10 Best Platform Hamstring Slides Alternatives for Home Workouts

If you can't do Platform Hamstring Slides, use exercises that still load knee flexion and hip extension—like Nordic curls, single-leg Romanian deadlifts, glute bridges, slider curls, or lying leg curls. Focus on controlled eccentric tempo and keep hips elevated to maximize hamstring activation; cue: drive hips up and pull heels toward glutes.

Original Exercise: Platform Hamstring Slides

Platform Hamstring Slides
Primary Muscle
Hamstrings
Equipment
Other
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation
Secondary Muscles: Glutes
How to Perform Platform Hamstring Slides
  1. For this movement a wooden floor or similar is needed. Lay on your back with your legs extended. Place a gym towel or a light weight underneath your heel. This will be your starting position.
  2. Begin the movement by flexing the knee, keeping your other leg straight.
  3. Continue bringing the heel closer to you, sliding it on the floor.
  4. At full knee flexion, reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Pull
  • Movement type: Isolation

Best Platform Hamstring Slides Alternatives

Best Match
Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl

1. Cable Assisted Inverse Leg Curl

77.2% Match
Hamstrings Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the cable machine so that the ankle attachment is at the lowest setting.
  2. Lie face down on the bench with your legs straight and the ankle attachment secured to your ankles.
  3. Hold onto the handles of the bench for stability.
  4. Keeping your upper body stationary, exhale and curl your legs up towards your glutes by flexing your knees.
  5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your hamstrings.
Dumbbell Lying Femoral

2. Dumbbell Lying Femoral

73.2% Match
Hamstrings Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and a dumbbell resting on your lower abdomen.
  2. Bend your knees and bring the dumbbell towards your glutes, keeping your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Assisted Prone Hamstring

3. Assisted Prone Hamstring

72.4% Match
Hamstrings Machine Beginner Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie face down on a mat or bench with your legs fully extended.
  2. Have a partner or use a resistance band to secure your ankles.
  3. Engage your hamstrings and lift your legs towards your glutes, keeping your knees straight.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Band Straight Leg Deadlift

4. Band Straight Leg Deadlift

71.4% Match
Hamstrings Band Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the band around your feet.
  2. Hold the band with both hands, palms facing your body, and keep your arms straight.
  3. Engage your core and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
  4. Slowly hinge forward at your hips, keeping your back straight and chest lifted.
  5. Lower the band towards the ground while keeping your legs straight.
Ball Leg Curl

5. Ball Leg Curl

70.2% Match
Hamstrings Stability-ball Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Begin on the floor laying on your back with your feet on top of the ball.
  2. Position the ball so that when your legs are extended your ankles are on top of the ball. This will be your starting position.
  3. Raise your hips off of the ground, keeping your weight on the shoulder blades and your feet.
  4. Flex the knees, pulling the ball as close to you as you can, contracting the hamstrings.
  5. After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

6. Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift

66.7% Match
Hamstrings Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
  2. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Bend at your hips and lower the barbell towards the ground, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
  4. Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  5. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to lift the barbell back up to the starting position.
Band Good Morning

7. Band Good Morning

63.6% Match
Hamstrings Band Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Using a 41 inch band, stand on one end, spreading your feet a small amount. Bend at the hips to loop the end of the band behind your neck. This will be your starting position.
  2. Keeping your legs straight, extend through the hips to come to a near vertical position.
  3. Ensure that you do not round your back as you go down back to the starting position.
Band Good Morning (Pull Through)

8. Band Good Morning (Pull Through)

60.9% Match
Hamstrings Band Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Loop the band around a post. Standing a little ways away, loop the opposite end around the neck. Your hands can help hold the band in position.
  2. Begin by bending at the hips, getting your butt back as far as possible. Keep your back flat and bend forward to about 90 degrees. Your knees should be only slightly bent.
  3. Return to the starting position be driving through with the hips to come back to a standing position.
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

9. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

60.7% Match
Glutes Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip.
  2. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells towards the ground, allowing your knees to bend slightly.
  3. Lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then push through your heels and engage your glutes to return to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Cable Deadlifts

10. Cable Deadlifts

60.1% Match
Hamstrings Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Move the cables to the bottom of the towers and select an appropriate weight. Stand directly in between the uprights.
  2. To begin, squat down be flexing your hips and knees until you can reach the handles.
  3. After grasping them, begin your ascent. Driving through your heels extend your hips and knees keeping your hands hanging at your side. Keep your head and chest up throughout the movement.
  4. After reaching a full standing position, Return to the starting position and repeat.

Why You Might Need a Platform Hamstring Slides Alternative

You may substitute Platform Hamstring Slides because you lack a sliding surface, experience knee or lower-back discomfort, or need heavier loading for hypertrophy. Slides emphasize knee flexion with isometric hip extension; alternatives let you shift emphasis toward hip-dominant patterns or add external resistance. For rehab, choose slow eccentrics like Nordic curls to target the hamstrings’ lengthening action; cue: lock the pelvis and lower under control. For strength, pick weighted Romanian deadlifts to increase hip extension torque and glute-ham complex activation while maintaining a neutral spine.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select a substitute based on available equipment, whether you need knee-dominant or hip-dominant loading, and your ability to control eccentric force. If you want isolated hamstring lengthening, choose Nordic curls or slider curls and focus on slow eccentrics; cue: brace the core and resist forward collapse. If you need higher load and hip extension torque, pick single-leg Romanian deadlifts or barbell Romanian deadlifts and hinge from the hips while keeping a soft knee. For rehab, prioritize pain-free range of motion and progress volume before load.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Platform Hamstring Slides work?

Platform Hamstring Slides primarily target the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus) through knee flexion and eccentric control. They also engage the glutes for hip stability and the core to maintain a neutral pelvis; cue: keep hips elevated and spinal alignment while sliding.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Platform Hamstring Slides?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the top bodyweight alternative because it overloads the hamstrings eccentrically and builds strength through knee flexion. Anchor your feet, keep a rigid plank line, and lower slowly to maximize hamstring activation.

Can I build muscle without doing Platform Hamstring Slides?

Yes — you can build hamstring muscle using other exercises that provide progressive overload and eccentric emphasis, such as Romanian deadlifts, single-leg RDLs, and Nordic curls. Apply progressive load, control tempo, and increase volume to stimulate hypertrophy.

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