← EXERCISE LIBRARYCalisthenics
Nordic Hamstring Lower
Kneeling eccentric with the ankles anchored, the strongest known bodyweight hamstring builder. Three sets of five reps controlled past the halfway point before you remove the hand assist.
- 01Kneel on a mat with the ankles anchored under a fixed bar or held by a partner.
- 02Set the hips extended so the body is one line from knee to shoulder.
- 03Lower the torso forward as slowly as you can, resisting with the hamstrings.
- 04Keep the hips locked, letting the knees be the only hinge.
- 05Catch yourself with the hands at the floor and push back to the start.
- 01Hips stay open, do not fold at the waist.
- 02Fight for every inch, slow is the whole point.
- 03Hands ready, catch late not early.
- 01Breaking at the hips, which drops the torso without loading the hamstrings through the knee.
- 02Free-falling after the first few degrees, which gives no eccentric stimulus and just tests your catch.
- 03Starting with high volume, which produces the worst delayed soreness of any common bodyweight drill.
Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.