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Hamstring Catches

IntermediateStrengthTier T3

Stand on one leg with the other hip and knee bent in front of you. Let the lower leg fall and swing forward under gravity, then use the back of your thigh to catch it.

Targets: Knee
Muscles: Hamstrings

Stop if

These exercises should always be done pain-free and progression speed depends on how bad the injury is and how long ago it was injured.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

  • Works at home
  • Works at the gym

none

Home Options

  • bodyweight

Dosage

3

Sets

8

Reps / Time

60 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

Set up

  • Stand on a clear, flat, non-slip floor with room to balance on one leg, away from furniture, a rug edge or anything underfoot.
  • Only begin Hamstring Catches once daily activities such as normal walking are pain-free and after being comfortable with Standing Knee Flexion, matching the card order and the rule that these exercises should always be done pain-free.
  1. A man balanced on his left leg, right hip raised so the thigh is lifted in front of him and the right knee sharply bent, the heel up close beneath the thigh.

    Step 1 of 4

    Stand on one leg. Raise the other hip so the thigh lifts in front of you, and bend that knee so the heel draws up close beneath the raised thigh.

  2. The same man balanced on his left leg, right hip still raised, the right knee now partway open and the right shin swinging forward and down, midway between the flexed start and straight.

    Step 2 of 4

    Let the leg fall. Stay relaxed as your knee opens and the shin swings forward and down under gravity.

  3. The same man balanced on his left leg, right hip still raised, the right shin now arrested by his hamstring at a shallow angle clearly short of level with the ground.

    Step 3 of 4

    Catch the leg: contract the hamstring just enough to stop the shin before it reaches horizontal.

  4. A man balanced on his left leg, right hip raised so the thigh is lifted in front of him and the right knee sharply bent, the heel up close beneath the thigh.

    Step 4 of 4

    Stand on one leg. Raise the other hip so the thigh lifts in front of you, and bend that knee so the heel draws up close beneath the raised thigh.

Breathing

  • Breathe normally.

Safety Information

The exercises should always be done pain-free, and where you start and how fast you progress depends on how bad the injury is and how long ago it was injured. It may take a while to get used to this one; the catch position is a controlled arrest of the fall, not an uncontrolled drop to the floor. The optional ankle weight for extra load is a progression. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

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Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.