Two-time Figure Olympia Erin Stern is dedicated to the fitness community, providing easy-to-understand guides on social media. In a recent YouTube video, Stern shared how to efficiently target the hamstrings with minimal or no equipment needed.
Erin Stern climbed the ranks in bodybuilding quickly after earning her pro card in 2008. Debuting on the Mr. Olympia stage in 2009, Stern placed sixth, however, her desire to become the best never faded. Just one year later, Stern’s determination paid off and earned her the gold in 2010 where she was crowned the Figure Olympia champion for the first time.
In 2011, Stern was unable to retain gold, but ultimately won it back in 2012, clinching her second Olympia title. Stern later decided to test her mettle in the Bikini division where she once again claimed victory at the 2022 Republic of Texas Pro.
Erin Stern Shares Hamstring Growth-Maximizing Workout W/ Minimal Equipment
Erin Stern’s success isn’t limited to the bodybuilding stage. She has become a published author of a cookbook as well as a prolific influencer with a massive following across multiple social media platforms. Stern provides her fans with workout tips like how to sculpt beautiful legs and how to build mind-muscle connection. In her latest venture, Erin Stern discussed how to optimize hamstring growth.
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Erin Stern’s Hamstring Workout
- Nordic Curl
- Dumbbell Leg Curl
- Banded Leg Curl
- Sliding Floor Curl
Before getting into the workout, Erin Stern explains that the hamstring can be trained in two ways, hip extensions and knee flexion. Since knee flexion can be difficult to train without a leg curl machine, Stern walks fans through a four-exercise routine to target the hamstrings efficiently with minimal equipment.
“If you are looking to maximize hamstring growth, you have to train the hamstring in two ways. The first is hip extension, this can be done through exercises like RDLs, stiff-leg deadlifts, and good mornings. The second way is through knee flexion and this can be done with your leg curl machine.”
According to Stern, these four movements help replicate the growth that one might achieve from the leg curl machine at a local gym.
“Now if you don’t have a leg curl machine at your gym or if you’re training at home this can be an issue. So in today’s video, I wanted to give you four minimal equipment or no equipment needed exercises that you can do instead of using the leg curl machine.”
Nordic Curl
Erin Stern starts the training session off with Nordic curls which she explains to be the best exercise for hamstring growth. She adds that they can be done pretty much anywhere since they use your body weight to target the muscle.
“Our first exercise is a Nordic curl and this exercise actually ranks number one for hamstring hypertrophy. In my opinion, it is the best knee flexion exercise that you can do and you can do it pretty much anywhere.”
“So our two options for at-home or minimal equipment is number one find a heavy object that you can place your toes under or number two get a partner and have them hold your ankles or kneel on your toes. This is going to provide a good anchor for you. Something else that you might need for this exercise is a pad or a towel to place under your knees. You want to make sure that you protect your knees.”
“A couple main points that you want to think about as you’re performing the exercise, you’ll keep your body in plank position and the hinge point will be at the knees. This is going to force you to work just your hamstrings as you descend down towards the floor, holding as long as you can.”
Concerning Nordic curls, Stern says to focus on as many reps as possible.
“So, Nordic curls are great because they work on a forced negative basis and against your body weight. So you are controlling yourself on the way down and then you will place your hands out and give yourself a little spot at the bottom if needed but I also want you to think about pulling your body back up using just your hamstrings.”
“Now, as far as reps go, you want to do as many reps as you can and just keep track of the number of reps.”
Dumbbell Leg Curl
Next, Erin Stern explains how to complete the dumbbell curl with or without a bench, adapting the workout to an ottoman at home if necessary. She emphasizes once again the importance of the knee being the hinge to allow the focus to remain on the hamstring.
“For this exercise, you’ll need a bench if you’re training at home and don’t have a bench you can always use an ottoman or something else that is relatively flat and relatively soft.”
“For this you’ll want a dumbbell and just like all the other exercises your knee is the hinge here. You want to place your upper leg on the bench. You’re going to lay flat, make sure you’re secure and make sure that dumbbell is secure between your feet. You kind of want to have the ball of the foot on either side as the bottom point that’s holding that handle of that dumbbell.”
“Curling the dumbbell up. So, you’re just going to slowly bring the dumbbell up until your lower leg reaches just about perpendicular to the floor,” adds Stern.
Banded Leg Curl
The third movement is the banded leg curl and the focus for this exercise is to maximize the time spent under tension.
“For this you’re going to need a long resistance band, a light one, and something sturdy to attach it to,” says Stern.
“You’ll place the band behind your ankles and what I do is I just go ahead and I loop it around my toes as well just to make sure that everything stays put. Your hinging at the knee here.”
Stern even suggests doing partial reps as you feel the tension increase.
“You really want to work mostly in that mid-rep point. So, as you feel that tension increases, you want to spend more time where you’ve got the most tension. Here you can even do partial reps if you want.”
Sliding Floor Curl
For Erin Stern’s fourth and final exercise, she jumps into sliding floor curls where she explains that instead of using a weight plate you can modify the workout and use anything that will allow for a slipping movement.
“For this I’m using five pound plates but you can pretty much use whatever you have if you’re training at home. So, if you got paper plates, gliding discs, magazines, anything that is going to provide a little bit of slip.”
“For this you want to think about keeping your body in plank position. We’re hinging at the knee. So, that body from your knee to the shoulders should remain in a straight line. So, your hips are going to rise and fall depending on how far out you’re pushing your heels but you want to make sure that you’re keeping the body in plank position.”
“As you pull your heels towards your glutes, your hips are going to come up but you should really feel that just in the hamstrings and you’re pushing your weight through your heels throughout the exercise.”
This isn’t the first time that Erin Stern has helped her viewers construct a workout routine. Previously, Stern explained her 5A protocol and how to modify training when struggling with an injury. Stern also shared three variations of leg extensions to achieve bigger quads.
With an abundance of experience, Erin Stern applies the knowledge she has picked up as a two-time Figure Olympia champion and breaks it down into easy-to-digest nuggets of information to help her fans focus on their fitness.
RELATED: Erin Stern Shares Her Ultimate ‘Faster-Paced’ Superset Cable Leg & Glute Workout
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