate the nervous system, leading to better strength gains.
- Example Exercise: Take the squat, a go-to leg exercise. It not only targets your glutes, quads, and hamstrings but also engages your core, back, and even shoulders to stabilize the movement.
How Leg Day Improves Athletic Performance
Section 2: How Leg Day Improves Athletic Performance
Explosive Power and Speed
Leg strength is the foundation of explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, and pivoting—key elements for sports performance and high-intensity training.
- Key Point: Building stronger leg muscles improves acceleration, speed, and agility, essential for athletes in sports like soccer, football, and basketball.
- Case Study: Elite athletes like sprinters and football players focus heavily on leg strength training for explosive power. Research supports that increased leg strength directly correlates with better sprinting and jumping performance.
Did You Know? Power athletes can squat up to twice their body weight, which directly translates to their speed and explosive capabilities on the field.
Core and Balance Benefits
A strong lower body improves your balance and core stability, helping you perform better in both simple and complex movements. When your legs are strong, your body’s balance improves, reducing the risk of injury and increasing control in your movements.
- Key Point: Exercises that engage the legs, like lunges and single-leg squats, are great for improving core stability and balance.
- Research Insight: Studies show that individuals with strong leg muscles experience fewer lower back injuries and knee issues, as their bodies are better able to stabilize and absorb impact.
Hormonal and Metabolic Benefits of Leg Training
Boosting Testosterone and Growth Hormone
Heavy leg exercises, especially compound lifts, naturally stimulate the release of anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormone, which support muscle growth and overall recovery.
- Key Point: By training large muscle groups, you’re triggering hormones that benefit your whole body, making it easier to build and maintain muscle across all areas.
- Scientific Insight: Studies show that exercises like squats and deadlifts produce higher hormonal responses than smaller isolation exercises, fueling faster muscle growth and better recovery.
Pro Tip: Include heavy, compound exercises in your leg day routine to maximize the anabolic effects on the rest of your training.
Increased Caloric Burn and Metabolic Boost
Leg muscles are the largest in the body, meaning they require more energy to train and recover. A dedicated leg workout can boost your metabolism, helping with fat loss and sustained energy.
- Key Point: Leg day burns more calories than upper-body workouts because it involves larger muscle groups. This metabolic boost also aids in fat burning.
- Example: A well-executed leg day with squats, lunges, and deadlifts burns more calories than a typical upper body day, making it one of the most efficient ways to shed fat while building muscle.
How to Maximize Your Leg Day for Strength Gains
Focus on Progressive Overload
Building muscle is about continually challenging it, a principle known as progressive overload. Gradually increase weight, reps, or intensity to force your muscles to adapt and grow stronger.
- Key Point: Track your weights and reps over time to ensure you’re making progress. Small increases each week can lead to big strength gains over months.
- Tip: Use a workout journal or fitness app to keep track of your progress and motivate yourself to push further with each leg workout.
Incorporate a Mix of Compound and Isolation Exercises
While compound exercises are the foundation of leg day, adding isolation exercises like calf raises and hamstring curls helps target smaller muscle groups and improve muscular balance.
- Key Point: Combine compound moves (squats, deadlifts) with isolation exercises for a well-rounded leg day that targets every major muscle.
- Example Routine:
- Squats: 4 sets of 8 reps
- Lunges: 3 sets of 12 reps per leg
- Leg Press: 3 sets of 10 reps
- Calf Raises: 3 sets of 15 reps
Don’t Neglect Recovery
Leg day puts high demands on your muscles, so it’s essential to prioritize recovery to allow them to repair and grow stronger.
- Key Point: Take rest days, hydrate well, and incorporate active recovery techniques like foam rolling and stretching.
- Tip: Nutrition is critical. Focus on protein intake and complex carbs post-workout to fuel muscle recovery.
Conclusion
Leg day is more than just another workout—it’s the foundation for true, lasting strength. With strong legs, you can lift heavier, perform better in sports, and even accelerate fat loss. By making leg day a priority, you’re setting yourself up for greater gains in every area of fitness.
Take Action
- Commit to Leg Day: Add a well-rounded leg day to your weekly routine and track your progress.
- Explore More: Check out RunThaCity’s workout guides for complete leg routines or visit RunThaCity’s YouTube channel for exercise demonstrations.
