Why Squats Aren't Enough for Big Hamstrings (And What to Do Instead)
Do squats work hamstrings? The short answer is yes, but probably not the way you think, and certainly not enough to build impressive size on their own. If you have been banking on the barbell back squat to build the back of your legs, you might be spinning your wheels. While the hamstrings are active during the movement, they function primarily as dynamic stabilizers rather than the main drivers of the lift. Relying solely on squats for posterior chain development usually leads to muscular imbalances where the quads overpower the hamstrings.
Understanding the biomechanics here is vital if you want to avoid injury and actually fill out your jeans. Let’s break down exactly how much muscle activation you are getting, how to tweak your form for better results, and which exercises actually get the job done.
The Biomechanics: Do Squats Target Hamstrings Effectively?
When you look at the anatomy of a squat, it seems like a total leg builder. You are bending at the knees and the hips, so everything should be firing, right? The confusion usually stems from the dual function of the hamstring muscles. They cross two joints: the hip and the knee.
During the descent of a squat, your hamstrings lengthen at the hip as you bend forward, but they shorten at the knee as you bend your legs. During the ascent, the opposite happens: they shorten at the hip as you stand up, but lengthen at the knee as your legs straighten. This phenomenon keeps the muscle length relatively constant throughout the movement. In exercise science, we call this concurrent activation.
Because the muscle length doesn't change drastically, do squats build hamstrings effectively? Not compared to exercises where the muscle is fully stretched and contracted. The hamstrings are working isometrically to stabilize your knee and assist the glutes, but they aren't undergoing the eccentric load necessary for maximum hypertrophy. So, if you ask, "do squats workout hamstrings?" the answer is yes, they are working, but they aren't the star of the show.
Personal Experience: The Quad-Dominant Trap
I learned this lesson the hard way a few years back. I was chasing a heavy powerlifting total and focused almost exclusively on the "Big Three" lifts. My squat numbers were climbing steadily, and my quads were growing, but my deadlift kept stalling at lockout. I assumed that because I was moving heavy weight, my entire lower body was getting stronger in unison.
It wasn't until I strained a hamstring sprinting to catch a bus that I realized the issue. My physical therapist pointed out that my quads were massive, but my hamstrings were practically nonexistent in comparison. I had been assuming that do squats strengthen hamstrings enough to handle athletic movement, but I was wrong. I had to completely restructure my leg days to prioritize hip-hinge movements and direct knee flexion work to fix the imbalance. It took six months of focused work to bring them up to par, but my knee pain vanished, and my squat actually got smoother.
Quads vs. Hamstrings: Who Does the Work?
Many lifters wonder, are squats more quads or hamstrings? Without a doubt, the squat is a quad-dominant exercise. Electromyography (EMG) studies consistently show that hamstring activation during a standard squat is significantly lower than quad and glute activation. The quadriceps are responsible for extending the knee, which is the primary mechanical challenge of the squat.
When you ask, do squats work hamstrings or quads more, the quads win every time. In fact, the adductor magnus (inner thigh) often contributes more to hip extension out of the hole (the bottom of the squat) than the hamstrings do. If you feel your hamstrings burning after a set of high-rep squats, it is often due to fatigue from stabilization or simply the metabolic stress of the compound movement, not necessarily because you stimulated high levels of muscle fiber growth in that specific area.
How to Target Hamstrings on Squats
While you cannot turn a squat into a pure hamstring isolation move, you can modify your technique to shift the bias slightly. If you are looking for a hamstring focused squat, you need to look at your bar placement and foot position.
Low Bar Back Squats
Do back squats work hamstrings better than front squats? Generally, yes. Specifically, the Low Bar Back Squat is the best squat for hamstrings if you are strictly choosing between squat variations. By placing the bar lower on your rear delts, you are forced to lean your torso forward more to maintain balance. This increased forward lean creates a greater degree of hip flexion.
Because the hips are pushed further back, the posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) has to work harder to extend the hips to get you back to a standing position. While do barbell squats work hamstrings more in this position, they still shouldn't be your only hamstring exercise.
Stance Width
A wider stance can also increase posterior chain involvement. Squats that target hamstrings generally involve a stance slightly wider than shoulder-width with the toes pointed out. This allows for more hip depth and engagement from the adductors and glutes, which work in tandem with the hamstrings.
Squat Variations for Hamstrings
If you want to perform squat-like movements that actually roast the back of your legs, you need to move away from the traditional vertical squat pattern. Here are the best hamstring squat exercises that mimic the squat pattern but prioritize the posterior chain.
The Kang Squat
This is a hybrid movement that combines a Good Morning with a Back Squat. You start by hinging your hips back until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor (loading the hamstrings), then you drop your hips into a squat, and finally reverse the motion. This is one of the few squats that work hamstrings through a significant range of motion.
Box Squats
Powerlifters love box squats for a reason. By sitting back onto a box, you break the eccentric-concentric chain and force the hips to generate massive power to stand up. Sitting back further than a normal squat allows you to maintain a vertical shin, which reduces quad involvement and places a massive load on the hips and hamstrings. If you want to know do squats help hamstrings regarding explosive power, the box squat is your answer.
The Verdict: Do Squats Work Out Hamstrings Enough?
So, do squats hit hamstrings? Yes. Do squats train hamstrings enough to skip leg curls and deadlifts? Absolutely not. Relying on squats alone leaves a massive gap in your development.
To build complete legs, you must pair your squats with exercises that involve hip extension (like Romanian Deadlifts) and knee flexion (like Lying Leg Curls). Squats are the king of leg exercises, but even a king needs a supporting court. Use the squat to build overall mass and quad strength, but don't fool yourself into thinking it covers everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do front squats work hamstrings?
Front squats engage the hamstrings significantly less than back squats. Because the barbell is held on the front of the shoulders, you must maintain a very upright torso, which places the majority of the load on the quadriceps and upper back, minimizing hip flexion and hamstring involvement.
What is the best exercise to pair with squats for hamstrings?
The Romanian Deadlift (RDL) is arguably the best companion to the squat. While the squat focuses on knee extension (quads), the RDL focuses on hip extension with a deep stretch in the hamstrings, perfectly covering the muscle stimulation that squats miss.
Do wide stance squats hit hamstrings more?
Yes, a wider stance generally recruits more of the posterior chain, including the glutes, adductors, and hamstrings, compared to a narrow stance. However, even with a wide stance, the quads remain the primary mover, so supplemental hamstring work is still necessary.
