Do pistols work the hamstrings?

[Longshanks]

Maybe it's the static stretching that does it but I've noticed that my hamstrings always hurt loads more after my workouts than any other muscle group, but it is the only one I realy push flexability wise. Is it maybe too much to do pistols, hangs from pull-up bar (with legs) and static stetches too much in each workout?

[Blairbob]

Yes, SLS do. To what degree I'm not sure but I feel tension on them when prodding myself do them.

[Ortprod]

it is very easy to cheap a pistol and use much of your quad. If you do, over time, you may end up with some muscle imbalances/knee problems if you aren't working the hams equally hard. Word of caution: many people are quad dominant.

[Richard Duelley]

it is very easy to cheap a pistol and use much of your quad. If you do, over time, you may end up with some muscle imbalances/knee problems if you aren't working the hams equally hard. Word of caution: many people are quad dominant.

And thats why you need to do natural leg curls or GHRs!

[Ortprod]

Ya man, I love GHRs. My jump has improved so much since I implemented them into my routine. Also single leg balance/deadlifts and hip heists.

[Nick Van Bockxmeer]

the hamstrings will only strongly contribute to the squat if they are put in a stretched position. To do this you need to press your hips right back and go as deep as you can. Of course this is the same as a regular squat and allows recruitment of the posterior chain/hip extensors (glutes, hamstrings, adductor magnus). This is actually something I have been thinking about alot lately. In almost every pistol I see, the back is rounded a lot so that a larger range of motion is achieved through the knee. If you try and pistol with a flat back you will be limited by hip extensibilitiy and the knee will not bend as much. The torso must bend forward a lot, probably past 45 for most people and the knee will come well forward of the toe. I think this is more practical way to do it as it allows more balanced contribution of the lower body muscles.

Its true that if the lower back rounds under you can actually go down till you ass hits your ankle, but if you do this all the load that should be on the hip goes straight to the knee - both to the quadriceps muscles which could develop an imbalance but for me it feels like a lot of uncomfortable stress on the patellafemoral joint.

Its possible to work the hamstrings ALOT if you do them this way, and i have found that you can get pretty sore right where the hamstrings insert at the hip - and the glutes will get blasted as well. This is in contrast to the GHR where the insertion at the back of the knee is more stressed.

[VeganMartin]

The SLS is just about my favourite exercise. I go down as far as I can in the squat position - until my hamstrings are pressing on my calves. The lower back is curled under somewhat when in the fully squatted position. I think this is what gives the hamstrings so much work to do when straightening up again. Carrying extra weight in the hands will further add to the hamstring work.

I read somewhere that one way to greatly reduce this back curling would be to do them standing on a chair or high bench so that the non-working leg can dangle down fairly straight. Never tried it, though.

Despite the work done by my hamstrings in the SLS, I am going to start doing some single-leg Romanian deadlifts. I've tried them without weight and my balance is good enough.