-
The Beginner’s Guide To Gaining Weight
There is only one magic formula to gaining weight and it requires that you eat more calories than your body burns. If you are finding it difficult to gain weight despite the fact you think you eat a lot, it is possible you are not creating a calorie surplus. If you are struggling to gain weight, these tips can help you understand what may be happening.
Why You’re Not Gaining Weight
If you are naturally skinny, you may think you can eat anything you want without gaining. You may claim you have a fast metabolism or that you simply don’t digest food the way heavier people do. You may believe you are constantly stressed which can lead to weight loss or that there is some medical condition that leads you to stay thin. However, there is truly only one explanation for staying thin and that is that you aren’t eating as much as you think you are. Track your calories for one week using an app like MyFitnessPal or something similar. It is highly likely you will find that you are not gaining weight because you are eating fewer calories than you are burning.
Somatotypes: Is Your Body Type Important
Your body type does play a part in how easily you gain or lose weight. People with high metabolisms do exist and it is possible you are not gaining because you are very active. Many people who have difficulty gaining fidget more than those who do not, research indicates. If you have a small frame, you may still have difficulty gaining because your body is not built to be big. Even if you have a small frame, have difficulty gaining due to activity or your metabolism is higher than others, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. The key is to eat more calories than you burn consistently in order to see results.
How to Gain Weight
There are several ways to increase your calorie intake in order to gain weight. You can add more calories to each meal or add additional meals. Add calorie-dense food to your diet such as dried fruits, nuts or pasta. Blended food digests easier than food you have to chew, so add smoothies to your diet. One of the best smoothies includes oats, milk, banana, peanut butter and whey protein. Just as overweight people underestimate what they eat, skinny people overestimate what they eat. Track your calories each day to see what you are consuming. Consider a fitness tracker, such as a FitBit or Garmin, to track both calories and activity each day. Add squats and deadlifts with free weights to your workout to help you gain.
- Eat More
- Eat More Meals
- Eat Calorie Dense Foods
- Eat More Protein
- Drink Shakes
- Track Your Calories
- Lift Heavy (But Safely)
- Be Consistent
The Importance of Nutrition
Eating more calories than you burn will help you gain weight, but not just any calories. You want to be sure to choose healthy options, like whole grains as well as lean meats and dairy. Start by adding 500 calories per day than you are burning. If you are not gaining as you’d like, add more calories, but do so slowly to avoid building belly fat. You need to be consistent as it is the daily average calorie intake that determines true weight gain.
You Need to Eat More Protein
Increase the amount of protein you eat each day, such as chicken, fish and eggs. Add 1 gram of protein per pound of body-weight per day to build muscle and for recovery. Some of the best protein options include steaks, ground round, chicken breasts and thighs as well as tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines. Eggs are good source of protein as are dairy products like milk, cottage cheese and yogurt.
Top Protein Sources:
- Steaks, Ground Beef
- Chicken Breast
- Turkey Breast
- Ground Turkey
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Eggs or Egg Whites
Eat More Meals Throughout the Day
Small meals are easier to manage than large meals, so aim for six to seven small meals per day rather than three. Start by waking up earlier and eating breakfast. Too often, skinny people eat nothing for breakfast which means they are getting no calories before noon. You need at least eight hours sleep, so that leaves you only 16 hours to eat each day. Start with breakfast around 7 AM, adding a snack 10 AM. Lunch should be around 1 PM, another snack around 4 PM and then dinner around 7 PM. Keep in mind these are not large, more than 1,000 calorie meals, but smaller meals that are between 500 and 700 calories.
What You Should Eat
Choose foods that are high in calories and nutrition. Although vegetables are healthy, they do not have many calories. Keep vegetables in your diet for their nutritional value and fat-burning properties, but if you want to gain weight, you also need to add foods like nuts, dried fruit, dairy, grains, potatoes, fats and meat. Try to avoid junk food even though it is high in calories. McDonald’s food is calorie-dense, but also contains significant amounts of fat, sugar and sodium. Although eating chips, cookies, fries and ice cream may add calories, it can lead to extra fat around your belly. That does not mean you can never eat at McDonald’s or enjoy a cold beer every now and then. The best rule of thumb is 90 percent quality food and 10 percent junk food.
Train Consistently
Lifting helps trigger muscle mass building in your body so you want to include lifting weights in your workout. Lifting also increases your appetite helping you to eat more. If you eat more than you burn, lifting keeps food from being stored as fat. Use free weights which are more effective and safer than machines. Include compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press and rows. Always try to lift more than you did in your last workout and be sure your form is correct. Your body needs rest, so don’t do more than three full body workouts each week.
Supplements for the Skinny Guy
Blending food in liquid form helps you digest it more quickly. You can make your own weight gainer shakes by combining:
- 100g Oats
- 1 Banana
- 1 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 300ml Whole Milk
- 2 scoops Whey Protein
Mix everything in a blender for 1048 calories, 120g carbs, 80g protein and 28g fat. Avoid processed weight gainer shakes as they are often full of sugars. If you aren’t a fan of smoothies, simply drink whole milk.
These tips and suggestions are designed for people who have difficulty gaining weight when working out. For more tips on workouts, nutrition and weight, subscribe to my YouTube Channel.
-
Shoulder Day with Almeen Swint, RunThaCity, and Mack: No Excuses, Just Volume
“Whatever it is… you double it up.”
That’s how the day started — no warm-up pleasantries, no easing in. Just heavy dumbbells and a mindset carved out of straight grit. This isn’t your average shoulder day. This is RunThaCity volume — the kind of session where Almeen Swint, Mack, and the crew push until there’s nothing left in the tank.
You want results? Then you better come ready to suffer for ‘em. Let’s break down this raw, unfiltered shoulder training session and show you how real work gets done.
Phase 1: Heavy Pressure from the Start
It kicks off with 35kg dumbbells (~70 lbs) — and that’s just the start. No half reps, no soft lifts. Just focused tension and explosive control. You can hear it in the soundtrack, in the iron clanging, and in the breath between each grind.
Almeen Swint sets the pace with controlled aggression, showing that shoulder day isn’t about fancy movements. It’s about volume, pain tolerance, and reps on reps until your delts are screaming.
RunThaCity Volume Protocol
Here’s a breakdown of the RTC Shoulder Protocol from the video:
-
Seated Shoulder Press – Heavy sets with low rest
-
Lateral Raises – High reps, with minimal swing
-
Front Raises – Controlled lift, full range
-
Rear Delt Flys – Isolate and burn out
-
Shoulder Burnout Circuit – No rest between movements, just pure fire
The keyword here is volume. If you’re not uncomfortable, you’re not building anything.
💥 Quote of the session:
“You owe five more—what happened to the other five? Then give me six!”
Almeen Swint Shoulder Day
Mind Over Muscle: No Excuses, Just Execution
What separates a RunThaCity workout from the rest? The mentality.
Almeen, Mack, and the crew don’t tolerate quitting. You’ll hear it in the gym talk:
“You afraid of fat [ __ ]? Then get the other four back.”
That’s the push — not disrespect, but accountability. Real partners don’t let you fold. They drag greatness out of you, set after set.
Even when the juice runs out, they find more. That’s the RunThaCity way.
Small Adjustments, Big Results
Technique matters. As the session grinds on, you’ll catch Almeen Swint adjusting form mid-set:
-
“Put your feet closer.”
-
“Don’t rush the press.”
-
“Stay locked in.”
These micro-corrections keep the tension where it belongs — right on the delts. It’s a reminder: sloppy reps rob gains. Precision under fatigue is what separates real lifters from casual gym-goers.
Final Sets: When It Hurts, That’s When It Counts
“No more juice, right?”
By the end, they’re on fumes — but the bar doesn’t care. The last reps hit different. Shoulders on fire, grip fading, but no one backs down.
Mack digs deep. Almeen leads from the front. No skipping. No hiding.
This is shoulder day done right.
Real Talk, Real Brotherhood
Even through the pain, there’s room for laughs. Gym banter flies:
“I already only got one testicle… so it don’t matter.”
That’s the crew energy. Humor, pain, sweat — all part of the RunThaCity grind. You don’t just lift — you show up, you show out, and you leave better than you came.
Final Thoughts
Shoulder day with Almeen Swint and the RunThaCity crew isn’t about checking a box. It’s about outworking the voice in your head that says stop. It’s about volume, form, and never making excuses.
You want that cap look? You want that strength? Then you better be ready to suffer for it.
Strength is Built, Not Given.
📲 Drop a comment below if you’ve run this shoulder day.
🎥 Tag @RunThaCity in your grind — we repost the hardest workers.
🔗 More training fire → RunThaCity Workouts -
